Watching clips from last night's Republican debate (I didn't waste my time watching the whole thing live) I guess I can begin to see why Donald Trump has some appeal. He is a loudmouthed blowhard, but at least he is an AUTHENTIC loudmouthed blowhard. He says what he thinks, straight out, dumb or not, politically incorrect or not. It's a little refreshing.
In comparison, everyone else looks like they are reading from scripts prepared ever so carefully by committees of spin doctors and focus groups to be sure to appeal to a base and not offend campaign sponsors. Everyone else seemed to be simply pasting together well-worn campaign slogans that we are all tired of hearing (especially since we know they really don't mean them).
It is, perhaps, a measure of how weak the Republican field really is that a substance-free blowhard like Donald Trump could dominate the stage in this debate. Of course, there is rampant speculation that he entered the race deliberately to split the Republican party and give Hillary a clear run at the Presidency. The fact that he is close person friends with the Clintons, and that Bill Clinton called him a few weeks before he announced and encouraged him to run, feeds this speculation.
I certainly wouldn't vote for the Donald, but his presence in this campaign may finally move a few of the others to abandon their carefully-scripted speeches and tell us what they really think. No, I don't expect Hillary to do that, but with luck one of two of the Republican contenders might pick up on the clue.
Thoughts and observations about the world condition.
See also the annotated book list on the sidebar at the right, as well as the YouTube Lecture list
Posts
