Posted on 07/31/2015 7:59:26 PM PDT by nathanbedford
Trump as a candidate is almost entirely a creation of the media. That is not to deny that he is adept at manipulating the media, that is perfectly plain. But it is to say that a man adept at manipulating the media has met a media eager to expose Trump to further its own needs. The media gains readers and viewers and makes money off the Trump phenomenon. History tells us that the media habitually builds up that which they will later destroy when it simply begins to bore them or suits their politics.
There is a third element which is vitally important to understanding the Trump phenomenon: He has given voice to a burning frustration and actual fear in middle America that we are losing our country through feckless policies such as immigration and trade. He is right and he says it better than any other candidate. The media hates the message but loves to feature the messenger (whom they also hate) because it pays so well. The more the media attacks the messenger, the more frustrated and fearful Americans, quite rational in these feelings, instinctively side with Trump. The more Trump denigrates the media, the more middle America instinctively sides with Trump because middle America viscerally understands that the media and the two political parties are in cahoots. The disenfranchised middle has almost no choice but to turn to a maverick and the more Trump is positioned either by the media or by his own mouth to be out of the mainstream, the more he fits the role of white knight riding to the rescue with no motive other than to save the Holy Grail of our way of life.
How then will the media ultimately destroy Trump's candidacy? First it is necessary to understand that Trump's candidacy is a media event, not a grassroots movement, not a development within the party, not a political movement. It is a series of media events.Trump makes good copy and gives good video. Rather than a grassroots movement, rather than a bottom-up phenomenon, it is a sensory event, one that must occupy the screen and preoccupy the consciousness or fade out. A media phenomenon survives only so long as it is a phenomenon in the media. That implies that Trump must be ever more and more outlandish if he is to hold media momentum. He will be confronted with the choice: Either he burlesque's his own character ever more and more or he moderates. If he chooses the former he will eventually cross too many lines; if he chooses the latter he will lose the magic. His timing and stage presence must be exquisite if he is to keep the cameras rolling.
The choice Trump must make comes in the context of issues. We have already seen him start to dance on the issue of immigration: Who he will deport; how he will uncover them in America; how he will physically deport them; whom he will allow to return to America; upon what standard; whom he will make citizens; why?. His answer was virtually incoherent but even if regarded to be coherent, his answer was hardly confidence inspiring, in reality, it was not the kind of second act needed to keep the media bubble growing. Was he moderating his position? Has he continued to differentiate himself from other true conservatives like Ted Cruz? How is his immigration stand different from Scott Walker's? Sooner or later, Trump must say something other than, "I will make America great" he must choose. With choice inevitably comes opposition or disillusionment. Either he makes more enemies or he disappoints his supporters who need more and more.
The media creature can endure determined attacks in the media but he cannot survive disillusionment. Either the media bubble must grow and caricature itself until it bursts or it will spring a slow leak of disillusionment which only gathers speed and the whole balloon collapses. We have seen this time and again in American politics. Have we forgotten Herman Cain?
The upcoming debates might expose Trump to be a shallow opportunist who has diagnosed the problem but who has failed to rigorously think through his soundbite solutions. Most likely, the upcoming debates will not derail Trump's circus, it is still too early in the media cycle bubble, but it will begin the process.
The man is anything but stupid as some are attempting to make him out to be.....and I think he will “craft” exactly what he wants to say .....how he will respond to what other candidates say is going to matter....my gut says he’s going to be prepared well. If not then I tend to think this really is just a show for him.
Did you write this article?
Every rock they throw at him becomes a building block for his candidacy.
But they can't seem to be able to stop.
I stopped reading right there and of course I feel so much better.
Today, Rush was saying he thought Trump was just trying to set up the media by saying he had never debated.
I think it’s so funny. Trump knows how to conduct himself .. his current ranting is just to let the other guys know .. he doesn’t believe all that #$%& they’ve been saying.
Cruz plan is green cards AKA amnesty and H1B visas for skilled workers.
....”He can attack the bloodsucking political plunderers and their willing accomplices in the media, like no other candidate”...
True but he’s got to have more than this to win. It’s not just the Conservative base he needs on board who likes to see him “fight”....he needs to appeal to others as well. He has to come off as more than just a boxer.
I stopped reading right there and of course I feel so much better.
Now we're getting somewhere!
Yes and Obama trade TPP which means more immigrants(”trade in services”)
NathanBedford may indeed be wrong on this issue. Indeed, he's already conceded my assessment of his post was "fair enough."
But FRiend, claiming his head is filled with mush is undoubtedly one of the three stupidest things you've claimed in your entire life.
It will be an interesting debate to tune in on as nobody has a clue really how Trump is going to pull this off. Which is going to get Fox the ratings just to find out!
I think it was well assembled. I also think he is more than a media phenomenon, though that is a big part of it.
Some people can’t see the trees for the Forrest.
I agree! I hope Trump wins!
Americans in focus group saying why they support Trump:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylrpG-SLdEU
This video shows why Trump will win
“The difference between Trumps immigration plan and Cruz immigration plan is Trump has the balls to say what his plan is.
Cruz plan is green cards AKA amnesty and H1B visas for skilled workers.”
Trump may not be perfect, but I find all the politicians disgusting including Cruz who voted for the Trade bill, the Corker Bill, etc. I’d vote for Trump in a New York second, and if Ben Carson or Carly would get the traction to be viable, I’d vote for them. The others are all bought and paid for.
Like it or not Lewislynn...some form of amnesty and the H1B visas are going to happen regardless. That ship has long been at sea and isn’t going to have anything more than tweaking to suite whichever candidate wins the election. We’ll see some changes but not sufficient for those who oppose them. You’ll see even Trump’s tune change somewhat as the Presidential race itself begins, if he’s still in it.
The first sentence “Trump as a candidate is almost entirely a creation of the media” is false.
It’s reasonable to not bother wasting time with an argument built on a false premise.
Trump wasn’t build by the media, if anything, Trump built the media that has been covering him. By way of example “The Apprentice” is going to die without the guy who built it.
The media is a selective gate, and sometimes it decks out things that come through that gate in false garb, but it does not seem this is a valid explanation here. It seems Trump has lucked onto a mother lode of Things A Lot Of People Agree Need To Be Set Right With The Country. And the weak GOP has left a vacuum just perfect for him.
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