Christopher Cervantes
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I remember when Trump first declared (this time around) that he wanted to be America’s next president. From that first loud, almost demanding announcement, his statements have been met with thunderous applause from many and raised eyebrows from others.
As the months passed and debates carried on, he has been the center of many a controversy. Most recently, CNN reported that Jewish leaders are protesting him during a major pro-Israel conference in Washington, accusing the presidential candidate of encouraging hatred.
As I’ve said, this isn’t Trump’s first controversy, and I’ve honestly lost count of how many he has been a part of. That being said, with all of the people he has offended over this election season, I’m wondering who is left to support him during this time.
Let’s take a brief look at Trump’s campaign. He is known for his various oppositions to illegal immigration, free trade, and military interventionism, as well as his strong desire to “make America great again.” What is most prominent, though, is Trump’s dedication to throwing away the ideas of political correctness.
Translation: He appears to say whatever pops in his head.
This is the gist of why people seem to like him. Just by scrounging around Facebook, Twitter, and other social-media sites, I found myself flooded by comments and posts and tweets that applauded the television personality (his claim to fame before politics) for his direct approach in his campaign. Some comments were from my own family members and groups of friends.
That’s why it’s tough for me to say that I think they are all acting like idiots. Because I don’t think they really like him for his politics. I think they like him because he a novelty in this electoral season. By that, I mean he does things that no candidate would ever do.
When you think of politicians, one aspect that comes to mind is a sense of poise and refinement that speaks miles of not only professionalism but also how they conduct themselves around other people. However, with that comes poise comes the inevitable, politician-patented speech skills that always has an official talk around an issue rather than directly at it.
Trump does not do this, though. People are enjoying the fact that whatever he says, he seems to mean whole heartedly. This comes at the expense of true professionalism and his people skills.
See, I may have been able to identify why Trump resonates with voters, but that doesn’t mean I understand it.
Trump stands out in this election. Not only for his lack of political expertise and experience, but also due to his … unique approach to handling matters that are considered delicate by his competition.
Some people like him for this. Will it be enough to push him to the victory circle, or will he burn out before reaching the finish line? My money is on the latter.