Understanding Trump

Sadly, in this Presidential election year, being interested in politics means having to write about the train wreck that is called the Republican primaries and specifically the phenomenon that is Donald Trump.  Trump's resonance with a certain segment of the electorate is something I will explore in a later post, but, for now, the question I have is whether the Donald really wants to win the nomination. Many pundits are still seemingly baffled by Trump's clear lack of interest in any policy details (see Kevin Drum); his apparent decision not to moderate his tone and pivot toward the center when he had a commanding lead in delegates and where a win in Wisconsin would almost guarantee the nomination; but, instead, managing to alienate an even greater segment of the electorate with his abortion comments and insulting the very voters he needs to woo. It is almost like he was intent on sabotaging his own campaign. And that may well be what he was trying to do. Stephanie Cegielski was the former Communications Director for the Make America Great Again SuperPAC and has now penned an open letter repudiating Trump.  It makes for interesting reading and you should read the whole thing but the big takeaway was this:

"Even Trump's most trusted advisors didn't expect him to fare this well.

Almost a year ago, recruited for my public relations and public policy expertise, I sat in Trump Tower being told that the goal was to get The Donald to poll in double digits and come in second in delegate count. That was it.

The Trump camp would have been satisfied to see him polling at 12% and taking second place to a candidate who might hold 50%. His candidacy was a protest candidacy."

 

I doubt that it was even a protest candidacy - it was solely intended to aid and promote the Trump Brand. There was no thought and certainly no interest in winning - that would mean having to do real work. Trump has always been playing with house money starting with the $1 million dollar "loan" he got from his father to get it started.  And after he nearly lost everything with his bankruptcy in 1991, he simply became a front man for various sales and development schemes. He is simply a salesman and, despite his claims of great deal-making, has never shown any interest in the details and minutiae that it takes to actually accomplish things.  And being President is hard work. His lack of attention to detail is apparent in the way he is allowing Cruz to line up the delegate slate in states where Trump has won the caucus or the primary, solely due to lack of organization. But perhaps nothing could be better for Brand Trump than winning the majority of the delegates but having the nomination "stolen" from him on the second ballot of an open convention. With no nomination, he would have no responsibilities; but he would have a platform to demagogue and promote the Trump Brand at the same time. Think of the speaking engagements, the book tours, and all the other perks of the Republican grift machine. Stephanie Cegielski thinks that Trump's ego has taken over and that he really wants to win. After all, he is a winner! But I'm betting that there is more money for the Trump Brand and less work for Trump himself if he actually loses the nomination. And that will trump even the Donald's enormous ego.