Remember when Mitt Romney was running for POTUS three years ago? He looked like a Ken doll’s father, allegedly strapped a dog to the top of his car en route to a family vacation and decided to gear his campaign on what seemed like mostly economic issues – greatly ignoring the social issues that America was facing.
I would give my right arm to see Romney run again this year. Why? Because compared to the group running this election cycle, he seems like a model candidate. In a lot of ways, Mitt Romney wasn’t that bad.
Sure, he could be incredibly awkward, portrayed himself as upper class to a fault, and selected America’s youngest political hack Paul Ryan as his running mate (the last sin was maybe the most egregious of all). }
All that being said, there are many positive things Romney was. He was calm, collected and dignified. He acted and looked presidential while on the campaign trail. If elected, I could visualize him talking to foreign leaders without making America look stupid [insert George W. Bush joke here].
I could visualize him addressing a nation in a time of need and not sounding like a complete fool. Wooden? Yes. Impersonal? At times. But never buffoonish. Cue this year’s Republican hopefuls.
At the top of the pack we have the man, the myth, the Donald. Yes, he barely needs an introduction because he’s such a loud-mouth: Donald Trump.
What a sad state of affairs the Republican Party is in. Trump, a man with no political record to speak of, has been burning up the polls. He’s defeating real candidates with real experience and real records.
A leading candidate says a lot about the people who associate themselves with the party. How did Trump get so popular? This run doesn’t come from nowhere.
In 2011, Trump was a leader of the birther movement. You remember? Those conspiracy theory whack-jobs who were out to prove that the Obama presidency was illegitimate because they believed Obama was born in Kenya and not Hawaii.
Trump was even considering running for office back then. Seth Meyers had a good burn when he said of Trump while hosting the White House correspondence dinner: “Donald Trump has been saying he will run for president as a Republican, which is surprising because I had just assumed he was running as a joke.â€
Cue applause/laughs from the audience and the Donald’s trademark scowl. But the joke has become real and it’s not funny anymore. Any humor to be found in this situation has slipped away by this point.
Within the first debate, Trump had tried to schmooze his way out of misogynistic remarks he made at Rosie O’Donnell, defend his abrasive manner of calling people names while on the campaign trail and his attitude in general. He even managed to start a Twitter feud with FOX personality Megyn Kelly after the debate.
I pose a question now to all the people who somehow aren’t embarrassed to call themselves Trump supporters. Could you honestly see this man going into a given situation with any level of respectful diplomacy?
In my mind, here’s how he would sound addressing matters foreing policy: “Kim Jong Un is a loser. North Korea is small. America’s ‘uge (huge, for those who don’t speak Trump). I’m ‘uge. My buildings are ‘uge. The wall I want to build around Mexico will be ‘uge.â€
But at the same time, you have to question how did the Republican Party get to this point? It’s interesting that if you look at the number two candidate in the race – Ben Carson, a brain surgeon, with 20% of the vote – you’d notice a massive drop-off to the number three candidate – Florida governor Jeb Bush.
Given how tepid the last two Republican candidates – Romney and Senator John McCain – were in comparison to Obama, maybe the Republicans, likely influenced by the vehemently far-right, have decided to push personality.
Not a bad idea, but they’re pushing the wrong kind of personality. Obama didn’t get elected by being a loud-mouth. If you have issues with his policy, fine, whatever. But you can’t deny that he’s got a marvelous personality. He has gravitas. He’s eloquent. He can be funny. He acts like the smartest guy in the room rather than shout that he’s the smartest guy in the room.
I’m not afraid that Obama is going to create an incident every time he meets with world leaders. If Trump were elected, I could see every fist of every member of the UN clenched with rage the first time he spoke to the group.
Forget international incidents, how would he handle talking to his constituents of American government? In his campaign’s infancy, Trump took shots at a lot of established Republicans, including one aimed at John McCain.
When asked about the once-nominated McCain, Trump insisted that he wasn’t a war hero. When the interviewer decided to call baloney on that response, Trump clarified in a snide tone, “He’s a war hero because he got captured.â€
Strong words from a person whose greatest contribution to the world has been buildings with gaudy logos and a bunch of defunct casinos. Republicans are running away from people who know how to govern and into the arms of people who see the word “government†as dirty.
Since the Obama administration began, Republicanism has shown a darker side. A side that was once a quiet minority has become a hideous majority or is at least acting like it. It’s a party that now runs from those who have helped build it.
The patient people who rested comfortably right of center that worked with those who rested comfortably left of center are seen as the enemy. Parties will always have their fanatics, but people are making the mistake of letting the fanatics be the voice.
Word of advice: never listen to a man (presumably surrounded by other men dressed as Ben Franklin) holding a sign that says: “Get your government hands off my Medicare!â€
The fact that Trump is being taken seriously as a candidate proves my point. The only reason that the Donald is being listened to is because of the most ignorant people in America have their ears open.
These are the people who applaud anybody who opposes anything that Democrats stand for – no matter how much sense it makes. These are the people who applaud someone who has one of the most hateful takes on Mexicans.
These are the people who see compromise as admitting defeat and associate anyone with a track-record in office – good or bad – with being a part of the problem and having nothing to contribute to the solution. They’re the reason Trump has a serious shot at being president.
I may not agree with typical Republican candidates like Jeb Bush and Chris Christie, but I don’t think I’d be scared of what they would do if they got to sit in the Oval Office. I know this next sentiment may seem less than true, but I don’t hate the Republican Party.
Our government relies on its two party system. We need as many opinions in the mix as we can get to make sure that the greatest breadth of Americans are represented in government. But when one of those sides isn’t taking itself seriously and cares more about getting coverage than getting things done, it’s time to rethink the strategy.
There is going to be a debate on this evening on CNN. I suggest you watch it. Even if you don’t associate yourself with no political interest, you should watch. This is the future happening.
Brian Laughran
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