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TAKING THE PRESIDENCY
TO ANOTHER LEVEL |
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In case you haven't noticed, Donald Trump's national approval
rating jumped to 44% in a recent Gallup poll, an all-time high. While this
news may cause jubilation for some and others to become apoplectic, it
also warrants an explanation, and I'm happy to oblige.
Fortunately, I can accomplish this without being too
political. My theory is that his rise in popularity has very little to do
with the economy, North Korea, immigration or any other hot-button issues.
Instead, it comes down to the concept that more and more people are
becoming accustomed and accepting of his personality.
Not all people, of course. Those of you who just spit coffee
onto your laps while reading those words are clearly never going to join
the 44%, even if he cured cancer and forged world peace. Count me in that
group as well. As I've made clear many times, I find his narcissistic
personality abhorrent and a disgrace to the once-noble office of the
President.
However, I also find him entertaining, at least some of the
time.
There goes the coffee again. As you're cleaning up, hear me
out. I think the entertainment factor is driving up his numbers, because
the shock and disgust over what he says and does is becoming acceptable to
more and more people. Consequently, those millions who were somewhere in
the middle politically, but put off by Trump's demeanor, are softening.
Love him or hate him, it's hard to argue that he is not
occasionally entertaining. At least three or four times each week, someone
will say to me, often while chuckling, "Can you believe what Trump
said (or did) today?" In the early days of his presidency, or during
the campaign, I was appalled. I'm still appalled, but now it's with a wry
resignation.
I watch the evening news and I'm disappointed if he didn't
say something wacky the entire day. I listen to the radio or read the
paper, waiting to hear or read something that will have me shaking my head
in wonderment.
The word entertainment is defined as "providing
amusement or enjoyment." I think Donald Trump can be inadvertently
amusing, even though I've never seen any semblance of a sense of humor
from him. He is an entertainer, not a politician, and I'm sad to say, like
many people, I'm beginning to accept him for who he is.
That is why, in my opinion, his approval rating is going up.
Not from me, because I'll never approve, but by others who have come to
accept his shenanigans as nothing more than entertainment. His personality
no longer sways their thinking, and they're judging him solely on the
issues that they agree on.
Trump can call Kim Jong Un "Rocket Man" and
"short and fat," and then turn around and say that they
"fell in love" during their meeting in Singapore. He can call
Ted Cruz "Lying Ted" during the campaign and then turn around
and call him "Beautiful Ted" and "Texas Ted" as he
endorses him for re-election.
That's very entertaining. Almost every day there is something
to shake your head and sometimes sadly chuckle about. There is no doubt
that his comments and actions are tearing the country apart, and by no
means am I condoning his demeanor. I'm just saying many voters are
accepting him for the showman that he is, and ignoring the damage he is
causing.
Impeachment, which would tear the country apart, is becoming
less and less of an option. I think it's pretty clear that Trump will be
our President at least until the next election. I once thought his chances
of being re-elected in 2020 were slim to none. Now I'm not so sure.
Outrageousness is slowly but surely becoming the norm. Trump
can call Stormy Daniels "Horseface" and barely cause a wrinkle.
More and more people are just saying, "Oh, that Donald---what a
character."
That's exactly what he wants, and it seems to be working. We
all wondered, especially in the beginning, why his seasoned advisors
couldn't prevent him from tweeting ridiculous comments and lies at all
hours of the night. Now we know why---the more he does it, the more it
defines who he is.
So he'll keep on fabricating the truth, and he'll keep on
tweeting and saying ridiculous and outrageous comments, and more and more
people will forgive the fact that he's destroyed the respect and dignity
of the office of President of the United States.
I won't forgive him, especially for his incendiary comments
that generate so much polarization, but I'm slowly beginning to understand
him. He's an entertainer, and always will be.
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