Donald Trump just did it again.
He is so much smarter than the mainstream media and the establishment GOP. He is playing at another level – like Michael Jordan did years ago, or LeBron James does today. Every time the media, the establishment GOP, or Donald’s critics and opponents for president think he’s destroyed himself with outrageous and offensive comments, his ratings go up, and they wind up with egg on their face.
It’s about to happen again.
Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, Monday, Nov. 23, 2015. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)
Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, Monday, Nov. 23, 2015. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)
Trump just shocked and outraged the media, critics and the GOP establishment by recommending a ban on all Muslims entering the U.S. But I’m betting Trump goes up in the polls. Anyone want to bet?
Trump’s move was brilliant – again. His critics are going to have egg on their face – again. They just don’t understand the game he’s playing – he’s a man playing chess. They are little boys playing checkers.
This is an exact repeat of what happened this past summer when Trump supposedly called all Mexicans “rapists and murderers.” Except he didn’t say that. What he said was the border is wide open; bad people are coming in; Mexico is not sending us their best; and some of them are rapists and murderers. He never said all of them are criminals. As a matter of fact Trump praised legal immigrants from Mexico. He didn’t say it very artfully. He was certainly harsh. But it’s clear his intent was not to say all Mexicans are rapists and murderers.
Trump’s intent was clear as a bell to millions of Americans – who agreed that Trump was pointing out a legitimate problem. Only days later a young woman lost her life at the hands of a five-time deported illegal alienfrom Mexico. Trump soared in the polls.
The thing is Trump’s comments were harsh but true. There is a crime wave in this country being committed by illegal aliens. Illegal aliens acccount for over 30 percent of murders in several states. Our prisons are filled with foreign nationals – almost 70 percent of them are from Mexico. Many bad people – including potential terrorists – could be coming across that border. But even the peaceful nice illegal aliens pouring across are on welfare, food stamps, Medicaid and other forms of government entitlement checks at a far higher rate than native-born Americans. Illegal immigration is leading to the bankruptcy of America.
Back then Trump’s supposedly “offensive and outrageous” comments were all over the news. The mainstream media said, “Poor Trump, his political career is over before it began.”
But something funny happened on the way to the funeral. By spreading his views far and wide in hysterical headlines, the media made Trump a hero. Millions of Americans liked what they heard. They agreed with him that illegal immigration is a serious problem. The media branded him with hundreds of millions of dollars in free publicity and promotion. They allowed him to suck up all the oxygen in the room. Trump became an overnight sensation and the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination.
Well don’t look now, but it’s happening all over again.
Donald Trump speaks to the crowd at a Pearl Harbor Day Rally at the U.S.S. Yorktown, December 7, 2015. (Getty Images/Sean Rayford)
Donald Trump speaks to the crowd at a Pearl Harbor Day Rally at the U.S.S. Yorktown, December 7, 2015. (Getty Images/Sean Rayford)
The media is misquoting Trump just like last time and misunderstanding that what he said is going to be popular with millions of Americans – again. The more they condemn him; the more they talk about him; the more they’ll spread his message without the need to spend a dime on advertising. Once again, Trump sucks all the oxygen out of the room.
They average American voter has heard of John Kasich. Carly Fiorina has disappeared. Jeb Bush is history – he can’t get to 10 percent in polls anymore. But Donald Trump is on everyone’s lips. Love him or hate him, you can’t stop talking about him. Trump just became the No. 1 topic at every dinner table in America – again.
And the media has misunderstood or misrepresented his comments – again. If Trump said he wanted to ban all Muslims from America permanently, I’d disagree strongly. If he said he would not allow Muslim Americans back in this country, I’d disagree strongly. If he said that we would deport Muslims out of America, I’d disagree strongly. But that’s not what he said.
Trump merely proposed a temporary ban until we can get our act together. That’s perfectly reasonable. That’s worth a national debate.
Trump believes the U.S. government is incompetent. I agree. He doesn’t trust the government’s ability to keep us safe from terrorism. I agree.
Because of that Trump believes we need to take a “time out.” We need to pause, breathe deep and analyze whether our government can determine who the bad guys are. This is a TEMPORARY ban on Muslim foreigners only, until our government can get it’s act together and insure we‘re all safe. I agree.
Trump’s ban is temporary. It does not apply to Muslim Americans. It does not apply to Muslims in our military. It does not apply to foreign dignataries. How do I know? Because I called Trump’s national campaign manager and went over the plan point by point. That’s something the media never bothered to do.
This isn’t an attack on Muslims. It’s an attack on our incompetent government – which is not keeping us, or our children safe. This is reasonable and prudent, temporaily, until we can figure out who is coming into our country. Which means Trump has out flanked his critics and opponents – again.
I can’t wait for next week’s GOP debate in Las Vegas. I’ll be in the audience. And what Trump has done is make his Republican competition for president defend the competency of the government, in front of millions of conservative voters who dislike and distrust our government with a passion. Trump has put everyone on the same side as President Barack Obama. Let’s see them defend that position. I can’t wait to watch that debate.
Trump wins on every level:
1) Last spring I called Trump “Bullworth” – the fictional movie character played by Warren Beatty in the 1998 movie about a candidate who wins by a landslide saying whatever raw truth is on his mind. Whether people liked his opinions or not, they loved his refreshing honesty. That’s Trump.
2) He’s sucking up all the oxygen in the room. None of his opponents can get a word in. Only Trump is on everyone’s lips. Trump understands the old adage “all publicity is good publicity.” He’s running and winning without spending any money on advertising. Amazing.
3) Trump may be over the top … you may even find his views “extreme, offensive or distasteful” … but he’s the one looking out for America … he’s the one keeping your children safe at night. I believe that will stick in the subconscious of America’s parents. It’s easy to be “open-minded” and “progressive” when it’s not your children’s life at risk.
4) A huge majority of Americans distrusts their government. Trump just became their hero.
5) A huge majority of Americans disapprove of Obama’s handling of the war on terror. Do you think Americans would rather err on the side of Trump’s views being too harsh and offensive to Muslims … or Obama’s views being too accommodating and apologetic to Muslims? I’m betting a majority side with Trump- even if they have to whisper it in private (and in the privacy of the voting booth).
6) Finally for those who consider Trump’s recommendation to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. too harsh or even un-Constitutional, are you aware that Democratic President Jimmy Carter banned Iranians from entering America during another crisis in our history?
There was no media firestorm then. There were no shouts of outrage. No one called Carter a “fascist.” No one called his ban of citizens from a Muslim nation un-American or un-Constitutional.
Are you aware that Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt banned Japanese, German and “alien Italians” from the U.S. at the start of World War II?
I have a message for Donald Trump’s opponents: The latest national poll shows Trump up by 20 points.
Keep in mind he hasn’t spent any serious money yet. So I wish you good luck overcoming Trump’s 20-point lead. You’re going to need it!
Trump has destroyed the media and GOP establishment – again.
–
TheBlaze contributor channel supports an open discourse on a range of views. The opinions expressed in this channel are solely those of each individual author.