Donald Trump’s Appeal
by Thomas B. Edsall
Dec 2, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/02/opinion/campaign-stops/donald-trumps-appeal.html?comments#
I think the answer to the question of Trump's appeal is much simpler: we, the US, have become a country that believes what is shown in "Reality Shows" is actually "reality".
The media, and especially the "milk toast" group that passes itself off as "journalists", are part and parcel of this phenomenon. Every day CNN, MSNBC and the others ask in wonderment about the sustained popularity of Trump, when it is they themselves that ensure that sustained popularity. Every time Trump says something outlandish, the media spend hours and hours for days on end, with all sorts of talking-head "experts" filling the screen, speculating about this non-issue, which is exactly what keeps Trump at the forefront in our media-centric society.
For example, after an initial report of the "thousands of Muslims in New Jersey" cheering on 9/11, is the endless speculation about this really justified, given the boat-load of real issues which need and should be raised by "journalists" (if we still had them)?
But this type of stuff is easy for the taking heads to speculate about - it takes no actual knowledge and no work to inform oneself about real issues, and it fills the endless hours of 24hr news shows during which they can sell ads.
So there is no mystery here about the sustained popularity of Trump - "it's the media, stupid" - paraphrasing "it's the economy, stupid" - not calling anyone names.
The media, and especially the "milk toast" group that passes itself off as "journalists", are part and parcel of this phenomenon. Every day CNN, MSNBC and the others ask in wonderment about the sustained popularity of Trump, when it is they themselves that ensure that sustained popularity. Every time Trump says something outlandish, the media spend hours and hours for days on end, with all sorts of talking-head "experts" filling the screen, speculating about this non-issue, which is exactly what keeps Trump at the forefront in our media-centric society.
For example, after an initial report of the "thousands of Muslims in New Jersey" cheering on 9/11, is the endless speculation about this really justified, given the boat-load of real issues which need and should be raised by "journalists" (if we still had them)?
But this type of stuff is easy for the taking heads to speculate about - it takes no actual knowledge and no work to inform oneself about real issues, and it fills the endless hours of 24hr news shows during which they can sell ads.
So there is no mystery here about the sustained popularity of Trump - "it's the media, stupid" - paraphrasing "it's the economy, stupid" - not calling anyone names.
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