Bob SparksPresident Donald Trump. Mr. Trump goes to Washington. How does that sound?
He has become the rage a little over a month into his version of a campaign. Trump seems to have an attack line, along with a rapid response, for those among the 15 other candidates polling above 3 percent.
The national media can’t get enough. After each injection of Trumpspeak, the race to get a comment from GOP presidential candidates quickly follows.
If his strategy was to vault to the top of the polls, he succeeded in spectacular fashion. Heading into next Thursday night’s first primary debate in Cleveland, Trump is indeed leading the Republican field.
In a Quinnipiac University poll released on July 29, Trump led with 20 percent, followed by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker with 13 and Jeb Bush with 10. No one else reached double figures.
The July 29 numbers for the rolling Reuters-Ipsos poll have Trump with 25 percent, doubling Bush’s 12 percent. Third-place Walker polled in single digits. The leader in that poll, with nearly 30 percent, was “wouldn’t vote.”
In a Florida poll conducted by St. Pete Polls, Trump led Bush in Florida, 26-20. Walker is in third with 12 percent and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio fourth with 10 percent.
Trump is clearly on his way to the White House. No matter what he says or does, he becomes even more popular. The tidal wave is building.
At this point, the sound of the needle scratching the vinyl album stops the nonsense. An authoritative voice — imagine James Earl Jones — establishes reality: Donald Trump is not going to be the next president of the United States.
With all the hysteria surrounding Trump leading the GOP primary race, it is easy to forget that 75-80 percent either wants someone else or fall into the “undecided” category.
In the Quinnipiac poll, his 20 percent is (T)rumped by the 30 percent who say there is “no way” they could support him. Fourteen percent say the same of Bush. Trump’s favorability is 27 percent positive and 59 percent negative. Massively unelectable numbers.
“They love him and they hate him,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac poll. “Donald Trump triumphs on the stump so far, but do voters REALLY want him? Maybe not so much.”
The Q-poll also shows Trump losing to Hillary Clinton by double digits. No candidate trailing someone with Hillary’s 40-51 favorability rating that badly can ever hope to prevent another Clinton presidency.
He has gobs of money, but who is going to organize his campaign in the states and turn out his voters? Who will navigate state regulations to get on the ballot in all 50 states, along with other mundane chores?
It takes a village, or at least an organization. Yes, it even takes some operatives within the dreaded “establishment.” Sound bites and speeches won’t get the job done, at least not for a Republican.
With the understanding Trump will not win, he may hold the fate of the country in his hands. If he goes rogue or third party, which he intimated if he is not treated right, President Hillary is a likely outcome.
Nationally known Republican strategist Rick Wilson, based in Tallahassee, wrote an excellent piece for Politico last week. He predicted soon “the bolder members of the field will follow Rick Perry, Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush in making harder and more decisive strokes against” Trump. Some may take Wilson’s advice on the national stage.
Will it happen next Thursday in Cleveland? Hard to say, but it is a safe bet that Trump is at or approaching his high-water mark. The best way to make that a reality is to help calm the hysteria. Those not running for president do not need to comment on every move Donald Trump makes or every word that he says.
Freshman Nebraska U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse developed the model. He will not supply any oxygen to the fire.
During an appearance with Fox News Business Anchor Neil Cavuto about the Iran nuclear deal, Cavuto worked in a question about Trump. Sasse responded: “the people of Nebraska do not care” about Trump-mania, but they do care about the Iran deal and other issues.
During the same interview, Cavuto tried another angle to work in Trump. The response from Sasse was the same. The interviewer gave up and moved on.
Cavuto is far from alone in his approach, but, unfortunately, Sasse seems to be unique in his. If there were more like the senator, the odds for some sanity returning to political coverage would rise.
In the end, there is little Donald Trump can do to create a President Trump. On the other hand, there is plenty he can do to create another President Clinton.
The question is, what will he do when that reality sinks in?
Bob Sparks is a business and political consultant based in Tallahassee. Column courtesy of Context Florida.
