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April 13, 2016 DONALD TRUMP: April 5, 2016
Trump’s strengths are his Achilles’ heel
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His supporters aren’t only unfazed ix months ago, I warned that Donald Trump’s strengths by his political incorrectness; they also could also be the weaknesses seem to be indifferent to his childish that would destroy his campaign. I think tweets, his personal attacks and his rewe’re beginning to see that play out markable lack of knowledge and preparation — not to mention vacillation — now. Trump has repeatedly said he is a on the issues. But has his shtick begun to wear counterpuncher — that he won’t initipeople finally saying ate attacks against his rivals but if they thin? Are enough is enough? were to hit him first I don’t believe he would hit back that many of his much harder. die-hard supporters He seems to are going to peel take pride in this, (c) 2016, Creators Syndicate away from him. as if it proves his But I do think toughness — an essential part of the image he’s cultivat- his antics have guaranteed that he can’t ed. It’s not just abstract machismo that extend his appeal much beyond his dehe sells but muscularity in promoting voted followers. Indeed, I get the sense that he has the policy issues that form the centerreached his peak and is beginning to piece of his campaign. Take, for example, his position on falter for real this time. Can he wait out Muslims. By refusing to kowtow to the clock and squeak by as the remaincultural and media pressure to be po- ing states choose their delegates? He doesn’t have much choice, belitically correct, he reinforces his image among his supporters as a strong leader cause contrary to the opinion of some, Trump is not very adaptable. Rumors and as an outsider. were circulating a few weeks ago that THE LOUDER the critics’ con- his close advisers were leaning on him demnations the more emboldened he to act more presidential. But Trump is has become and the more entrenched nothing if not Trumpish, so we shouldn’t his supporters have become — as if be surprised he was not amenable to the criticisms are validating rather than reining himself in. He demonstrated his incorrigibildisqualifying. Trump’s opponents have been flummoxed throughout, scratch- ity when the super PAC Make America ing their heads over an inelastic demand Awesome, which is not even connected among his followers that rivals that of to the Ted Cruz campaign, posted on its cigarette buyers indifferent to price Facebook page a photo of a nude Melania Trump from a GQ photo shoot hikes.
David
Limbaugh
she’d done years ago. Liz Mair, the Republican strategist behind the ad, stated that Cruz had nothing to do with it, and she admitted it was aimed directly at voting-age Mormons. Trump, treating the ad as if Cruz had directly ordered it, tweeted that Cruz should be careful or he would “spill the beans” on Cruz’s wife, Heidi. He next shared a photo of an attractive Melania Trump juxtaposed with an unflattering one of Heidi Cruz with this caption: “No need to ‘spill the beans.’ The images are worth a thousand words.” THIS WAS A gratuitously cruel and unwarranted attack, not unlike earlier personal attacks he’d made on other women, including Carly Fiorina. When called on it, Trump’s responses ranged from defending his actions to denying that the photo of Heidi was unattractive. Then when Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker endorsed Cruz — not couched in an anti-Trump statement as some had urged but said as a full-throated endorsement of Cruz and his conservative credentials — Trump just couldn’t leave
it alone. True to form, he attacked the popular governor in his own state for his allegedly poor economic record and even as a guy who doesn’t seem to be an authentic biker. Whether Trump was trying to be cute and continue the behavior that led to his rise or this was merely his inability to control himself, one can only speculate, but it was most likely a bit of both. In September, I wrote that Trump should treat his personal characteristics like a minefield and learn how to navigate it without blowing himself up. He would need to keep being himself to retain his appeal but not go too far. Even the conscious process of attempting to strike that balance would be a gamble because it would involve discipline and restraint — and thus a partial abandonment of the unscripted spontaneity that endeared him to his supporters in the first place. While the GOP presidential field was broad, Trump could act with relative impunity, but as it has narrowed, his margin for error has significantly decreased. The more outrageous his behavior the less likely his appeal will expand beyond his base, which simply doesn’t care about anything other than his positions on immigration and trade, his business acumen, and his outsider status. The more the field has winnowed the more apparent Trump’s ignorance and thoughtlessness on most issues have become, as exemplified by his damaging interview with Chris Matthews on abortion and his subsequent inability to overcome it, such as taking some five separate positions on abortion in the following week. Trump has finally given even some of his loyal supporters pause, but he’s definitely alienated a supermajority of women and others who might have considered voting for him before. Just as being himself led to his meteoric rise, continuing to be himself is leading to his implosion. Those who are praying for a makeover surely realize how difficult it would be for Trump and how risky it would be even if he could pull it off. THE ONLY question is whether he will fall far and fast enough before the convention and Ted Cruz will continue to shine and rise in the polls. I am increasingly optimistic.