August 24, 2015
Choose two words to describe Donald Trump. What would you say?
Let’s make sure we’re talking about the same guy. White Pages (whitepages.com) says that they have 43 listings for “Donald Trump” – in 15 states – and 42 of them are not the person-in-question. There’s only one Donald Trump. Just two words…
The website experienceproject.com asked that, and got these answers (among others): Ugly monster. Media whore. Ugly hair. Buffoon entrepreneur. Worldclass ego. Wigged peanut. Strange dude. You’re fired. Orange narcissist. Apparently his supporters don’t frequent the Experience Project.
He’s outdrawing everyone, in live appearances. Last Friday night, 40,000 people came to Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama to hear him. “Now I know how the great Billy Graham felt” was his response to the crowd.
ESPN covers all-things sporting. In 2003, they added the World Series of Poker to their roster of covered competitive events, with no requirement for athletic prowess as a qualifier for airtime. It may not be long before the Super Bowl of Presidential Primaries snags prime-time coverage: the league is constantly expanding to include more competition (Biden?), and the games are played, daily. We’re in 24/7/365 mode until the Conventions: Republicans, July 18-21 in Columbus, and Democrats, July 25-28 in Philadelphia.
The New York Times, yesterday: “Mr. Trump has built a broad, demographically and ideologically diverse coalition, constructed around personality, not substance, that bridges demographic and political divides. In doing so, he has effectively insulated himself from the consequences of startling statements that might instantly doom rival candidates…”
Allow me to suggest two words that might describe Donald Trump, 442 days from now: President Elect.
Please do not read this as an endorsement; it’s certainly not. But I’m watching what you’re watching, and asking: Why?
Our current president ran on a bumper sticker: Hope and Change. He drew widespread support in 2008 and 2012 from people who bought into his Unique Value Proposition. What was it that delivered him from long-shot rookie senator to the Oval Office? Two words: vigorous vision.
Mitt Romney brought a dramatically different rĂ©sumĂ© to the interview: stable strategy. He lacked stirring oration, and his policies (that’s government lingo for “strategy) required thoughtful reading. Mr. Obama was a crowd-pleaser with his speechmaking, and a generation that gave up reading when Siri offered to answer their questions verbally had no interest in the details. The same generation is getting ready to make another hire, for the same office. How will they do that?
If, once again, it comes down to Vigorous Vision vs. Stable Strategy, I’d place my bet on VV. Check the stage at the recent debates: SS outnumbered VV, but VV is on top of the polls, prior and post.
Put Vision and Strategy together, and you change the world. Embody a desirable outcome with an inclusive plan and a compelling personality, and people will sacrifice themselves for the cause.
Perhaps you’re likely to do what I do: something in me keeps looking for a candidate who might be a political messiah. He’s already come… and, he’s coming back. In between, we’ll keep looking… and settling for something less than the Best.
Two words that describe Jesus: what would you say? If someone watching you were asked the same question… what would they say?
Bob Shank
For Jesus: My Savior.
(For Trump: My Client).
Two words describing Jesus?
Serving Savior!
Interesting view. I am not going to look that far ahead.
According to Peter Drucker, a leader is someone who can clearly articular a vision of the future—which what you are saying. It does not matter what the vision is as long as it is there.
My concern is that the public is not looking at a vision but at the host of The Apprentice whom they want to go to Washington and yell “You’re fired!”. That is not a very good solid vision. You may recall that California elected Arnold S who promised to go to Sacramento and “blow up the boxes”. The public thought it was electing The Terminator. Arnold, on the other hand, had a glass jaw and after reversing the car tax, quickly lay down for exactly the people he was elected to oppose.
The one thing Trump is doing well is pushing back on Political Correctness (as is Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina). All three are successfully saying things that would normally be considered politically sacrilegious. Hence their popularity. I am all for that.
It is also interesting that all three are unabashed in acknowledging their faith. The Donald may not be that practicing but he is clear that faith is real and important which is more than can be said for the current president or for Hillary.
I am not sure how long Trumps popularity will continue before he pushes once too hard and the public realizes that the king as no clothes. It may be that the ego thing finally does him in. There is plenty of Biblical instruction on that. In the meantime, Trump keeps things stirred up for the Republicans and the Democrats which is good.
As for me, my “dream team” is Walker/Fiorina.
At the moment, my eyes are on Vergara v California re the unconstitutionality of teacher tenure which is now before the CA Court of Appeals and Friedrichs v California Teacher Association re the unconstitutionality of agency fees for government unions which the US Supreme Court has agreed to year. Either could seriously cripple the government unions and their flow of mandatory union dues to the Dems.
(BTW, the Republican convention is in Cleveland not Columbus.)
What would Jesus say? Not President Elect.
Dr. Ben Carson and Governor Bobby Jindal in my opinion would make the greatest improvement in Washington.
Bob-o… thanks for sharing such a personal note with us. Like you, I never received a letter like this from anyone in my family. And thanks to you, I plan to have one ready to go for my two grandkids in Texas when they reach this age (now 6 and 4). I never stop learning from you. It is a blessing to me that you entered my life when you did. I may not be your grandson, but somehow I feel akin to one. You are the epitome of a Barnabas. I strive to reach that goal.