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Trump miraculously still holds voters’ hearts

Saturday, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump held a rally in Sarasota for his presidential campaign. Thousands gathered hoping to hear his plans for office but were instead presented with over an hour of Trump hurling insults at everyone who dared to criticize him. 

Trump is not exactly known for being politically correct or caring about things as trivial as feelings and offending entire people groups. But his outrageous comments have, miraculously, launched him to the top of the polls instead of ensuring an immediate defeat. People seem to be attracted to his bluntness.

Nancy Blemaster, an attendee Saturday told the Tampa Bay Times Trump is “honest — he tells it the way it is. He’s going to close the border, which is very, very important. He’s using his own money. He’s got so many things going for him.”

Her sentiments apparently are echoed by countless other voters, as over 4,000 people flocked to hear Trump’s rousing speech. Instead of hearing details of his policies or an educated rebuttal to one of the many accusations hurled at Trump by his opponents and local media, viewers were subjected to over an hour of a seemingly unscripted and unorganized rant. 

He ruthlessly attacked both his republican opponents and leading democratic contender Hillary Clinton. In response to the accusations from the New York Times over him apparently mocking one of their disabled reporters, Trump spent several moments criticizing the publication and demanding an apology. 

He claimed the New York Times is “a failing newspaper… (It) frankly should give me an apology. And I’d love to have the apology before they go out of business.”

Shifting the attention off of his policies and misconduct by attacking literally everyone else in existence seemed to be the plan of attack at Saturday’s rally. He spent a huge chunk of time heavily criticizing people for doubting his plan to erect a wall along the entire southern border of the U.S. but once again refused to give specifics on how exactly he planned to convince Mexico to pay for this miraculous feat of engineering. 

While talking about his critics he simply stated, “They’re not business people. They have no idea.” Trump, do not assume that Americans are ignorant enough to be swayed with empty promises and vague proposals. You’re extremely broad plan of action was fine the first few weeks of the campaign but it is no longer acceptable.

Yet despite the obviously worthless speech, people continued to cheer and applaud their joke of a leader. Actual voters are taking him seriously and if this trend continues our country is doomed. 

Obviously, not all voters agree with the entitled and ostracizing mannerisms of Trump. Many recognize his outbursts for what they are: a childlike response coming from a man who doesn’t like to be told he’s wrong, even when he clearly knows nothing about what he’s proposing.  

The fact that Trump is still at the frontrunner of the GOP polls is extremely unsettling. Perhaps once the primaries roll around in March voters will begin to take the policies of their candidates seriously and recognize the idiocy of electing a madman to office. 

Until then, the rest of us sit back in amazement and disgust as Trump’s following only continues to increase. He has made it clear his policies hold no weight and his confrontational attitude will only continue to ostracize people. While his candidacy announcement was humorous in June, the joke has been over for quite some time.

 

Breanne Williams is a junior majoring in mass communications.