Loath him. Hate him. Love him. Whatever the opinion of the President, he gave a master class in political theatre.. His many detractors will have a hard time admitting this. The course title: “How to grab the highest office in the land on one try. Granted, he had a head start, money, brand recognition, celebrity. However, by using unsavoury tactics, playing into the darkest core of the America’s rage, fear and prejudices, he managed to hoodwink the country.
Number 45’s political dissection will become case studies in university classes. Shameful behaviour is no longer out of bounds. While Biden probably gets a few book chapters on the rise to power, Trump will have entire library selves. Many future politicians will borrow from Donald’s trove. Always hold the spotlight. A certain way to engage large crowds, the seemingly insult retardant skin. Or the less than enduring “most important man in the room syndrome”.
Leaders of Democracies are strange creatures. Why would anyone want a thankless job with limited time span, always at the centre of ferocious criticism? At any politicians core lays a bottomless well of narcissism. This is a universal trait. Clinton based his personality on compartmentalisation to justify unpleasant actions. Yet, Donald Trump brought a new level of leadership lacking self awareness, a zero humility outlook. Don’t learn a lesson, just bulldoze it, never look back. This style would have sunk most politicians. For some reason it only added to the narrative, at times becoming myths. The world asked daily questions: “He said what?” “He did what?” “Who did he insult?”
Thankfully, the United States is done with Trump. Yet this President’s influence will come in another form. Let’s hope I’m wrong.