Why? It's simple: He represents change.
Americans have been crying out for change for years. Every poll about Congressional approval shows that more than half the population thinks Congress sucks. Still, they go out and vote for their same Congressional representatives every election because it's the 'other guy' who's the problem. Every poll about the President's job performance is just as bad but we re-elected Obie-One despite the problems of his first term.
No one who is outside of Washington likes what's going on inside Washington because it is not doing well for us out here, outside the Beltway. But we still don't really want change. Not even when we're not happy.
So here we have a catalyst for change. For big changes if you listen to what the man is talking about.
Renegotiating trade deals. Changing our medical system so that we have real portability and more control over our medical care and decisions. Keeping us safer. Moving control of and decisions about our children's education from Washington back to the neighborhoods, where it belongs.
There are a lot of changes he's talking about and those changes are big and sweeping and it's why many Americans are 'scared' by him. Or offended, but that's a different subject.
Most people don't like or do well with change even though it can be good for us in the long run. We like ruts. We like routine and same-old, same-old and Donald is anything but same-old, same-old.
In him we have a candidate for president who is successful, powerful in his own way, outspoken and absolutely unlike what we're used to. He's full of bluff and bluster, a 'his bark is worse than his bite' kind of guy. But I don't think any of that is who the man really is. I think what we see during his rallies and debates is an outer persona - the bigger-than-life figure. When I watch interviews with him, that bluff and bluster is absent. He's calm and rational and thoughtful. But that doesn't get replayed again and again and again because it's not as exciting as those moments of outrageous behavior.
Personally I suspect (believe) the private man is far less outrageous, far more introspective and contained in private - within a small group with whom he's comfortable. I say that because The Donald reminds me of someone I worked with for many years.
The man I worked with was someone who had to deal with the political realities associated with his position at a northern California water district. During the 1970's drought, he was blamed and vilified for everything from the lack of rainfall to the rationing enforced on the residents. It got so bad he was to appear at a public hearing and the tension was so high in the room that as soon as his name was announced as the next speaker, the crowd became restless and many began to boo. This man walked up to the front of the room, holding both hands in the air, flipping a double-bird. Not exactly a politic moment - but it worked. It defused the situation because it was so unexpected. The crowd relaxed, laughed and the meeting went on. In the end he didn't do anything but what this man did in situations like that - and I see the same kind of thing in Trump.
Still, we are scared because we are used to all the other candidates who parse their words, picking and choosing them in careful manner. Politicians all take great care not to frighten the people whose votes they want. One of the reasons Rubio and Kasich come across as rehearsed is because they are - they have been taught not to make waves, not to stir the pot.
Trump, on the other hand, says what a lot of us think but don't have the courage or platform to say. They're so accustomed to 'vanilla' niceness that they can't get over the presence of someone who says what's on his mind.
Me? I find it refreshing. It's like a quick dip in a cold pool on a blistering day refreshing. Yes, it makes body parts pucker at first but then, once it sinks in, it's validating.
Aside from that bluntness that many find disturbing is the fact that my brain doesn't screech to a halt at the first obstacle. It seems that a lot of people have their mental clutch slip, catch and seize up when he says something outrageous.
What I see is that most of those outrageous declarations are in the heat of the moment when he's gotten carried away by something. As soon as the thunder passes and he realizes that what he said was ridiculous, he'll walk it back.
Is that a good thing? Yes and no.
Yes because I like the intellectual honesty of someone who can admit when they were wrong. No, because it leads to misunderstanding and fear.
What's different is that a lot of (most) politicians occasionally say stupid things but they don't have the courage to do so. They'll dig in their heels and refuse to admit they were wrong.
That is the big difference that I see between Trump and the others. He doesn't fight the tide like most other pols when he's wrong. Instead, he owns it. Perhaps not 100% as in 'I was wrong', but at least he has the courage to back away from, restate or rephrase which is more than can be said of the vast majority of other long term pols.
What outrages people is often not what he's said. It's what has been perceived that he has said. For instance, that declaration he made about banning Muslims and the fact that it has taken root and sprouted among some. They think, because they weren't paying attention, that Trump wants to ban all Muslims from America forever.
That is not what he said, though. What he did say is that he wants a ban until we know what we're doing. It's not about Muslims or anyone else. It is about us - how we screen people who want to come into the country.
The problem is that the left and the media aren't honest. They don't point out that missing phrase that he spoke: 'until we know what we're doing' That is what the man said in the breath after saying 'ban Muslims'.
And it's easy to understand why someone would say that if you look at how we 'screen' visa applicants. Put generously, the questions on the entry application appear to have been written by a backward three year old and I am not even beginning to make fun of this because it is so serious.
Take a look at this screenshot from the website linked below:
http://www.immihelp.com/visitor-visa/visitors-visa-interview-sample-questions-answers.html
Take a close look at the third question in that list - which you can find if you follow the link provided.
Now, I'm sorry but is that a serious question? Is this how we're screening out potential terrorists? By asking them 'Are you coming here to kill us?'
Yeah, sure. I can just see some ISIS dude sitting across the desk from the embassy wonk, all decked out in his terrorist regalia being asked that question and answering, 'Yes'.
With immigration 'background checks' like that one - what is the point? We might as well airlift known ISIS fighters into the country - or fly them into Mexico and they can walk across our wide open border all by themselves.
This is what led Trump to say we need to ban Muslims - not because he doesn't like Muslims, but because there is a known group of them ready, willing and wanting to do us harm.
There are any other number of stupid statements made by the man, but they can't even begin to be taken seriously by anyone with half a brain. Not unless everyone else in this country can stand up and categorically state that they haven't, at some point in their lives, made some insupportable declaration of 'fact'.
Bear in mind, actions speak louder than words. The fact that he is honest enough to walk back stupid statements tells me his heart is in the right place and that the declaration was spur of the moment rather than an intractable position. He is not a practiced politician. He is a newbie in this realm so hasn't had the training the professionals have had - and I still say that's a good thing.
I hope that when the time comes, and when the inevitable is made clear to the knuckleheaded power-brokers inside Washington that The People want The Donald, those knuckleheads and their media minions will STFU and back him. I think, and there seem to be a growing number of smart people who think that he will do just fine for us.
I hope so anyway.
Now, it's a beautiful spring day outside and I think I'll go for a walk.
Best~
Philippa
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhilippaStories
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