The Japanese have an aesthetic concept called 間 ("ma") which implies a lack of something, an interval or a space, but containing or forming a background or framing one or two really, really good things (in the sense of being good at what they're supposed to be good at). I discuss the concept more fully on my completely non-political blog entry here.
That - and Poe's Law which states "Without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humor, it is impossible to create a parody of Fundamentalism that SOMEONE won't mistake for the real thing." explain Donald Trump's appeal. His motive may just be free advertising and free promotion of Donald Trump. But the reason for the appeal can be explained with these two concepts. I think we should take note.
Trump knows he's full of horse-hockey when it comes to birtherism. He knows almost certainly that every last single Republican position is the way of certain annihilation for the United States as a credible force for good in the affairs of the world.
He knows that Sarah Palin is a jerk. But she's got the red-meat-to-the-crowd thing down perfectly. And she's got that fundamentalist suburban hockey mom qua drag porn star airline flight attendant persona to a T. She does a couple of things well. And she leaves out, you know, rational thought, intelligence, compassion etc.
Palin and Trump get 間, although they probably don't call it that. Trump knows he can project a personal of "business sense" regardless of how many times he's driven his company into the ditch. And he knows birtherism has a constituency. Finally he knows that this base cares not a whit about reason: they will cheerfully elect representatives who will dismantle Medicare while angrily protesting town hall meetings of those representatives who would save Medicare while holding signs saying "Hands off my Medicare!"
Trump appeals to the birther set because he knows Poe's Law too: He can do Stephen Colbert without the winks and grins and they'll frackin' take him for the Real Deal!
Well, that's my thought of the day. BTW, regarding Poe's Law: is the Conservapedia entry on Poe's Law written by a secret librul?
I'm just sayin'.
Oh, one other thing: if you can stomach it, read David Brooks' explanation for Trump's popularity, and let me know, which makes more sense, his explanation or mine? Guarantee: I haven't read Brooks article yet.