Easy explanation, it’s all for show. The Trump Show. I know it’s been said many times but I just really “got” it today that we have reality TV politics now. Exhibit one. Trump tweets about LeBron followed by Melania’s “surprise” tweet response. Exhibit two. Trump’s five intel chiefs speaking about the clear and present danger of the Russian meddling, followed by Trump’s witch hunt hoax tweets. Exhibit three. The heart-wrenching children separated from parents at the border and good people fighting to have them reunited. Exhibit four and five. Former Kim Jon Un Rocket Man now turned BFF who’s cheating on Trumps denuclearization agreement behind his back. Putin wanted Trump elected sure. Trump is Putin’s worst enemy. Multiple storylines 24/7 all trumped up to keep us by turns outraged, entertained but most of all watching.
Screenwriting and novel writing classes teach “conflict on every page” is what keeps viewers watching and readers turning the page. By continuously raising the “normal presidency” stakes, normally thoughtful people keep themselves outraged and out of their higher brain cognition where thinking is clear and actions are strategic and effective. Trump keeps his voters happily rooting for him and Independents thoroughly confused. His trumped up conflicts have the nation waiting and watching for the next surprising twist in his plot line, will America survive the attack from the Orange Menance? Stayed tuned, folks, for the next installment of The Trump Show.
Me? In the immortal words of Bartleby The Scrivener, I’d prefer not to.