The Trump train’s on track
It’s strange how a New York billionaire has managed to engineer a hostile takeover of the Republican Party over a period of a year and it now appears increasingly like a Trump family enterprise. Mike Pence seems to have been brought in like the outsider C
In recent days, there’s been a sharp division between lovers and loathers of a phenomenon distracting the world. No, not the Trumpathon at Cleveland, but rather Pokémon Go, the gaming app that leads players into exploring new places, whether or not they are welcome there like when they gatecrash private property.
Republican National Convention in Cleveland witnessed the culmination of a process of a trespasser taking possession of the property. About a year back, Donald Trump was known best for being a building tycoon, host of The Apprentice, providing fodder for Page 6 of New York’s tabloids, and another bristling birther who demanded to see United States President Barack Obama’s birth certificate. Now, 12 months later, he has formally clinched and accepted the Republican Party’s nomination to contest the November presidential election.
This summer was supposed to mark the double-crowning of American royalty. Jeb Bush was to woo the GOP while Hillary Clinton wowed the Democrats. Neither happened. Jeb! remained an exclamation mark in primary politics, while Hillary barely outlasted a socialist senator from Vermont.
If there was talk of dynasty in Cleveland, it was about the appearance of Willie Robertson, CEO of Duck Commander and member of the family that features in the hit American reality show Duck Dynasty, which tracks this Louisiana redneck clan. The venue was a Bush-free zone.
If those in attendance were playing a game, other than Pokémon Go, it could have been called a Pack of Trumps. The Donald put family first, and foremost for this showcase for the First Family-in-waiting. Each night, at prime time, a Trump or two addressed the arena. Of course, the nominee himself created history probably becoming the first-ever to appear on each day of the multi-day convention, even if he did do so on Day Two via satellite, beaming across the 1,711 square foot screens. He joined his vice-presidential pick, Indiana governor Mike Pence on stage on Wednesday after photo-bombing Texas senator Ted Cruz’s speech, a non-endorsement.
First among the Trumps was Melania, the Slovenia-born former model, who recounted a life story, which, in parts, sounded like that of the incumbent First Lady Michelle Obama, probably because those words were lifted from one of her speeches. “There’s no cribbing of Michelle Obama’s speech,” Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign manager, told CNN. There was none from Trump, who described her “speech and demeanor” as “absolutely incredible.” In her plagiarism, Melania joined a luminous list that includes Obama, Joe Biden, and even Bill Clinton.
But this Trump Train was just getting on track. The next day, the New York State delegate to announce that Trump had the magic number for the nomination was his eldest son, named Donald Trump Jr Junior also was a headliner when it came to speeches, along with half-sister Tiffany. The family act continued into Wednesday with Eric Trump, another son, taking to the podium. Each trumpeted filial fealty. Trump gushed over each performance, the only speakers he referred to on Twitter on the first two days, ignoring the likes of Speaker Paul Ryan, senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and a host of governors, senators, and representatives. Joining the sibling revelry was Ivanka, who got to play opening act to the headliner’s acceptance speech. At the RNC, the Trumps towered.
Obviously, this pageant of Trumps concluded with the candidate himself and his acceptance speech, one some would unkindly think of as a call to Make America Chafe Again. All that, and 125,000 balloons and 1,000 pounds of confetti brought the event to an end.
Strange, how a New York billionaire has managed to engineer a hostile takeover of the Republican Party over a period of a year and it now appears increasingly like a Trump family enterprise with Pence brought in like the outsider CEO needed for his political management chops. Anirudh Bhattacharyya is a Torontobased commentator on American affairs The views expressed are personal