Every popular politician has fan clubs. In western-style liberal democracies, they’re sort of required for a politician to have a career in the first place. Few leaders have been able to exemplify this better than President Donald Trump.
Think of some of the most popular statesmen in American history. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and others didn’t built a support base by standing above their supporters. Instead, they built a tribe of people with shared values, and presented themselves as champions for those values and people.
Trump rallies are an anomaly in American politics. In a lot of ways, attending one is a lot like going to a rock concert. The crowd is loud and animated, and the performer — that is, President Trump — hypes up the crowd by essentially being America’s cheerleader. After eight years of a White House occupant essentially apologizing for America at every opportunity, this is nothing if not refreshing.
The same cannot be said for anyone else pictured here. Instead of honoring Americans, they chastise them. Trump, on the other hand, became a voice for people who felt forgotten. This is how he won in 2016, and how he will win again in 2020.
~ Facts Not Memes
