Say what you want about Donald Trump, but he is a very smart and accomplished man with some obviously very smart people behind him.
And his campaign is looking a lot like a certain person whom many Republicans, and the media, dismissed as “just an actor, and a bad actor at that.”
I’ve been reading “Gerald Ford and the Challenges of the 1970s” by Yanek Mieczkowski. Very interesting parallels.
Sure, Ronald Reagan had run in 1968, but his sole primary victory was in a state where his was the only name on the ballot.
Ford in ’76 knew Reagan wasn’t a friend, but never had a doubt he would collapse. Reagan would lay out policies. Ford would attack them as unworkable or extreme (and at the time they probably were), and the Republican establishment and the press (when they agree, watch out) cascaded Reagan with the “amateur tag” and waited for Reagan to talk issues again.
And he did. Week after week, Reagan would talk about issues, and Ford would talk about Reagan, with the press applauding along.
For example, Reagan said $90 billion of federal programs could be sent to the states. Well, in New Hampshire, that might mean a state tax increase to pay for those programs, said Ford. Reagan wasn’t fit for the Presidency, said Ford’s team, and the press turned up the volume on it. Scenes like this replayed over and over.
Reagan struck oil when he turned to foreign policy, where he said the President had “given away the store” to foreign countries and let us slip behind. He said it is “dangerous, if not fatal, to be second best.”
Reagan adopted the campaign slogan “Make America #1 Again.”
It’s no coincidence that Trump’s slogan is “Make America Great Again”
Reagan finally won a primary victory against Ford with this new line of campaigning, reeled off ten more before falling just short of the delegate count needed to actually defeat a sitting President (1187-1070) before riding a steamroller through the ’80 primaries and two Presidential wins.
Michael Reagan wrote this week that the first debate has already happened, and Trump won it.
“Trump, without trying, brought attention to a major issue in a way no other candidate could or would. While the other GOP candidates talked about him, he was talking about a major issue of the 2016 campaign.
“Therefore, he started — and ultimately won — the first debate of the GOP’s 2016 primary. I bet it won’t be the last time he outpoints the professional politicians and their consultants.”
It’s a neat strategy, but it’s one that requires a lot of Teflon. While Trump scores on issues, everyone else attacks Trump, and everyone scratches their heads wondering why the attacks don’t stick and his poll numbers stay up.
Reagan’s Teflon was attributed to his experience with the camera and a natural charisma. Trump has both in immeasurable quantities as well. He is as much a celebrity as Reagan was, and probably more…definitely more than any Republican on the national stage since.
It’s a strategy few could execute well: Focus on issues, draw attacks not on policy but on personality, yet maintain high personal poll numbers and likability.
It might be the 70s all over again.
