The GOP has manifold shortcomings among which are a lack of integrity, a lack of backbone and a lack of any true allegiance to the Constitutional and small government principles they claim to represent, but whereas Trump can’t help the GOP in any of these former areas, he may actually be able to fill the void in an equally important arena. If there’s one thing that the GOP has long lacked and Trump long possessed, it’s flair.
Republicans are boring. As individuals, Republican politicians seem bland, and when they come together in large groups, their nigh uniform lack of charisma seems to merge together to form a giant black hole of apathy which pulls everything of potential interest into it’s gravity never to be seen again. The GOP Conventions highlight this showcasing a seemingly endless stream of dull white guys making predictable “low energy” speeches from behind a podium placed against an uninspired video backdrop all taking place on a big blank stage which only succeeds in making the candidate look small. It’s almost as if the GOP intentionally tries to sabotage itself.
If you don’t believe me, compare the 2008 GOP National Convention with the 2008 DNC National Convention. Whereas the McCain Convention sadly earns every one of my former criticisms, the Convention that nominated Barack Obama stands in blatant contrast. The speakers for the DNC were diverse, the speeches were dynamic, the podium stood at the center of semi-circular staircase that simultaneously served to draw the attention of the crowd and emphasize the importance of the nominee and the backdrop featured props reminiscent of a Greek temple while creative video backdrops added depth and movement without stealing the attention of the eye. Sure, it felt a little like the Democrats had come together to recognize and worship a new demigod as he was added to their political pantheon, but creepy though that might be, nobody can accuse the 2008 DNC Convention of being boring.
The Democrats simply do a better job of making their candidates appealing to the masses. Even their music selection reflects this truth. Whereas the Democrat’s event playlist frequently includes songs that are new and fresh to appeal to the youth who are most likely to switch party affiliation, the Republican music ranges from Classic Rock to the Golden Oldies appealing to the people least likely to change politically. It’s well established that most people in media lean left, and nowhere is that more obvious than at the National Conventions where the Republicans are constantly behind the curve.Yet perhaps the days of dull GOP conventions have come to an end for this is one area in which Trump should shine. Trump has made a good chunk of his millions not by shrewd business deals but by cleverly wooing people with his persona and selling his brand. Like Reagan the last GOP Presidential candidate with an ounce of charisma, Trump knows how to work a room and transform a simple political speech into an unforgettable and dramatic experience. The man who is most famous as a reality TV host now has the ability to put on the biggest reality TV program of his life, a four-day convention all centered around his specifications. If anybody could make a GOP event sizzle, it would be Donald J. Trump.
For the past several decades, the GOP has been promoting ideas that though imperfect still stand head and shoulders above the agenda of the left, and yet the conservative movement has failed on almost every front. The sad truth is that the vast majority of people will never listen to the GOP’s ideas if the Republicans can’t capture the masses pathetic, Twitter-conditioned attention spans with something shiny to wave in front of their faces, and no matter what your opinion of Trump may be, there’s no denying that the man has a knack for capturing people’s attention. Granted, he captures my attention in the same way the mangled metal and flesh of a roadside car wreck makes it impossible to look away, but still, the man has charisma.
Now that the GOP finally has a candidate with a little pizzazz, maybe they can use this year’s convention to lure the public into actually listening to some GOP ideas. This would be great if the GOP still stood for something worthwhile, but apparently, that’s asking too much.
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