Will Trump be a factor all the way until 2016? It is hard to say, I would say virtually anyone with political savvy would have said such was ridiculous just a few months ago. That number is shrinking as Trump's popularity grows in the polls. We are told "Trump is crazy." But is he crazy like a fox?
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

Donald Trump is a man on fire, the question is, will this fire lead to an explosion with the potential of changing the political landscape in the US for years to come? Or is he more like a meteor, which can burn out at any moment. The media does not get him, they treat him as though he is laughable and the more they do that, the more sympathy he seems to get. Democrats watch the phenomenon and "relish" his rise (because he is "a joke") while quietly worrying about how he is above every other GOP candidate in the field. The GOP establishment is bewildered by Trump, with his opponents demanding that he "behave" while the Chairman, Reince Priebus, literally lecturing him for his behavior. Now, concerned by the fact that Trump is one of the only candidates to gather traction, that same GOP chair is praising him for his ability to reach people. No one seems to have an idea what to do with him.

The reality is, Donald Trump is enjoying a perfect storm. To the many angry, everyday Americans, he is the "right person at the right time." It is the "Trumping of America."

Many Americans believe Donald Trump cannot be bought. There now appears online, article after article, showing Trump as a man who is simply too rich to be influenced. Average Americans believe that, with his billions, he can get elected "without a dime" of help from those who would buy his influence. Every other candidate, even the multi-millionaires such as Bush and Clinton, are seen as wearing "for sale" signs on their foreheads. There is no doubt he could likely run a financially credible race for the nomination without external help.

Average Americans long for a candidate who is honest. Honest does not mean that his statements are always accurate, but that they are simply authentic. Trump is very authentic and it is wildly attractive to average Americans who are tired of politicians "measuring" their words. Many are disgusted with the PC culture we live in where "politeness" is more important than the truth, he's the antithesis of that. These same average Americans feel as though they have been "picked on" by politically correct nannies. When he is rebuked for impolite or even rude remarks, he garners more sympathy from average Americans who feel like people should be allowed to say what they want, while they personally bite their own tongues in order to avoid harsh treatment. This creates a "cannot win" environment for those who would try to shut Trump up with criticism, at least for this particular group. It is possible many Americans who feel marginalized by the media and the establishment of both parties could continue to gravitate towards Trump as the criticisms persist.

Trump is the ultimate "reality show" candidate. The voting participation of Reality TV shows is multiples of that of real elections. His reality show antics are allowing him to tap into a huge population that are not even registered to vote. Many of those could care less about how a politician "should act," and they will become registered when it is time to vote.

Trump, like millions of Americans, is angry. Many Americans have grown tired of their issues not being addressed. Millions of conservatives feel Obama pushed an agenda down the throats of average Americans. They fought back by giving Republicans a majority of seats in both Houses of Congress. The GOP paid back by basically providing the same type of governance that the Democrats provided. This makes many angry. My show producer told me that he believed Trump was a mere passing fad. I asked him, why is he popular with voters today. He said, "because they are angry." I asked him, "do you think they will be any less angry when the primaries come around?" You could hear crickets.

Trump does not appear to be going anywhere but up and the more they attack, the faster he climbs. How can they stop him? Candidates need to speak their own truth. Sen. Ted Cruz's (R-TX) attack of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was unprecedented and the retaliation from the party he has faced makes him seem very sympathetic to many angry conservatives. We will likely see more such actions by Republicans who are wanting to be seen as "real."

Will Trump be a factor all the way until 2016? It is hard to say, I would say virtually anyone with political savvy would have said such was ridiculous just a few months ago. That number is shrinking as Trump's popularity grows in the polls. We are told "Trump is crazy." But is he crazy like a fox?

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot