In the world of rhetoric, there are those who can achieve anything using their words. This group includes people like Bill Clinton, Martin Luther King Jr., and John F. Kennedy. Then, there are those who aren’t so good with words, like George W. Bush or Mitt Romney. And then, there’s Donald Trump. Usually, people running for president attempt to connect with the American population- assure them that they have similar lifestyles and subsequently similar values. This gives the candidate a down-to-earth, neighborly feel, and it is generally a good campaign strategy. Mr. Trump, however, says ‘Screw it!’ to thinking like this. When he officially announced his campaign for the 2016 Presidential Election, Trump stated to his supporters, “I’m really rich”. While, admittedly, the current campaign finance system which encourages corporations to ‘buy elections’ is disturbing, it is more disturbing to imagine a president who is so rich that a $5000 Armani suit would constitute casual Friday (by the way, Trump has a net worth of $4 billion). This is a man who could seriously benefit from taking a rhetoric class. He assumes political savvy from his knowledge of the business world without making any clear or logical connection between the two. In English 015 (and the rest of the world), we call that a non sequitur. His goal to “make America great again” is more of an assault on the American political system than a campaign promise. Seemingly, his answer to all of America’s problems is to strike a new trade deal that’ll put America at the top again. Not to mention that by labeling Mexican immigrants as those who are “bringing drugs” and “bringing crime”, Trump has effectively ruined any chance he had in future elections. All in a day’s work for the legend that is Donald Trump.
“Here’s Donald Trump’s Presidential Announcement Speech.” Time. Time, 16 June 2015. Web. 10 July 2015.
Megan Conrad says
I agree with your opinion on politicians needing to show that they live a normal lifestyle in order to gain more supporters. Also, your conclusion sentence was great.
Nicholas Ciatto says
I enjoyed reading about your opinion of Trump’s lack of social skills and relatablility to the working class Americans. I also believe his mindset of being better than everyone else could be a downfall for him in the electon.
cam6505 says
Great post, I liked the sarcasm and humor used, made it an enjoyable read.