GOP operative Frank Luntz crunches the numbers on Trump and finds that the chief motivating factor of Trump supporters is -- surprise! -- Raging hatred of Barack Obama and everyone who voted for him. Rich Barry at The Moderate Voice:
Unfortunately, the Financial Times is behind a paywall and I don’t have access, but this snippet below provided by Politico is interesting.
Republican pollster, and political consultant Frank Lutz writes that Trump voters “want revenge.”
Trump’s bile is a healing balm for spurned Americans”: “The phenomenon of ‘The Donald’ is rooted in a psyche far deeper and more consequential than next November’s presidential election. … These individuals do not like being told by Washington or Wall Street what is best for them, … and disdain President Barack Obama and his (perceived) circle of self-righteous, tone-deaf governing partisans. Trump voters are not just angry — they want revenge.”
Gosh, you mean that that there's millions of aggrieved, mostly white voters who want to see everyone who helped put Barack Obama in the White House to be smashed, broken, and obliterated?
Hoocuddanode. Rich Barry again:
Directing public anger is a very dicey thing, but so far Trump has proven very good at it. Consider the name calling and the gutter politics that has characterized so much if his run to date. His appeal to baser instincts is truly breathtaking.
Still, public anger is a difficult beast to ride and things can go badly in a hurry. Assuming Trump does not win the nomination, will there ever be a time when he embraces the eventual nominee and his supporters choose to be okay with that? Perhaps that could work with Sen. Cruz, but for Sen. Rubio or Gov. Christie? Maybe not.
Luntz is probably right. There is a lot of anger out there and it could have outsized consequences in November and beyond. Does the rage dissipate, or are we seeing the start of a political movement that will make the Tea Party movement look like, well, a tea party?
You mean a movement that decides that "by ballet or by bullet" is an actual plan? The folks who have been stockpiling weapons and ammunition so that they can terrorize the rest of us? The folks who see Democrats and the people who voted for them as not only anti-American, but not even human?
You mean these people might actually be dangerous and their rhetoric mat become something far bloodier and far worse?
Well holy crap, welcome to America. Where the hell have you guys been?
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