Watching “The Tonight Show” one evening, a familiar face appeared on the screen – an ever-present face that has been plaguing social media for the past few months ever since his announcement for presidential candidacy: Donald Trump.
In a recent interview, Jimmy Fallon asked him how he planned to build his infamous “wall” without the help of immigrant labor – the wall that will supposedly solve all the problems of illegal immigration.
“We may build it with immigrant labor, we may, but it’s going to be a great wall,” Trump said; “At some point maybe it’s going to be called the Trump Wall.”
In a quest to find answers as to why a man who has become well-known for controversial — and quite frankly, rude – comments on hot topics and other candidates, questions were posed to one of the University’s Political Science classes.
Bringing up Donald Trump’s name in a class full of opinionated and politically informed students generally seems like a touchy situation, but interestingly, Trump is one of the only things that the whole class agreed on.
“He has no solution, but he just speaks his mind,” one student said.
“Exactly. He says what everyone wants to say, but he has no solutions — any solutions he makes, he makes them up on the fly,” said a second student.
“If you don’t have solutions, you’re just complaining,” another student summed up the class’ argument.
Many Americans are probably wondering the same thing as that class: what makes a reality TV star and businessman think that he’s qualified to be the president of the United States?
The answer is: nothing. Public opinion keeps him in the polls, and it has brought him to the top position, poised for a possible Republican nomination as the GOP frontrunner.
Trump, a businessman and reality TV star with a net worth of 4.5 billion dollars according to Forbes, has absolutely no experience in office. What distinguishes him from other candidates is, to put it blatantly, his bluntness.
People want to follow people who have a determined direction and are unwavering in their opinions – it gives them security and makes them feel protected to see a person who shows determination. Most people can relate to those who “tell it like it is” – something Trump is extremely well versed in. Fittingly most known for his signature phrase on “The Apprentice”, “you’re fired,” Trump, a graduate of Wharton School of Business, earns his wealth from real estate and television.
“He’s not a politician, and people like the frankness of his language,” said Political Science professor Francis Orlando; “Because of that he’s such a stark contrast to politicians.”
People want a change; they’re tired of the stereotypical “politician.” Trump’s approach to the issues in the forefront of the election is fresh and unique, and he earns respect for his aggression without regard for “political correctness.” It only takes one comment for someone to think to themselves, “Maybe he’s on to something.”
Granted, Trump’s method of stirring up the passions of the people might appeal to the politically uninformed and those who are fed up with the current system, but his high-profile has proven both beneficial and detrimental.
“He’s already a media star; visibility is very important and because of that he already starts with an advantage,” Orlando said; “He’s visible, brash, and not a politician – because of that he’s going to do good early on.”
The question remains: will this be enough for him to win the presidential race?
“This brashness could backfire when you make inappropriate comments. You can only go so far before people start getting offended,” said Orlando.
Trump has offended most other presidential candidates, journalists and even TV personalities. However, those who agree that Rosie O’Donnell is a “loser” most likely support a candidate like Trump. On the other hand, his uncensored dialogue is more characteristic of a Kardashian than a potential president of the United States.
Trump’s personal prejudices cause him to suffer the loss of support from more liberal Republicans, but he has no problem gaining the support of right-wing conservatives, which has proven effective in the development of his campaign. Only time will tell if he wins over the rest of America, but if it doesn’t work out for Trump, he’s still a billionaire.
