The More Donald Trump Lies, The More His Popularity Climbs
October 19, 2015Deborah Montesano Politics
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To paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of Donald Trump’s political death have been greatly exaggerated. In fact, despite his continuing spate of outrageous lies, the Donald’s numbers in the polls have climbed to an all-time high.
A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, taken Oct. 15-18, questioned likely voters in the Republican primary about their first choice among candidates for president. In the same poll, taken last month, Trump’s support was at 21%, with Ben Carson’s at 20%. The two candidates were in a dead heat.
TRUMP LIES, THE POLLS RISE
This month, Trump has gained four percentage points while Carson has gained only two, giving the billionaire a 25% to 22% advantage. Add them together, and that means that 47% — or almost half — of Republican voters want a candidate who either can’t tell the truth (Trump) or lives in an alternate reality (Carson).
But, believe it or not, it gets worse. The above figures reflect voters’ first choice in the primary race. When voters were asked about the Republican candidates they could support in the general election, the numbers take an enormous jump. Fifty-nine percent can see themselves supporting Trump. But get this — 74% could back Carson!
It defies comprehension. Trump lies about taxes. He lies about Bernie Sanders being a communist. He lies about immigration and Mexicans and the Mexican government and Obamacare and just about everything that comes tumbling out of his mouth. Politifact found almost two months ago that Trump is the lying-est Republican candidate in the race — and that was a whole lot of lies ago.
Of course, when voters are looking at an entire field of liars, what are they to do — short of leaving the Republican Party and making a reasonable choice for president?
There is no close third choice out of the other members of the Liars’ Club. Marco Rubio had the next highest number as voters first choice, at 13%. Ted Cruz came in at 9%. Jeb Bush at 8%. Carly Fiorina at 7%. And then the rest of the also-rans were below that.
TRUMP LIES MUST BE MORE POTENT THAN OTHER LIES
So, if all of the Republican candidates are blatant liars (and they are, just check the links), why do the Donald Trump lies keep propelling him to the top of the heap? Brittney Cooper of Salon put forth this hypothesis:
“While I view his particular performance of right-wing politics and white masculinity as buffoonish, he seems to offer comfort to those on the right who are deeply invested in returning the country’s leadership to someone who looks and thinks like them… his brash and unapologetic political incorrectness bespeaks comfort, a seeming return to normalcy for those Americans who believe that progress and change are happening too fast.”
Now that’s one of the most horrifying thoughts to come out of this campaign. The implication is that right-wing Republicans have to feed off of a continual stream of lies — told by and to themselves, as well as by others — in order to merely feel okay.
The next most horrifying thought may be this: What’s going to happen next November, after right-wing illusions turn to ashes? After their hopes for feeling ‘ok’ and ‘normal’ are forever gone?
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