Meet John Doe, 2016
Donald Trump is not a hardscrabble every man plucked from on-the-road poverty. He is instead a celebrity-level, world-class businessman, a billionaire.
But he does offer the same inspirational quality as the Doe character, played by Gary Cooper in Frank Capra's 1941 classic. Trump evokes similarly stirring calls to national pride, to new unity of citizens in common struggles.
We are Americans. We don't take orders from foreign interests. We aren't impressed when rumbling Vincente Fox curses at us, outraged at the concept of Americans actually standing up. Nor do the ominous economic threats made by Chinese leaders give us pause.
As the old song advised, "You run your mouth, and I'll run my business, brother!"
Trump events across America are packed by laughing, roaring, defiantly exuberant tens of thousands. Feeling proud and beholden to no one is liberating. It feels good again to be an American.
Fire marshals turn away thousands more eager to hear the candidate's rousing message of resurgent national strength and aspiration.
It would not surprise me if, like the citizen-led John Doe Clubs of the film, Donald Trump Clubs sprang up. And, like those in Capra's movie, they would be open to only regular, working Americans. No calculating politicians allowed.
I'm hardly naive, and I'll consider for a moment the worst possible scenario (which I do not believe real): Suppose Donald Trump is only a captivating showman adept at exploiting popular angst and ambition. An opportunistic "Music Man," if you will.
Again, I do not believe that to be the case.
But even if it were, what is evident, given the tremendous nation-wide outpouring of feverish, grassroots support for the idea of a people-vs-indifferent-establishment movement is that the vital spirit of American individuality and independence breathes, still.
That spirit is what first raised our nation to global pre-eminence.
The political status quo didn't make America exceptional. Nor did its studiously groomed, deceitful toadies in the corporate media.
We the people did that. And we can do it, again.
On Super Tuesday, in state after state, primary participation records were shattered. The people spoke, loudly and clearly, raising Trump and their remarkable popular movement to jaw-gaping heights.
At a press conference following that day's voting reassertion of American spirit, Trump reminded of Cooper's Doe character testifying to the power of the people.
"I think we've done something that, honestly, almost nobody thought could be done," Trump told reporters. "And I'm very proud of it. I am a unifier. And I would love to see the Republican Party, and everybody, get together and unify. When we unify, there's nobody -- nobody -- that's going to beat us!"
In 2016, America has its John Doe.
Donald Trump is not a hardscrabble every man plucked from on-the-road poverty. He is instead a celebrity-level, world-class businessman, a billionaire.
But he does offer the same inspirational quality as the Doe character, played by Gary Cooper in Frank Capra's 1941 classic. Trump evokes similarly stirring calls to national pride, to new unity of citizens in common struggles.
We are Americans. We don't take orders from foreign interests. We aren't impressed when rumbling Vincente Fox curses at us, outraged at the concept of Americans actually standing up. Nor do the ominous economic threats made by Chinese leaders give us pause.
As the old song advised, "You run your mouth, and I'll run my business, brother!"
Trump events across America are packed by laughing, roaring, defiantly exuberant tens of thousands. Feeling proud and beholden to no one is liberating. It feels good again to be an American.
Fire marshals turn away thousands more eager to hear the candidate's rousing message of resurgent national strength and aspiration.
It would not surprise me if, like the citizen-led John Doe Clubs of the film, Donald Trump Clubs sprang up. And, like those in Capra's movie, they would be open to only regular, working Americans. No calculating politicians allowed.
I'm hardly naive, and I'll consider for a moment the worst possible scenario (which I do not believe real): Suppose Donald Trump is only a captivating showman adept at exploiting popular angst and ambition. An opportunistic "Music Man," if you will.
Again, I do not believe that to be the case.
But even if it were, what is evident, given the tremendous nation-wide outpouring of feverish, grassroots support for the idea of a people-vs-indifferent-establishment movement is that the vital spirit of American individuality and independence breathes, still.
That spirit is what first raised our nation to global pre-eminence.
The political status quo didn't make America exceptional. Nor did its studiously groomed, deceitful toadies in the corporate media.
We the people did that. And we can do it, again.
On Super Tuesday, in state after state, primary participation records were shattered. The people spoke, loudly and clearly, raising Trump and their remarkable popular movement to jaw-gaping heights.
At a press conference following that day's voting reassertion of American spirit, Trump reminded of Cooper's Doe character testifying to the power of the people.
"I think we've done something that, honestly, almost nobody thought could be done," Trump told reporters. "And I'm very proud of it. I am a unifier. And I would love to see the Republican Party, and everybody, get together and unify. When we unify, there's nobody -- nobody -- that's going to beat us!"
In 2016, America has its John Doe.
posted by DC Larson at
March 02, 2016
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home