Donald Trump is a force of nature. He can do and say whatever he wants. With every racist, sexist, elitist and disparaging remark he makes he only seems to move up in the polls. It’s as if nothing he can do or say will have any effect on his standing in the polls. In fact, Trump even remarked Jan. 23 that he could “shoot somebody and [he] wouldn't lose voters.” As revolting as that statement is, it might actually be true. Through all of the nasty, nauseating and controversial comments that have come out of Trump’s mouth in the past few months, he remains the strongest candidate in the Republican Party. Many reasons can be cited to try and explain his rise in the polls, but I believe that more than anything else the media has fueled Trump’s rise.
So, how has Trump been able to stay on top for so long? The answer lies in his supporters. Trump is voicing what a specific group of Americans has been thinking for quite some time now. He draws upon people’s basic angers, fears and racist tendencies to create a fervor like nothing politics has ever seen. Trump’s base largely consists of people who feel as if they have never had a voice in politics like his own.
No previous candidate has ever been able to get away with saying the things that the real estate giant says. If anybody would have said even one of Trump’s remarks, all of their money would have dried up and their campaign would have stalled. Trump, being a billionaire and funding his own campaign, doesn’t have this problem. He can say whatever he wants and just keep on pushing forward. This has electrified his base, who is frustrated with the current state of our government and wants someone who will shake things up and “Make America Great Again,” as if for some reason we aren’t still a great country.
In addition to these traits that create Trump’s standing power, he has mastered the use of social media. With just under six million followers and over 30,000 tweets he has an effective monopoly on social media within the Republican Party. His tweets draw huge coverage, regularly receiving thousands of retweets and favorites. The closest candidate to Trump on Twitter is Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., with 1.1 million followers, but only about 4,600 tweets. By controlling social media, Trump has been able to get his message out directly to his followers. The 140-character limit on Twitter also plays to Trumps strengths as he often speaks in very short, simple sentences such as “Our country could be doing much better,” “We have deficits that are enormous,” and “We have all bad trade agreements.”
What I have just said is not any kind of new insight. Plenty of reporters, journalists, news anchors and writers have explained how Trump has been able to stay on top through many of the reasons I have just mentioned. However, I would now like to explain something that I have not yet heard before, and that is how the media has fueled Trump’s rise. This may seem paradoxical because the vast majority of news outlets go after Trump in some fashion. However, I am arguing that the constant media coverage has garnered supporters.
By portraying Trump as a political outsider, a candidate who is not politically correct and someone who will do whatever he has to do as president (like build a wall or create a Muslim registry) the media has only strengthened Trump’s position among his base. Part of the reason Trump has received so much media time is because of the vast amount of absurd things he has said. Unlike previous candidates, Trump has been able to survive all this bad press, which has only made news stations want to cover him even more. This creates a positive feedback system where Trump says something insulting, the media reports it, Trump continues to lead in the polls and the media reports their astonishment at his ability to stay on top. Trump then starts the entire loop over again by saying yet another repulsive comment. This provides Trump with constant coverage where he never gets out of the public’s eye.
Constant attacks from the media are not going to hurt Trump because the majority of his supporters are the kinds of people who hate the establishment. That includes people who are fed up with what they consider to be the liberal media. Therefore, any attacks from the media is only going to strengthen his allies' backing of him.
Trump has withstood a never-ending barrage of attacks from the right and the left to remain on top of the Republican Party. As voting begins for each party’s candidates, only time will tell if Trump is able to hold out until June. Regardless of the outcome of this year’s election, it is clear that Trump has changed the way Americans view politics.
Thomas is a junior majoring in history and psychology. Do you think the media has played a role in Donald Trump's political success? Please send all comments, questions and concerns to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
