We’re past the point where Donald Trump’s rise to the top of the Republican heap can be explained by luck or a passing summer fling. No, it’s more than that, and Hillary Clinton and her advisers could learn a thing or two from how Trump is campaigning.
Trump has defied the pundits at every turn. They thought he’d flame out after making offensive comments. Or retreat from controversial statements. But proving the traditionalists wrong is part of Trump’s appeal. He’s doing three things really well, and they’re exactly where Hillary Clinton is falling short.
First, Trump is having fun. Don’t be fooled by his signature pout, this is a guy who is having a ball. With an ego the size of his eponymous condominium tower, Trump thrives on attention, and he’s getting plenty of it. And besides, fun is contagious. Even the sober New York Times gushes about Trump’s rallies – the crowds, the music, the enthusiasm.
Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, has banished fun. Her campaign has all the joy of a dental convention.
Second, Trump isn’t using a script. He’s spontaneous and speaks his mind, and that’s a big contrast to the other Republican candidates. It’s also the polar opposite of Hillary, whose style is a toxic mix of a college lecture and a carefully worded legal brief.
Third, Trump isn’t afraid to show some anger. Loud is a strategy in his case, and it seems to be working, at least for now. Voters feel angry too, and they believe that Trump is on their side.
Hillary has allowed her anger to flash occasionally, and they’ve been her strongest moments of the campaign. But they’ve been rare. We saw one about a week ago when she squared off with Black Lives Matter activist who challenged her record on racial justice. Her performance was tense, impassioned and left little doubt about her commitment to liberal values or her determination to win the presidency.
Here’s our favorite quote from the exchange, in which she sweeps away a treasured activist fantasy:
“I don’t believe you change hearts,” Mrs. Clinton says, summarizing her basic view of social policy movements. “I believe you change laws, you change allocation of resources, you change the way systems operate.”
This is Hillary at her best. She believes in political power, and in getting things done.
It was a style she practiced as a Senator and, more visibly, as Secretary of State. There, she amassed an impressive record, from toughening sanctions on Iran to quickly defusing a dicey diplomatic standoff with China over human-rights dissident Chen Guangcheng. It’s a record – and a style of governing – that’s nearly absent from her campaign.
Instead, her campaign continues to present her at a distance, with tightly controlled events meant to emphasize her warm and caring side. But does that really matter to anyone? Judging by Donald Trump’s success, voters would rather have an arrogant bully who says he can get things done.
Or maybe a gritty and experienced cabinet secretary with a record of actually getting things done.