by P. David Gardner
Republican firebrand Donald Trump has become quite the glittering anomaly in the “Rush to the Throne 2016.” But don't think for a minute that it's not by design.
Though Trump was quick to declare an authoritative “win” at the first Republican Debate last week, many conservative political pundits seem to agree that The Donald is actually on his way down. He's been deliberately abrasive from the start, careening erratically from insulting one group to the next, all the while claiming that he's being “politically incorrect,” which he believes is what the people really want.
There is no doubt that his antics are entertaining. They make for good sound bites and video clips, and it keeps him in the forefront of the daily news cycle, which is his intent.
But by insulting conservative bastion Fox News, Trump has now alienated what could have been his most valuable ally. Fox News, as deluded as its hosts are, expertly commands the viewpoints of its viewers like so many mindless minions, and once you get on the network's bad side, it's all downhill from there.
The GOP, bristling at his refusal to agree to endorse the eventual winner of the Primary, is hard at work behind closed doors, trying to figure out how to rope this wild steer and bring him to pasture. They let loose the beast from hell, and he will not be tamed.
So is Trump positioning himself as an Independent? Or is he still there just to make the other candidates seem mild and quite reasonable by comparison?
Only time will tell.
One thing's for sure: Trump's megalomania is being massaged daily, which must satisfy his ego to some extent. But like any true megalomaniac, Trump's needs and desires can never be fully satisfied, so we are no doubt in for a continuing wild ride on this roller coaster we call The Road to Election.
