Say what you want about Donald Trump, but today’s most polarizing political candidate knows how to work a room and write a headline. Trump’s media understanding is driving his political appeal. Here’s how he’s doing it.
The Donald announced his Presidential bid on June 16th and has been jumping from one fire to the next ever since then. It is interesting to watch as he manages a precarious media crisis with skill and aplomb. So far, he’s been landing on top even as many wonder how it works for him. But he’s been carefully learning these skills over decades. How to say things that are outrageous enough to get most tossed out on the ear. But he keeps turning them into victory. Let’s review some of what he and others have said since his bid announcement.
Several days after announcing his bid, he declared that Mexicans and other immigrant groups are racists and killers. That would send any other candidate packing. Politics in the modern age is all about advisors, writers, and fact checkers having a say before anything comes out of the candidate’s mouth. It’s about political correctness, even when everyone knows it is all a smokescreen. That’s not how Trump works. He makes outlandish statements and shares his beliefs that are often on the far side of interesting.
There has also been a lot of discussion about his suitability as a candidate. Many believe he’s not in control of himself, so how will he control others as a leader of our nation. When Univision removed Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants from their schedule, Trump’s response was still not an apology. Instead, he sued Univision for a half billion dollars. That makes him seem arrogant and vindictive, neither trait helps to bring a deeply divided nation together. He recently apologized and then fired one of his staff for the problem. That seems to have closed the matter from his perspective, and indeed the media furor blew over very quickly.
Some feel he’s one of the most arrogant men ever. Others praise him for his honesty. Many question his seriousness in this Presidential bid. At the moment, he’s the frontrunner. Partly because of his mad media skills, and partly because he and Jeb Bush are the ones whose names are known to the general public.
Yes Donald Trump sometimes finds himself in hot water. Mark Cuban, owner of the Cavs and a man who has dealt extensively with the media, recently said, “I don’t care what his actual positions are. I don’t care if he says the wrong thing. He says what’s on his mind. He gives honest answers rather than prepared answers. This is more important than anything any candidate has done in years.”
Ronn Torossian is the CEO of New York based Public Relations Firm 5WPR. 5W PR has offices in NY, LA and Denver Colorado.
