Post by Paul Eidelberg

Donald Trump’s political leadership in the presidential race may be attributed to what Lou Harris calls “orneriness,” which he attributes to the American character in his book The Next American Civil War.

Harris foresees a revolution of the American middle class against the “Establishment,” or what men like Ted Cruz terms the “Washington Cartel.” This cartel is led by the intellectual elite, a product of American universities like Harvard, Yale, and Stanford.

Just as this elite scorned Trump in the New Hampshire primary, which he won because of the more decisive votes of the less educated, this political bias of academia may propel Trump to the White House. None of his rivals exhibit “orneriness.” They are more or less milquetoast politicians.

Although Trump lacks class, his orneriness endears him to the unwashed populists. This reminds me of Truman’s victory over New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey in the 1948 election.

Dewey appeared as a stuffed-shirt “establishment” man. Of course, unlike the egotistical Donald Trump, Truman was a plain or humble person from Independence Missouri, in contrast to the big-time New York attorney.

Also, today’s voters are more susceptible to showmanship, which Trump displays far more than his “nebbish” rivals – to use a Yiddish word for a milk-and-toast politician. Americans want to be entertained, especially today when America, under Obama, displays anything but manliness, let alone aggressiveness, vis-à-vis Islamic contempt for America.

Trump capitalizes on this Islamic arrogance, its insult to American greatness. Hence he doesn’t need to discuss issues, which, after all, are hardly discussed by his rivals.

And so, this 2016 presidential campaign is a “made-in-Hollywood” affair. Personality reigns supreme, larded with  democratic vulgarity.

The great 19th century French novelist, Gustav Flaubert, foresaw that this vulgarity would hold center stage in this era of triumphant democracy, which, he said, would make “any man of taste want to vomit”!

No one should be surprised, therefore, if Trump wins the presidency. How ironic! Democracy, or the rule of the many, of those who have to work for a living, elects a vulgar plutocrat to make America great again”!