If you go back to the way Donald Trump ran for the presidency in 2016 and watch how he handled Hillary Clinton, he was brutal to say the least. “Crooked Hillary” became her nickname, and Trump dispatched with her, just as he did with the 17 other Republicans that wanted to get the job that he eventually got. He was masterful in his destroying of those people.
Then we got to 2020. Donald Trump, as president, tried to run the same type of campaign against Joe Biden. The problem was, he was the incumbent president. He needed to shift his campaign strategy to run more as the experienced politician who knew more about what was going on than anyone in the country, and less like Guido from Cleveland after a guy that refused to pay his loan shark. He lost because that’s what people thought of Donald Trump…he was Guido from Cleveland, not the president of the United States.
So, as Trump starts running for reelection in 2024 against what appears to be a weaker, frailer Joe Biden, is he going to be Guido, or is he going to be a former president? It appears that maybe The Donald has learned his lesson. I said it appears. I’m still not sure.
Normally, when Trump would have gone into an area where disasters had hit, he would be talking about it, and then switch over to bash people that disagreed with him, or talk about how he himself could solve any problem. It was one of the less endearing qualities that he had as president. But when he visited East Palestine, Ohio, other than wondering where Pete Buttigieg or K-baby Harris, or gasp…Joe Biden himself were in this disaster, he pretty much stuck to the script of listening to people, caring about the people (at least giving that persona), and telling the people what the government should do to help them out.
Add to that the fact he has hired top-tiered people to go to work for him in Iowa, has come out with several proposals about what he would do as president, and talks about America and Americans more than he does himself, you have to wonder if he’s learned from past mistakes. If he has, he could very well become a formidable force in the next presidential cycle.
I’ve always said that Trump had the right ideas, the right policies the right resume to be president. He just didn’t have the deportment and the demeanor that Americans look for. They want someone to be well-adjusted, reserved but forceful, and at the same time make them feel safe, make them feel proud. That’s where he fell apart. If Trump wants to get back to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, he needs to be that person not just in policy and ideas, but in his persona. He needs to earn that respect back. He needs to not tweet at 3am bashing people that don’t agree with him.
I’m starting to believe that maybe…just maybe, Donald Trump took a hard look at what he did wrong in 2020 and decided that if he wants to win back Georgia, and Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and Nevada, and Arizona, he needs to give the people what they want. They want a president to be proud of. One that doesn’t take any crap from anyone to be sure, but one that is also measured in response, and adult in tone. Maybe, Donald Trump is starting to feel that is the character he needs to become to win.
Note that I said the “character he needs to become”. I’ve seen it in the past where people have role-played their way into the White House. Ronald Reagan did it. He was an actor, and by all accounts, not a great one, but he was able to play the role of president for eight years. He was able to convince the American people that he was indeed the guy they saw. I’m just waiting for Martin Sheen to step in and try and become president…or God-forbid, Kevin Spacey (if you haven’t watched House of Cards, you need to!)
Will Trump change or be the same Donald we watched three years ago? Only time will tell.
Carry on world…you’re dismissed!
The Lone Cactus 
As you would suspect, I respectfully disagree as to why Trump lost the election. It’s not just the fact that I believe the election was rigged, you failed to even mention the fact that the media and weoponized FBI, CIA and DOJ went after him from the time he came down the escalator with one made up story after another. None of which was ever true!
I just have a very hard time believing that most American’s didn’t want to keep America Great and would have voted for a brain dead, congenital liar who campaigned from his basement!
You get the government you deserve, but America doesn’t deserve the likes of Sleepy Joe!
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I’ll agree with you that Biden IS brain-dead, a congenital liar, and bad for the country. And I would agree that the media, the FBI, and the DOJ all were against what Trump stood for (they are, after all, part of the swamp). As I have said in responses to other posts, I think that you or I could have developed programs that would have turned around Obama’s programs. That’s not what I call leadership. When you go into a campaign with only 40’something percent of the country behind you, you’re going to have a tough time winning and I don’t care who you are. Just ask Kari Lake.
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I surely hope he is the new persona! His ideas and ability to get things accomplished are top notch in my book!
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Well, they righted a lot of wrongs from Obama. But then again, you or I could have done that. He didn’t (and couldn’t) drain the swamp, and I don’t know if anyone short of God himself could. But we are in need of a statesman, and a true leader. That’s not Donald Trump.
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I don’t know the Donald — nor do I want to. I don’t fixate on famous personalities, but neither do I believe that leopards change their spots. Trump is Trump. What you see is what you get. The last time around, Trump was good for America because he kept that horrible beast out of the White House. I’m not convinced that Trump is good for America in the longer term. In the past, he may have made some people feel as if there was hope for the future — but they were ultimately disappointed because The Donald failed to deliver on his promises. He didn’t drain the swamp. He made horrible appointments to cabinet positions and agencies (we suffer with Wray today), and he grossly underestimated the scope of our problems. All of his “good” accomplishments were canceled by the worst president ever — and in the first hour of his presidency.
And now he wants another turn at bat … and I’m not certain he could defeat Dopey Joe. How would another loss impact his brand? Of equal importance, how would another loss impact the brand his children are getting ready to inherit? I can’t imagine they are too excited about their father running for office again … particularly when they (the children) know as well as I do that Trump isn’t running again to save America; he’s running because he can’t stand losing to a moron.
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If Trump were to win the nomination again, it would only embolden Biden. He’s beaten Trump once, and I’m sure he would rather face Trump than DeSantis, who would dice him up like an onion. I agree that Trump had programs that were good for America. I don’t believe that Trump himself was good for America. But then again, ANY conservative programs would have been good for America after Obama! We need a statesman, and we need a leader. You’re right that Trump never drained the swamp. We’re seeing now just how deep that swamp is (DOJ, FBI, etc). Obama learned rather quickly that you can’t “systematically transform government” in just 8 years. Trump has yet to learn that lesson.
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Can he really change?
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Personally, I don’t think so. The heated battle of the campaign will get to him sooner or later. and the tweets will start. That’s when you’ll know that he’s back in “Trump mode”.
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