Trump's Speech in Cincinnati

Trump's speech the other night in Cincinnati was remarkable. Anyone who didn't see it should bring it up on YouTube and give it a look.

He was preceded by Mike Pence who is an appealing guy with normal political oratorical ability and who gave Trump a rousing introduction to a packed very enthusiastic crowd. The contrast when Trump appeared was immediate. His relaxed style of direct communication with his audience is remarkable to watch.  Instead of the expected ceremonial pomp he started right off with joking comments about the problems the attendees had to go through with the security and he maintained that personal tone throughout.

The speech was about 70% teleprompted and the rest extemporaneous and he has an amazing ability to move seamlessly between the two modes. One can really only tell the difference from the content. This is a communicator to the ordinary man and woman who we haven't seen since Reagan. Obama is admittedly a master of prompted delivery but he's not nearly this good all around.

Alec Baldwin had great fun with his Trump imitation on SNL but Trump outdid him by a mile in his long takeoff of the news media predicting his loss and their pained astonishment when he pulled off the win. The speech is worth watching for that part alone. But the real treat was his message of unity and optimism about overcoming the decline which our country has been experiencing for the past few decades in almost any area you can name. It was a spirit that people felt somewhat with Obama's initial oratory, based on which he was given a Nobel prize, but which he totally failed to deliver.

Diehard liberals will of course be repulsed by Trump's display. But those of us, even those on the political fence, who are disappointed by the steadily ongoing American deterioration toward a dim future take some hope from this remarkable guy. He didn't have to take on this task. In fact it's hard to imagine a motivation for a 70 year old, who I can assure you is starting to see his life as a very finite quantity, other than a sincere vision that this country needs to be turned around and the self confidence that he can do it.

Strict conservatives have opposed the Trump phenomenon as well. They want a minimalist constitutional government with a President who understands his limited role and not a larger than life personality. We will have our checks and balances but especially in bad times our country has always prospered best when great leaders have emerged, starting right from George Washington. Trump may prove to be such a person. He's been a big winner so far.