Trump is not a "phenomenon" - his candidacy is just media hype to sell news/entertainment product [View all]

[Attorney in Texas]

Trump's a loud mouth without much substance or experience, and the know-nothing wing of the Republican party swooning for such a candidate is nothing new or revolutionary.

Trump's support is about 22% of Republicans (on average); in 2012, the loud mouth without much substance or experience was Herman Cain who jumped up to 27%:



In 2008, the loud mouth without much substance or experience was Sarah Palin. McCain-Palin actually won 46% of all votes, and after the election, Palin was better liked by the Republican voters than McCain with 71% believing that McCain made the right choice by picking Palin as his running mate, while only 65% of Republicans thought the party's choice of McCain was the right nominee for president. Palin had a 91% approval rating among Republicans (WAY, WAY, WAY higher than Trump).

Leading into the next election cycle (in 2012), Palin remained extremely popular with Republicans, well ahead of eventual nominee Romney:



In 2000, the loud mouth without much substance or experience was Steve Forbes who -- for a while -- looked like he was going to build on his 1996 campaign when he actually won the Arizona and Delaware primaries.

In 1996, in addition to Forbes, the loud mouth without much substance or experience was Pat Buchanan who won the Louisiana, Missouri, and New Hampshire primaries.

In 1992, the loud mouth without much substance or experience was Ross Perot (remember him?).

In 1988, the loud mouth without much substance or experience was Pat Robertson who won the Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington primaries/caucuses.

The Trump candidacy is interesting, and it tells us much about the current size and shape of the know-nothing wing of the Republican party, and it speaks volumes about the lackluster campaigns of Bush, Walker, and Rubio (the hand picked cluster of establishment candidates from whom the nominee will actually be chosen).

But, please, let's not get carried away with the Trump hype.

Those of us who have survived the Cain administration and the Palin presidency and the Forbes-Buchanan ticket can tell you this - sit back and enjoy watching how Trump makes the Republican insiders fret while he forces the Koch monsters to burn more and more money. You won't get to enjoy this forever.