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I suspect if you are reading this, you will have received an email from Geoff Hamilton, asking "What does the world think of Donald Trump's candidacy? Does his success so far signal some new era in American political life?"

Well, Aaron Sorkin had Will McAvoy and Mackenzie McCale addressed a related subject in the first episode of The Newsroom:

Will: [reaching for a hefty report] Social scientists have concluded that the country is more polarized now than at any time since the civil war… [poking at the report for emphasis] the… civil… war…

Mackenzie: Yes, people choose the news they want now…

Will: People choose the facts the want now, so what you’ve just described is impossible…

Mackenzie: Only if you belive that an overwhelming majority of Americans are preternaturally stupid…

Will: [virtually baring his fangs] I do…

Mackenzie: I don’t…and if you let me, I can prove it. What you’ve left out of your … sermon… is that America is the only country on the planet, that since its birth has said over and over and over that we can do better. It’s part of our DNA.

Now, perhaps I'm naive, but I'm with Mackenzie.

The dilemma is Trump his shamelessness, which has now become part and parcel of the GOP's ongoing spectacle.

Check out Charles M. Blow's great piece in today's NYT on the media's "drooling over the daily shenanigans of a demagogue", and what he is doing to reduce his own coverage of them:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/27/opinion/enough-is-enough.html?hpw&rref=opinion&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&_r=0

I certainly haven't seen this kind of xenophobia from mainstream American candidates in the past. Trump is of the same stripe as Le Pen in France or Zhirinovsky in Russia, though I think more frightening because of his power and the respect that the media give him. I thought Bush was terrible, but Trump could be much worse.

During his last days on his show, Jon Stewart was asking his audience what he had done to deserve such a gift as a Donald Trump presidential candidacy. I think there is a lot to that, as Trump appears to be more caricature than actual person. I think the reason he has survived political attacks so far is that there really isn't anything to attack. He was once a pro-choice democrat, and pretty clearly appears to enjoy the contrariness of his current endeavor. I would suggest that he enjoyed being a democrat during Reagan's reign for the same reason he enjoys being on the far right now. A desire to stand out drives him, regardless of whether he's promoting his line of steaks (I suspect he would be the first president with his own branded steak and vodka), his casinos, or running for president. America has a unique approach to deciding their leaders, and he is the foremost example of the people who battle not for the presidency, but the for the attention of media during election time.

I like the idea Professor Hamilton has put forth of Trump as a Hologram Candidate.

"shimmeringly seductive to his admirers, and able to survive attacks because there's nothing substantive there to be damaged by them."

This summarizes him quite neatly. What is extremely alarming is how much support he is garnering. He is the topic of debate on almost every news program, and is gathering many potential voters. It's disgusting and upsetting that someone who could potentially become among the most powerful men in the world is being allowed to have the platform to share his hate and stupidity with the world. He was recently interviewed and mentioned that a $1 million loan from his father in his youth given as a startup, was nothing, and he is a true underdog and a man of the people. There is literally nothing substantive about any word that comes out of his mouth, but many find themselves relating to this character - and that's exactly what he is. He has become a caricature of himself, and the amount of power that is seemingly not so far out of reach is terrifying for America, and the world. The notion that someone who is incredibly racist and sexist could have so much influence is horrifying. When I saw this thread, I just googled "the worst things Donald Trump has said" and the results can only inspire rage. With his racism on full blast, the majority of the lists I found had his horrific comments. What I was both somewhat surprised and expecting to find was a list of his sexist remarks.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/18-real-things-donald-trump-has-said-about-women_55d356a8e4b07addcb442023

Honestly, who is giving this man the attention he so intensely does not deserve. His comments on rape in the military are horrific. He seems to have no interest in offering solutions, only sexist and racist opinions. What is interesting about his rise and fall, and now rise again is how it was allowed to happen. When his comment about Mexican people was made, there was a generally united outcry from the American people to quite simply get rid of him. Networks were pulling away from him and anything to do with him. In the time since he has managed to get back into the public's better side - not everyone of course, I think it is still safe to say he is one of the most hated men in America. Nothing he says makes sense, and almost everything he says is offensive. He has managed to survive every hit against him since he put in his bid for presidency. How far is America willing to let him get?

I can sympathize with what Professor Hamilton is saying, that Trump is a "Hologram Candidate," in that he's essentially impregnable to the attacks at his "campaign." Although his sustainability may seem admirable, it is also quite terrifying. His ruthless, forthcoming prejudices towards minority groups, in addition to his opinions and objectives regarding subjects such as ISIS and immigration are both outdated and harmful. Contrastingly, Trump has often been called a "meme" of himself, which may heavily imply that he's just some fictional character who has no serious effect on the socio-political sphere of America. The truth, however, is that he is all too real, and so are his dedicated followers. So, while regarding Trump as merely a "hologram candidate" may be humorous, it is also slightly alarming. Would such a candidate hold the following that he does, or play such a large role in the ever-growing normalization of prejudices in America? it's difficult to say just how influential Trump's presidential campaign is, but what is apparent is the damage he is creating not only for himself, but for the reputation of America.

Quote from LianaDavid on October 23, 2015, 21:45
This seems to be a growing trend due to mainstream culture and social media. Whether he is "seductive to his admirers" or contrastingly made out to be a "racist pig" depicted in the media, the fact that Trump has more familiarity with this kind of pop culture has been giving him even more exposure, more leverage. We could go along with this idea that "there is no such thing as bad publicity." A new scandalous comment from him would garner negative reactions, but in turn would likely receive some support due to varied perceptions of his words and actions. And even with the controversy, Trump at the end of the day, is the most known out of all the candidates to date, and many people who do not care to pay much attention to in-depth details in politics sway towards the name with which they are more familiar with. Trump is not oblivious to the videos, internet memes, and trending tags and articles being made - and he seems to be working with many of them to his favour.

This, I find, is the most worrying thing and likely the biggest flaw in the 'democratic system'. It is only reasonable to give the power of the vote to the people, so that those elected are determined by the masses. The problem is, who is to ensure that the masses are truly capable of making reasonable and educated decisions? Ronald Reagan was well known for being an actor before being elected as president, so his presidency was likely influenced by his per-established recognition in the nation. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger enjoyed a career as governor of California. For Trump, his establishment as an economic powerhouse and TV personality already gives him an edge over all candidates. He is easily the most recognizable because he is so freely marketed, and the common voter will likely already be familiar with him as an image and not as a candidate - for I believe the "common voter" is not usually an informed voter.

It is entirely possible, and in many cases treated as such, for an election to be a popularity contest first and a political system second, or even third after being treated like a sporting event. When the worry is over voter turnout, they are only looking at those who have no initiative to participate in their democratic duty - but I believe a great deal of voting is done with little basis on political platform. Voters have too many variables - such as whether voters focus on a single issue or whether they vote on trivial reasons. There is no way to regulate how voters vote or are educated on elections, and thus I feel come election time, the vote is a very dangerous power wielded -- and I'll quote Jeff Goldblum's Dr. Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park as inappropriate as it is for current political climates -- "like a kid that's found their dad's gun."

As ridiculous as Trump gets, it's always a political game. His views will appeal to someone, but for the most part he will always have the image - the recognition. Fans of The Apprentice may vote for him - admirers of 'The American Dream' may vote for him, or rather the idea of him. Ultimately, Trump's wealth separates him from his reputation, so he has little to fear from a backlash as no one's pulling their investments over racial remarks or misogynistic quips. He has little to lose, and much to gain, for even if he does go to election and loses, he'll still be a rich businessman who can retract any losses as alternative forms of national (or even international) advertising. He really doesn't have any bad publicity, so the real worry is - will people vote for him?

You can put a fool on stage to entertain an audience, the real question is will people pay to see it?

Something that really bothers me about Trump is how flexible he is. His politics, and he himself, remind me of Emerson’s “Self-Reliance,” or at least this part: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen…Speak what you think now in hard words and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you said to-day.” Even though it’s one of the main reasons that I despise him, I think his popularity comes from his flexibility. He just goes back and forth with everything. He says something ridiculously stupid (often) and then tries to undo it the next day, even if it is to claim that he just changed his mind or worded something incorrectly. I think his flexibility makes him popular because it causes him to reach both ends of the political spectrum and everything in between. He is just so inconsistent and would be such a dangerous President. The other day, one of my friends said that they admired how bold he is, how he just says whatever he wants, and I think this is also part of his appeal. Politicians conduct themselves with an air of secrecy and I think people mistake Trump's foolishness and stupidity with being transparent.

Just wanted to say his hate for Muslims and immigrants is hilarious considering Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian refugee and we all know how important Apple has been to the American economy.

Last year, when I heard of Donald Trump’s bid to be president, I thought it was a joke. However, now, I am terrified at the thought of him being elected. Fast forward to 2016 – he has members behind him, media coverage and money to back him up financially. Media outlets have focused on him this campaign because of his outrageous comments and ideas. The amount of Republicans behind him is almost ridiculous – just as preposterous at the thought of him building up a wall between the United States and Mexico.
The things he stands for are unbelievably racist and biased. He does not believe in equality, is incredibly sexist and wants to ban Muslims and Mexicans. He actually says these things out loud and promotes this as a part of his platform. What I don’t understand is how people are actually following AND supporting him. What makes him so qualified to run the United States? He does not welcome differences between people; he wants America to consist of people that are just like him.
People are following him and he is winning votes. This video and article just highlights the differences between Trump and his opponent Sanders. If you had to choose a side from this article, which America would you want?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/free-hugs-project-bernie-trump-rally-video_us_56fc40eee4b083f5c606a4ff