Charlie Cook: “It’s hard to look at Donald Trump and his presidency through any conventional lens or apply any normal yardsticks to him. Whether part of a grand plan or improvisation, statements and behavior that would have ended the careers of other politicians have made it possible for him to prosper. Trump’s strange political alchemy works despite the fact that it seems to defy logic and political gravity. Walking on a high wire may seem crazy to the rest of us, but it’s just a day at the office for the Flying Wallendas, and for them, things have worked out pretty well. (I know one member of the Wallenda family, and she’s bright, impressive, and perfectly normal.) Trump, like the Wallendas, thrives on the oohs and aahs of his audience.”
“So while many of us can watch things that Trump does with shock and even horror, we need to keep an open mind about the outcome. As he showed during the presidential campaign, he can be crazy like a fox. But for any other politician contemplating a Trump-style campaign, I advise extreme caution. He’s a political daredevil like no other, and it remains to be seen whether he’ll turn out like Evel Knievel. In other words: Kids, don’t try this at home. It may or may not work for him, but it surely won’t work for anyone else.”
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