We're All About The Style Points

Jim Geraghty crowns Trump as the King of style over conservative substance but names NJ Gov. Chris Christie as the Crown Prince:

In part, Christie’s current “moment” reflects a masterful ability to sound pugnaciously conservative despite a mixed political record. In the debates, he demonstrates his natural gifts as a communicator, staring directly at the camera and speaking straightforwardly to viewers in their living rooms. He repeats the same anecdotes, jokes, and talking points with such fluidity that the average voter wouldn’t know he’s used them 1,000 times before. He bristles with impatience at arguments between his rivals, sneering with boredom, and mocks their minute disagreements as “endless debate about how many angels fit on the head of a pin.”

 

It’s a schtick — the man of action in a sea of talkers, the Mr. Fix-It among the ineffectual wonks — that must be appealing to the kind of voter who likes Trump’s style but wishes it was backed up by even a shred of substance. And while it bodes ill for productive political discourse, it obviously works for Christie, because he’s kept at it. And it has the tangential benefit of masking what is at best a spotty history of conservative policymaking.

 

Hmm, has anyone covering this election cycle said "Talk loudly and carry a big schtick"? Any minute now!

 

And let's segue to some timeless Hollywood advice that Hillary will never master but several of the Republicans might - the key to this business is authenticity. Once you can fake that, you've got it made.

Comments

[Buckeye]

1st?

[Skoot]

per Hot Air, Hillary instructed Jake Sullivan to strip heading from classified material transmission and send insecure fax. I don't see how Comey doesn't refer for prosecution at this point. It's going to get interesting.

[gentlejim]

Beasts of England

I'm not buying any lottery tickets because I know for a fact that God doesn't want me to have $650M - he knows what I'd do with it. ;)

Posted by: Beasts of England | January 07, 2016 at 10:57 PM

Beasts,

Since God is talking to you why don't you take the time to write a book about a new socio-economic, political and religious platform? I'm willing to bet it'd be better than the bird cage liner the headchoppers claim to follow.

[jimmyk]

Christie may well be more conservative than he was able to govern in NJ, but he's got to make that case. It's hard to get past The Hug.

[Rick Ballard]

"It's hard to get past The Hug."

Yet the Golden Marmoset posing with a Bucky Beaver grin next to the Rapist & Enabler is shrugged away - even though the Golden Marmoset wrote a number of checks to them.

[Jeff Dobbs]

jimmy:
It's hard to get past The Hug.

It's hard to get around Christie. Takes about a half a day.

It's hard to get away from Christie. Gravity.

I didn't want to do that. I'm not big on making fun of someone's weight. But I have poor impulse control.

At least I didn't say "out from under".

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Were Christie leading by double digits in the polls I imagine many people presently criticizing him would be making peace with reality and be shrugging away also.

[jimmyk]

Were Christie leading by double digits in the polls I imagine many people presently criticizing him would be making peace with reality and be shrugging away also.

For sure, but isn't that just another way of saying we'll vote for whoever the R nominee is, even if it's not our first choice?

[jimmyk]

Yet the Golden Marmoset posing with a Bucky Beaver grin next to the Rapist & Enabler is shrugged away

I ain't calling Trump a conservative either. In fact, between the two of them I would probably prefer Christie.

[buccaneer morgan]

The golden matmoset didn't open the lion cages at the zoo, and pretend the visitors weren't mauled.

[Miss Marple]

Trump isn't a conservative. I am not fooled into thinking he is.

I don't care.

I have been voting for conservatives since Reagan. One of three things happens:

1. They lose.
2. They get elected but acquiesce to dem demands.
3. They go off on a nut case tangent like Governor Pence due to being influenced by inner circle nutcases.

Trump, if elected, will probably do some things I don't like, but I will expect it. This is better than thinking you are electing someone conservative who does those exact same things afterpromising the opposite.

I believe Trump will solve the VA mess, roll back Comon Core and Obamacare, and not kowtow to places like North Korea and Iran. I think he will actually build some sort of barrier on the southern border.

That's pretty much enough to get the country moving in the right direction again, and that's all I care about.

If he is not the nominee, I will votefor whoever is. I do not expect anyone else to be as successful as Trump if they manageto get elected.