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Attempting to predict whether Donald Trump will be incarcerated or sitting in the Oval Office in two years’ time is a challenging endeavor. However, it is somewhat easier to anticipate that he will be the Republican presidential nominee. Despite it being premature to declare him victorious, Trump is outpacing his rivals by a considerable margin.
Ron DeSantis, who was leading the race in some initial polls at the end of the previous year, has now plummeted in popularity. According to the RealClearPolitics poll average, DeSantis currently stands at 21.5%, whereas Trump holds a commanding 52%. In a recent poll, Trump enjoyed a 45-point advantage over DeSantis, with 59% support compared to DeSantis’ 14%.
Jokingly referring to DeSantis as “DeSanctimonious,” Trump mocked his plummeting popularity to an adoring crowd in Michigan. Trump has a vast collection of nicknames for his rivals and opponents, garnering an entire Wikipedia page dedicated to them. Trump emphasized the importance of having at least a hint of personality, which he believes DeSantis lacks.
Love him or despise him, there is no denying that Trump possesses a unique personality trait – he is funny. His opponents have attempted to showcase their own sense of humor, but their efforts have often fallen flat. DeSantis’ awkward laughter at a car show in Iowa became a viral sensation, while Joe Biden’s attempts at humor have been met with awkward silence.
Authored by three anthropologists from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Texas at Austin, a 2016 study argued that it was Trump’s entertainment value, above all else, that propelled him to secure the Republican nomination that year. Whether his jokes were deemed amusing or offensive, the spectacle was compelling enough to captivate audiences and keep him in the limelight.
Donna Goldstein, one of the co-authors of the study, suggests that Trump’s comedic style stems from his upbringing in the New York comedy scene, where crude and physical humor prevail. Trump often uses gestures to imply the punchline rather than stating it explicitly, allowing for plausible deniability while establishing a bond with his supporters who feel like they are in on the joke.
Comedy has a unifying effect, which explains why Trump’s mockery of others resonates with his supporters. By cracking crude and outrageous jokes, Trump not only entertains his fans but also demonstrates that he does not consider himself morally superior, fostering a sense of inclusion and camaraderie.
While not all of Trump’s comedy is intentional, his ability to make audiences laugh stands out in a world saturated with political correctness. In a society where people are quick to take offense, someone like Trump, who disregards the boundaries of acceptability, poses a significant electoral threat due to his impeccable comic timing.
The notion of Trump potentially returning to office may not be funny to many of us. However, in times of adversity, sometimes laughter is the only solace we have. As Abraham Lincoln, another president known for his humor, once said, “I laugh because I must not cry, that is all, that is all.”
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