Analysis by Chris Cillizza, CNN Editor-at-large
Updated 12:04 PM ET, Mon May 18, 2020
(CNN)James Woods is that rare thing in Hollywood: A supporter of Donald Trump. And on Sunday, Woods perfectly encapsulated the message that could get Trump reelected.
He tweeted this (in part):
“Donald Trump is a rough individual. He is vain, insensitive and raw. But he loves America more than any President in my lifetime.”
Trump retweeted that assessment; “I think that is a great compliment,” he wrote. “Thank you James!”
It’s, of course, not a great compliment. If someone called you “vain, insensitive and raw,” would you be flattered?
But Woods’ tweet is 100% right when it comes to how Trump can win again in November.
The simple truth is that Trump was not (in 2016) and is not now someone who a majority of Americans say they like or admire. Consider these numbers from the 2016 exit poll:
1) Less than 4 in 10 voters in 2016 said they had a favorable opinion of Trump
2) Just 1 in 3 thought Trump was honest and trustworthy
3) Only 35% said that Trump had the right temperament to be president
How did Trump win? Because people may not have liked him but they wanted radical change in Washington and believed that he could bring it about. Four in 10 voters said that the most important quality in a candidate was one that “can bring change,” among that group, Trump beat Clinton 82% to 14%.
The message Woods is offering up for Trump in 2020 is simply a variation on that original theme. And it goes something like this: Yeah, he’s a jerk. And no, I wouldn’t want him have him over for dinner. But when it comes to actually getting stuff done for America, there’s no one better.
Continued
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Article URL : https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/18/politics/donald-trump-james-woods-2020-reelection/index.html