I have studied the American Presidency over many years to understand crowd psychology, brand building and communication. My research probes the historical evidence of what it takes to winning and holding that office. My perspective is that of a professional brand builder, storyteller and practitioner of communication.
In particular, I have researched those who have occupied the office of the President since the 20th century and onwards. The list includes Teddy Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Harry Truman, F.D.Roosevelt or the more recent Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George.W. Bush, Obama or Donald Trump.
To my mind, linked to the outcome of the American Presidential election is the political future of the two political streams – Democratic liberalism versus ‘Trump style Republicanism’.
I have studied political communication in every major election in India, US and the UK as a project in self-education. In this capacity, my take on the underlying moral quality of any political proposition does not matter. It is the positioning and the response that it gets from the electorate that I study.
My position is that President Donald Trump‘s apparent failure in getting re-elected may well lead to the cementing of a ‘Trump conservatism’ in the right-wing politics of America.
Being at the apex of the power structure in the United States of America is a serious enterprise. The world looks for substance where substance matters. Issues, ideas and directional initiatives matter most and are vitally important to holding Presidential power. President Trump had several aberrations which were unlike those of a typical political player who ascends to this level. He was an outsider with uncharacteristic traits. He was clearly loath to follow democratic norms especially in tactical decision making and railed against institutions all kinds. He also fuelled mistrust against liberals and liberalism. Trump was – on the face of it – an attacker of the established elites and he ran his Presidency like a reality show. He had political smarts and could work a crowd. He knew how to draw and keep attention. However the tenacity and mindful application of a political strategy was always missing. From day one, his administration was forever in a flux. He was thin skinned and extremely reactive. He couldn’t build a team of effective high calibre Advisers. Unlike most establishments –The Bush, Clinton and Kennedy political establishments for example – he did not create any networks of patronage.
So, what are the obvious things to watch out for in an elite presidential persona?
The first is cynicism. Even in a polarised world people like their president to be on the solution side and not one who continuously and cynically repeats the problem statement. Much of what Trump did to get to power he could not deliver via committed policy. He did raise the China issue effectively but it was a case of too little too late.
The second obvious learning is to avoid being erratic. This is seen in terms of the talent that you attract, the policies that you follow through and how transparent you are in discussing the operations and delivery. “If you are not with me you are my enemy” cannot be a healthy way to sustain momentum and build alliances.
Finally the presidential brand suffers if the incumbent is arrogant, complaining and insultingly direct. A President can’t be seen as oscillating between being a whiner or a know it all. It devastates brand aura.
What is likely to be the future of Trump style politics in America? Intelligent analysis by those who understand life in Washington tends to believe that the Republicans are happy to say goodbye to Trump but retain Trump-ism
As a party, they have control of the Senate and a larger presence then normal in the Congress. They also have a well-conditioned and sympathetic Supreme Court thanks to the several nominations made. Therefore, the Republicans are likely to focus on putting a more solid political mainstream person in charge of Trumpism and hope to gain ground across states. Let us not forget that no Republican has won the popular vote in the Presidential elections since 2004. A good right-wing plan will be to build on Trump’s loss, and gain leverage on whatever political crisis the next administration is unable to battle.
Trump may be gone but Trumpwism is here to stay and win in an environment of “Illiberal democracy “