Why I’m Secretly Rooting For President Trump

Not really. But sort of…

At this point, I’m quite convinced that Donald Trump initially ran for President on a lark. That is, he thought it would be a great publicity stunt — the world’s best publicity stunt — on the world’s biggest stage. But then he got some traction. And then some more. And then he was leading in some polls. Then in all of them. Then he was winning primaries.

Holy shit, Donald Trump is winning primaries.

I honestly believe that Donald Trump a year ago may have been just as flabbergasted by this statement as many of us are today. And yet, with each passing day, it’s looking more and more likely that he will indeed be the Republican nominee for President. The ‘holy shit’ to end even the most holiest of shits.

For the record, I still think Marco Rubio ends up being the nominee. But it’s nothing more than a gut feeling at this point. It just seems like someone taking this seriously, someone who has actually held an office before should be the nominee. But even I’m willing to admit at this point that this line of thinking may be folly.

America wants Trump. America deserves Trump. And America may very well get Trump.

And, if I’m being honest, part of me is rooting for this outcome. Not because I think Donald Trump would be a good President — I think he’d be an absolute disaster — but because I think the election of Donald Trump, or even just his nomination, could jolt America awake and give us at least some of the political reforms we so badly need.

Maybe that’s wishful thinking. Perhaps it’s the optimist in me looking for a silver-lining here. But I’m sorry, it’s just beyond ridiculous that Donald Trump is a serious contender to be President this late in the game of an election cycle. I suspect even a significant percentage of his supporters would acknowledge this — and, in fact, that may be why many of them also support him. After all, this is just a longer way of saying “death to politics as usual.” That’s Trump.

Part of me wonders if Trump, even at this late-stage, actually wants to be elected. After all, it would be a massive, massive burden.¹ It seems like being President, for all the glamour of the job, is one of the most thankless, pain-in-the-ass positions one can hold. Who would want to do this? Usually, career politicians. Or idealists. Not people like Donald Trump.²

So, again, part of me hopes that he’s elected and then quickly realizes he wants nothing to do with it, steps down, and whomever some pollster told him would make for a good Vice Presidential choice ends up as President. Or, in a worse scenario, he does something insanely stupid and is impeached relatively quickly. Both seem equally as likely — which, again, makes this whole discussion all-the-more surreal.

But both would also provide the aforementioned jolt needed to seriously reform our electoral system, if not our political system as a whole.

Or maybe I’m just trying to prep my answer for why I’m not moving to Canada if and when we find ourselves with a President Trump.³

¹ Not to mention a pay-cut.

² Plus, he’s arguably mediocre at running his own, far smaller organization.

³ For the record, I don’t think Trump would defeat Hillary Clinton. But the fact that I have to say this is scary in and of itself. Also, Bernie Sanders… Also, Mike Bloomberg…