'We Don't Get Fooled Again', and Other Musical Post-Election Thoughts

When president-elect Donald Trump announced his candidacy for presidency, he tweeted, chirped, twirped, snapped, and chatted. In return, the media slammed, derided, toasted, roasted, and ridiculed. Possessed of little familiarity with Mr. Trump save via first-wife Ivana in the film, "First Wives Club," a cameo in "Home Alone 2," and the pop-culture phrase, "You're fired," I watched the Trump doings with bemusement. The man made me laugh. "Everybody loves a clown," or so Gary Lewis and the Playboys sang in my youth.

Having witnessed Mitt Romney apologize and still lose an election because his wife owned a horse (completely unacceptable skullduggery), and Mitch McConnell announce "There will be no government shut-downs," as a shrewd move upon taking control of the Senate, I became an independent. I gave up. I could not see anyone in the Republican stable of 17 who could survive the Clinton machine, their media sycophants, and the conservative ne'er do wells who would emerge in all their curmudgeoness to once again snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

I was prepared to drive a putt-putt car, lose my hard-earned shekels to taxes, shower in cold water thanks to windmill, solar, and other imaginary sources of power, and take on an orange glow from living a forced vegan diet. Gitmo seemed like a good option in my days of contemplating Democrat autocracy under her highness Hillary.

However, Mr. Trump fired back, frequently and defiantly. Each time he said something that got the media riled, I was sure he was done. With each tweet I uttered, "Not sure he can survive this one." But he did, and in the words of Elton John, with fist raised, "I'm still standing." Mr. Trump kept firing. For a sample, see the two-page spread in the New York Times of October 24, 2016 --- 281 people, places, and things, Mr. Trump has insulted.

What the New York Times and half the country missed in their dismissals was that Mr. Trump has a bottom-line skill. Sometimes he stated the obvious that we knew, but would not say, i.e., Joe Biden is "not very bright." With a two-word Tweet ("low energy"), Mr. Trump forced Jeb Bush to blow $150 million trying to resuscitate his campaign.

When asked during an interview about Elizabeth Warren's insults, Mr. Trump responded, "Is this the Indian?" With four words, Mr. Trump summed up the clownish woman who looks like Buffy's, of Family Affair, doll, the bespectacled Mrs. Beasley. Mrs. Beasley checked Native American on her application for Harvard Law School to advance her academic career.

"Little Marco," emerged on Trump's Twitter, and Mr. Rubio lost Florida in the primaries.

The bizarre Megyn Kelly question in the first debate dragged us all down, including Ms. Kelly. She has been reduced to a clownish news character, relying on new hairstyles, revealing little black dresses, and leather to maker her name. To sell her current book she is telling tales, that have varied, about sexual harassment, Dr. Phil, stealing, and, well, off to that Regis show she needs to go.

That Mr. Trump fought, via Twitter, with Ms. Kelly was appalling to many. I became a Trumpster because he was an equal opportunity fighter. If you are going to run against a woman, you had best be gender blind. Mr. Trump could "go to the mattresses." You can't win a presidential campaign or rein in the Republicans in congress without that Godfather moxie.

His insults about "Lyin' Ted" were a death knell for Mr. Cruz. After Mr. Cruz lost 15 or so states to Mr. Trump, Mr. Cruz proclaimed, "Donald is scared." The scholarly Mr. Cruz looked like an unhinged road runner, desperately darting aimlessly as Trump calmly tweeted 140 words here and there. Mr. Trump makes his opponents nutsy. Not a bad skill for dealing with a complex world. Mr. Trump does not need nuclear weapons. With a couple of words he can make fools of those who have it coming. Mr. Trump finished as the Republican nominee. The Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want," played as the balloons dropped. Ah, but we got what we need.

During the general election, Mr. Trump continued to use his under-the-skin skills. He has been living rent-free in President Obama's mind since the Republican convention. Mr. Obama is now overseas on his farewell apology tour. He believes he is easing their concerns. Trump would say the world leaders are thinking, "Thank goodness this loser is done."

During the general election, the Trump University litigation and the battle with the judge in the case frightened the less hardy. The frightening Billy Bush tapes and Gloria Allred emerging from important work with adult-film stars involved with Anthony Weiner to take on the Trumpster seemed like the end. The Republicans jumped ship, and Hillary ordered fireworks. The Wall Street Journal's Bret Stephens became a babbling idiot, insulting Trump voters was every column. We did not care. In the words of the great Billy Joel, "You may be right. I may be crazy. But it just may be a lunatic [we're] looking for."

These events were turning points in the election, but not Hillary's way. I and many other were singing the Who's song, "We don't get fooled again." Enough voters to gin up 306 electoral votes were not about to be bullied into giving up on the one person who could "drain the swamp." The unhinged media went down the path of, "He's toast," "It's over," and proceeded to cover Hillary's transition team. But, Mr. Trump was still standing at rallies that defied media influence. By 9:30 on election night, Mr. Trump was warming up the theme song from Air Force One. "Get off my plane" was the closing line in Air Force One as Harrison Ford kicked the last bad guy out of the plane's cargo door. He is funny. Yes, he's a clown, but there is another side to him. A candidate who had everything thrown at him from all sides had won.

George Will had rolled his eyes, Charles Krauthammer, Larry Sabado, and Bernie Goldberg predicted electoral landslides for Hillary. Distinguished commentators and professors bet in favor of the grafter/grifter against the con man. They did not recognize talent. But 60 million of us did, and hung in there. We got us a president because we noticed one thing: You are better off 'fer him than a'gin him.

Marianne M. Jennings is a professor of legal and ethical studies at Arizona State University. She has been a JWR columnists since 1999.