Post Game with Lanhee Chen: 'How do you break the trance' behind Trump's support?
Aug 20, 2023
auto_awesome
Lanhee Chen, Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, joins Chuck Todd to analyze why Trump's supporters can't quit him. They discuss the upcoming Republican primary, the challenges faced by those who don't align with Trump, the potential for a coalition without him, and the unique fan bases in college football.
Despite having accomplished politicians with impressive resumes, none of the Republican candidates for the 2024 presidential election have been able to effectively challenge Trump or capture attention due to his dominance in media and messaging.
Trump's unique ability to manipulate media channels, dominate conversations, and his unwavering popularity among his strong base of supporters make it challenging for any other candidate to surpass him.
Deep dives
Weakness of Republican Primary Field
The Republican primary field for the 2024 presidential election lacks a standout candidate who can offer a compelling alternative to Donald Trump. Despite having accomplished politicians with impressive resumes, none of them have been able to effectively challenge Trump or capture attention. The challenge lies in going up against Trump's dominance in media and messaging, making it difficult for any other candidate to shine.
The Strength of Donald Trump
Donald Trump remains a formidable force in the Republican Party, with a unique ability to manipulate media channels and dominate conversations even without the same platform he had before. His strong base of supporters view him as their avatar, someone who speaks on their behalf and understands their feeling of being left behind by politics. Trump's unrivaled ability to communicate his message and his unwavering popularity make it challenging for any other candidate to surpass him.
Democrats' Pragmatism vs Republicans' Idealism
While the Democratic Party tends to rally around pragmatic candidates who can offer practical solutions and unity, the Republican Party often seeks charismatic leaders who align with their values and ideals. This fundamental difference in mindset has allowed Democrats to coalesce around Joe Biden as the most electable candidate, even if he didn't generate much initial excitement. In contrast, Republicans are more inclined to seek candidates they can fall in love with, making it harder for a pragmatic candidate to gain widespread support.
As the first presidential debate of the cycle prepares to usher in the next phase of the 2024 campaign, the challengers to former President Trump's re-election bid have mostly still opted to not take him on, as the four-time indicted front-runner rocks the system with threats to his prosecutors. Lanhee Chen, fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, joins Chuck to analyze why Trump's supporters can't quit him.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode