Excerpt from ELECTING TRUMP by Newt Gingrich
The media and the political establishment didn’t take Donald Trump seriously when he announced his campaign the following June. They didn’t take him seriously when he sped to the top of the polls. They didn’t take him seriously when almost every indicator on social media showed he won the first debate. And as their shock on election night proved, many didn’t take him seriously right up until the moment he won the election.
What didn’t they understand?
The media and the political establishment didn’t take Donald Trump seriously when he announced his campaign the following June. They didn’t take him seriously when he sped to the top of the polls. They didn’t take him seriously when almost every indicator on social media showed he won the first debate. And as their shock on election night proved, many didn’t take him seriously right up until the moment he won the election.
What didn’t they understand?
The signs of the American people’s discontent were there from the beginning.
After the American people voted for real change in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2014, things had gotten worse, not better.
Fifteen years into the 21st century, Americans had suffered through 9/11, two wars without victory, a housing bubble, a financial crisis, a Wall Street bailout, a failed stimulus, a weak recovery, a health care law passed over the strong objections of the public, its disastrous implementation, a lawless administration, and a media elite that was increasingly disdainful of ordinary Americans.
By mid-2015, it had been more than a year since the corruption at the Veterans Administration had come to light. The problems weren’t fixed and no one had been held accountable. The border was not under control (in fact the administration had illegally suspended immigration enforcement), the U.S. had reached a dangerous nuclear deal with Iran, Baltimore was burning, the left was pushing transgender “bathroom bills” in many states and cities, the EPA caused millions of gallons of toxic chemicals to be spilled into the Colorado River, and the stories of Hillary Clinton’s appalling corruption were coming to light.
Americans were disgusted with all of this. In September of 2015, 75 percent of Americans told Gallup they believed corruption was “widespread” in government.
The stage was set for an outsider who would bring real change to reverse the years of failure and decline.
And Donald Trump arrived on the scene, promising to “Make America Great Again” and seeming big and brash enough to actually do it.
After the American people voted for real change in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2014, things had gotten worse, not better.
Fifteen years into the 21st century, Americans had suffered through 9/11, two wars without victory, a housing bubble, a financial crisis, a Wall Street bailout, a failed stimulus, a weak recovery, a health care law passed over the strong objections of the public, its disastrous implementation, a lawless administration, and a media elite that was increasingly disdainful of ordinary Americans.
By mid-2015, it had been more than a year since the corruption at the Veterans Administration had come to light. The problems weren’t fixed and no one had been held accountable. The border was not under control (in fact the administration had illegally suspended immigration enforcement), the U.S. had reached a dangerous nuclear deal with Iran, Baltimore was burning, the left was pushing transgender “bathroom bills” in many states and cities, the EPA caused millions of gallons of toxic chemicals to be spilled into the Colorado River, and the stories of Hillary Clinton’s appalling corruption were coming to light.
Americans were disgusted with all of this. In September of 2015, 75 percent of Americans told Gallup they believed corruption was “widespread” in government.
The stage was set for an outsider who would bring real change to reverse the years of failure and decline.
And Donald Trump arrived on the scene, promising to “Make America Great Again” and seeming big and brash enough to actually do it.
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