December 8, 2016
Understanding Trump’s Air Force One Political Theater
Using the same skill set he employed during the presidential campaign, President-Elect Trump has crafted another public drama around a storyline of his choosing. A highly predictable story arc – a series of subplots that unfold as time passes – is in store for the public.
Trump has done this sort of thing before. And unlike any previous president, he is an incredibly successful impresario/performer in episodic reality television. A substantial fraction of the electorate follows politics at the level of reality television, and Trump knows how to reach them.
His early-morning tweet of December 6 was an attention-grabbing opening scene:
Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 6, 2016
His tweet and subsequent Trump Tower lobby comments about the Air Force One contract ignited a massive amount...(Read Full Article)