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)