"All the world's a stage, and all men and women merely players." - William Shakespeare
Politics involves the art of performance.
Politicians stage rallies that rival Broadway plays with stories about how they're going to make everyone's life better if they vote for them.
None of this was lost on Trump when he went down the elevator in Trump Tower to announce his candidacy for president in 2016.
There was a small, but enthusiastic group of people who greeted him after he descended. It seemed spontaneous at first, but later the truth came out.
Trump's campaign paid the people $50 each to cheer and hold up signs so the media could see how popular he was.
That was the first time Trump's Campaign used the tactic and as time went by his rally/productions were salted with paid fans sitting (or standing behind him) supposedly representing minority groups and organizations.
The whole idea of creating an illusion became the hallmark of Trump's 2016 winning campaign, and when he lost in 2020 reality sent him into a cognitive tailspin.
His campaign for re-election in 2024 has invested in every corrupt tactic possible to re-capture the Oval Office. Including such productions as train derailments where he flew in for a photo op in East Palestine, Ohio and paid a group of locals to stand around and cheer his ridiculous rant about trains.
In a knee jerk reaction to Joe Biden joining the picket line this past September for the United Auto Workers (UAW), the Trump campaign scurried around like rats to counter the move.
The Trump campaign paid Drake Enterprises, a non-union auto parts shop in Clinton Township, $20,000 to stage a fake event with people holding up "Union Members for Trump" signs behind him to make it look like he was holding a rally with union workers on strike.
For the record, the media confirmed there were no UAW members in attendance.
------------------------------------------
"A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. - Edward R. Murrow
------------------------------------------
Trump's TV performances on The Apprentice for five years built him a fanbase that morphed into MAGA, and they have never left him regardless of the crimes he's committed since.
In spite of his loyal base Trump needs more votes which means he has to keep up the illusion of being there for all Americans. That leads to casting paid actors for his rallies which haven't shown any resemblance to the size they were in the 2020 election.
This presidential election Trump is holding rallies in high schools and small auditoriums that he's not even filling every time. It seems his act is growing old.
With all the court cases against Trump his calendar is full until election day and beyond. It's getting harder to stage his shows because he's pouring millions into lawyers to defend himself in four criminal trials.
As usual, Trump will continue to grift his supporters and entertain them with misinformation and lies as long as he can get away with it.
As it stands, "Any politician who can be elected by turning Americans against each other is too dangerous to be elected." - Thomas Sowell
