Keller @ Large: How Donald Trump Did It
BOSTON (CBS) - Republicans, you got what you wanted - or, at least, what a plurality of you wanted. And with his official nomination for president Tuesday night, Donald Trump now has a chance to become the first president without a military background or previous experience in public office.
But before we plunge into the final 16 weeks of this campaign, let's take a moment to reflect on how Trump got to this point.
There is no question that Trump understood, better than any of his competitors, the depth and the ferocity of voters anger and alienation.
For years, people have been begging their elected officials to do something about illegal immigration and the very real problems it was causing. They were largely dismissed as a bunch of nativists and racists.
For years, workers were told that free trade was the only viable response to economic globalization, and while it worked for some, the political establishment simply didn't deal effectively with the needs of the have-nots.
Trump's style and background were the perfect conduit for this angry energy. His blunt talk and political incorrectness matched voter frustration; his promises of better deals and getting tough were just what they wanted to hear.
And history may show that Trump's true genius was in his understanding of how to manipulate the media, old and new, to promote his brand, crush his adversaries, and bypass the establishment.
So whatever you think of Trump, take a moment to credit what he has achieved. The result in November may validate his tactics, or discredit them. But I have a feeling presidential politics will never be the same.