Can Donald Trump win? John Oliver vs. Anderson Cooper
Donald Trump still holds a sizable lead over his Republican presidential rivals, even after (or perhaps because) he has said inflammatory things about Mexican immigrants, Sen. John McCain, Fox News star Megyn Kelly, and other people and topics. Can he sustain his lead for 15 months, until the election, or even five months, until the first primary? Or will he flame out like Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, and other brief stars of the 2012 GOP primary?
"I think Donald Trump defies the laws of political gravity," CNN's Anderson Cooper told Seth Meyers on Tuesday's Late Night. Bachmann, for example, rose quickly and faded quickly, but "Donald Trump has the money to back up, you know, whatever he wants to do, and he's tapped into something very powerful. You know, your job is to make fun of him, but that's not my job. My job is — I take all candidates seriously."
For journalists, at least, Trump's appeal is his spontaneity and his accessibility, Cooper said. "I like talking to Donald Trump — I like interviewing him." He has no entourage, no time limits, no handlers, "and he attacks you in the process, which is always entertaining." Here's what Cooper has to say about Trump, and also Sen. Bernie Sanders vs. Hillary Clinton on the Democratic side:
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John Oliver took more of a "this too shall pass" stand on Trump on Sunday's Last Week Tonight. The whole Trump/Kelly debacle "was meaningless," as will be every other Trump controversy, Oliver said. "The 2016 election will not depend on this because it's 457 days away. There will be actual babies born on election day in 2016 whose parents haven't even met yet." You can watch Oliver's clip below, but be warned: It has one fleeting expletive (f-bomb) and some mildly disturbing verbal imagery of Trump. Peter Weber
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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