The Economist takes a 'dispassionate' look at 'Donald Trump's terrible appeal'

The Economist tries to explain Donald Trump&#039;s &quot;terrible appeal&quot;

(Image credit: The Economist/YouTube)

last updated 16 February 2016

It's probably fair to say that Donald Trump is not very popular in Europe right now, especially Britain, where Parliament vigorously debated barring him from the country. Perhaps that's why The Economist attempted to explain "Donald Trump's terrible appeal" in the video below. Trump looked like a loser after coming in second in the Iowa caucuses, but after winning the New Hampshire Republican primary by a wide margin, the unidentified British narrator says, "suddenly, this braggart tycoon actually had something to boast about."

That sets the tone for the rest of the video, which is filled with interviews in which New Hampshire voters profess their love and intention to vote for Trump. What's going on? "To many dispassionate observers, Mr. Trump is an egotistical blowhard with awful ideas for America," The Economist notes, dispassionately. The magazine did find one man at a Trump rally who, after watching him speak, changed from a big supporter to a critic who called Trump a "joke" who will never be president. The first part is right, The Economist said. "As a candidate for president, Mr. Trump is a bad joke. His thuggery and his willful ignorance defy parody. And yet Mr. Trump, on the back of his performance in New Hampshire, now has a strong chance of winning the Republican nomination." Watch The Economist's analysis — which includes finding "a feeling of reckless euphoria among some of Mr. Trump's supporters" — below. 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.