I have just committed — more or less — to doing something I hope I am able to withstand physically, let alone emotionally.
Donald J. Trump is coming to Dallas in a couple of weeks. He is going to stage a “MAGA Rally” at the American Airlines CenterĀ in downtown Dallas. I presume the place will be full.
I just obtained a ticket from the Trump campaign’s official website. Ticket is sitting on my desk at home. I am looking at it as I type this brief message.
A part of me wants to go. In fact, most of me wants to see this spectacle for myself, to get a ringside seat for this stream-of-consciousness litany of insult and innuendo that is sure to pour fourth from the president’s pie hole.
A much smaller part of me wonders: Are you out of your fu***** mind?
Actually, no. I am of sound mind. My belief is that in order to understand a little better this individual’s appeal to a substantial — but shrinking — part of the American electorate I need to see one of these events up close.
I once took a friendly wager from the late mayor of Beaumont, Texas, Maury Meyers, to watch Rush Limbaugh on TV and listen to his radio broadcast over a span of time before making any snap judgement on his message. I accepted Meyers’ challenge.
Then I determined after about two weeks watching Limbaugh that the blowhard was worse than I thought. I wrote a column about my experience watching the right-wing gas bag and determined that Limbaugh was the Willard Scott of political commentary.
Except that Willard Scott, formerly the “Today” show weatherman, “makes me laugh” while Limbaugh “makes me sick.”
I fear I am going to get physically ill standing among the thousands of Trump supporters, cheering his mindlessness, whoopin’ and hollerin’ when he tosses out lie after lie.
At this moment, though, I am committed to attending this MAGA rally. Perhaps if I see, hear and feel the emotion boiling up inside the arena, I’ll be better prepared to say what I know already.
Donald Trump is unfit for the presidency of the United States.