Nothing says
"Rest assured
that I will be prepared
to deal swiftly yet thoughtfully
with any and all eventualities
during my presidency"
like negotiating directly
with television executives
about the format and content
of the Republican primary debates.
Donald Trump says
that he will reject
a joint letter
to the networks
drafted just hours before
by operatives
from his and 11 other campaigns
and led by longtime GOP attorney
Ben Ginsberg.
Some of those mutual agreements
include opening statements
of at least 30 seconds
the pre-approval of graphics
containing bibliographic information
and the elimination
of lightning-round-style questions
which candidates believe
could lead to embarrassing "gotcha" moments
(not that Trump
ever says anything embarrassing).
The letter also includes a request
that the moderators
will focus on substantive issues
rather than pitting candidates
against one another
(not that Trump
ever goes off-message
and lets slip
a petty and demeaning word
to a fellow Republican).
Yet regardless
of the structure and style
and whether or not
he skews the debate
for or against his favor
this is Trump's reality
and his reality show
and it is only everyone else
who notices
that "Make America Great Again"
in a certain light
implies that Trump
doesn't think much
of the 320 million people
who currently "make America great"
and are not
currently running
as Donald Trump for President.
This poem © 2015 Emily Cooper.
