Monday, November 2, 2015

Make America Debate Again

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.