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How The Apprentice Created a Fan Club for Donald Playing The President

"Looking back, this shouldn’t surprise us. The Apprentice convinced millions that Trump was a savvy and successful businessman, rather than a guy who took a giant inheritance and ran one venture after another into legal problems and bankruptcy. Why wouldn’t the people who were duped by the reality television show be duped by the phony presidency?  And why wouldn’t fans of the first show remain fans of the second?"

"This [reality tv] is basically how I view not only Trump’s presidency but also his behavior. His supporters are addicted to the thrill they get when he breaks the rules of decorum. But Trump can’t stick with the same old material and deliver the same effect. He constantly has to up the ante. That’s how “Mexico will pay for the wall” becomes “lock her up” becomes “the concept of chokehold sounds so innocent, so perfect.”"
Martin Longman , Washington Monthly, 9/14/2020

— https://washingtonmonthly.com/2020/09/14…