When the Joker’s Jokes Don’t Land

“Trump lost the debate because of his performance, or lack thereof,” Republican consultant Dennis Lennox argues. He adds, “That’s what happens when you wing it.”

Yet, Trump’s ability to wing it, to give the impression of making things up as he goes along, has long served him well. It has again and again helped to persuade his followers that he was trustworthy and authoritative. How? By conveying that, unlike other pols, he wasn’t reading his handlers’ script. He wasn’t basing his thoughts on a white paper written by some empty-suit, east-coast elite. No, what he offered came straight from the gut, so trust him….