Five Things That Trump Fanatics and Obama Fanatics Have in Common

1. They are members of a cult of personality

Back in 2008 when Barack Obama was first running for president, he mesmerized audiences with skillful oratory and delivered effusive words of hope and change. He could bring crowds to tears. If you go back and read the text of his speeches, they are completely lacking the oomph that Obama was able to deliver with his impassioned speaking style. It didn’t seem to matter that his speeches were a collection of artfully woven platitudes. He could read the weather report and make people swoon. He was a rock star.

And so is Donald Trump. During his campaign he drew crowds comparable to The Rolling Stones. Tens of thousands of people filled stadiums and gathered outside venues just to be a part of the excitement.  Many Americans were enamored of Obama’s lilting voice, but by 2016 many had since developed an appetite for straight talk, the guy who would “tell it like it is.” They weren’t interested in twenty-dollar words or a clever turn of phrase. They were left behind and angry, and eagerly welcomed a man who, despite his living among the nation’s elites, was willing to reach out his hand and offer them a place in America again.

Obama’s cult of personality was developed during his presidential candidacy, and so was Donald Trump’s. Both used precisely the same tactic to develop the fanaticism that surrounds them: telling people exactly what they want to hear. It is effective because it fools people into thinking they are one with the president, that they have his power. It’s intoxicating.