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And I'm not talking about race.
After the GOP presidential debate last Thursday, many pundits were declaring Trump dead politically. Charles Krauthammer told Fox News Trump had "imploded". It is over for him?
There's a new NBC poll came out over the weekend and Trump is still #1 in polling and has gained 1 percentage point.
Bernie Sanders, a socialist, is gaining on Hillary Clinton. Most feel he can never overtake her for the Democrat presidential nomination, but many are stunned by his growing popularity. And he thinks he can beat Hillary.
The political "Cartel" as Ted Cruz likes to call it, is shaken by these "out of the ordinary" responses from the public.
What's going on transcends politics. But many of the political leaders don't get it---or refuse to accept it.
By most thoughtful estimations, what we suggested on our live radio program last Friday morning following the GOP debate, is now generally accepted by most "experts."
Most feel Fox News moderators, particularly Megan Kelly, was out to bring down Trump---and make a name for herself.
While some are cheering her on, others are mad at her and Fox. But most agree that it was a biased attempt on her part to knock Trump out of the presidential race, regardless whether they see that as a good thing or a bad thing.
The new NBC poll, just out over the weekend, shows Trump still at #1 and having gained a point.
The exact breakdown and percentage of the first seven spots in the NBC poll are: Trump (23%), Cruz (13%), Carson (11%), Fiorina (8%), Rubio (8%), Bush (7%), and Walker (7%).
Bernie Sanders, a Vermont senator, was in Seattle Saturday afternoon. He is a socialist by all measurements. And he isn't trying to be a "pretend" moderate progressive socialist. He's articulately advocating European style socialism and the demise of capitalism.
While the event at Westlake Park was commandeered by "Black Lives Matters" activists demanding the microphone, thousands had come out to hear Bernie. Bernie never really got to speak at Westlake Park.
However, later that evening, Bernie received the reception he'd expected from the Seattle area as the progressive alternative to Hillary Clinton.
The Seattle Times is reporting, "An estimated 15,000 supporters packed Hec Edmundson Pavilion and an overflow area at the University of Washington. Sanders was received "with thunderous applause and delivered an hour long populist stem winder about his plans to wrest the country from the control of billionaires."
They say, "As the crowd stomped and cheered, Sanders pledged to fight for a full menu of progressive policies, including 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents, a federal minimum wage of $15 an hour, and an end to unequal pay for women."
Bernie didn't tell the crowd how he would accomplish his vision, but he shared that he had one, and "This is not Utopian dreaming," he said "This is the country we can create if we are prepared to stand together."
In Portland last night, Bernie's rally had become so big it was moved to the MODA Center---home of the Portland Trailblazers. Early estimates had the crowd at over 19,000 people.
There is a common thread among candidates who are leading their party or in the case of Bernie, igniting big crowds and gaining significantly in the polls.
I think the nation, as a whole, is sick of shades of gray---in politics. And in general.
For a moment, just a moment, forget what Trump, and Cruz and Carson are saying. Also forget what Bernie Sanders is saying.
Simply look at the way the public is responding. And look at how the leadership in both political parties are reacting.
The common thread is that the public has found in these people someone whom they believe is not afraid to tell like it is. Or at least the way they believe it is.
And I believe the public senses these people are not hedging their political bets, trying to appeal to everyone all the time, like Hillary, Jeb Bush and others.
These people are putting it all on the table.
Trump, Cruz and Carson are 1,2, and 3 among Republicans today.
While they have profoundly different personalities, they share the passion to stand up and tell like it is.
How different could Trump's personality be from Ben Carson's? Trump is bombastic. Ben Carson is a rather soft spoken brain surgeon, yet it was Carson who attacked Obamacare at a prayer breakfast a couple of years ago---in the presence of President Obama.
The experts said he had all but eliminated any political aspirations he may have had.
Since then, he has repeatedly said political correctness is killing America, promising never to be politically correct.
Ted Cruz has repeatedly stood up and told it like it is, including calling out his own Republican Party leadership for lying to him about a senate vote. Understandably, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is not happy with Cruz. But the public is.
America is sick of gray, they are looking for black or white, yes or no. With conviction.
With the exception of so-called gay rights and so-called "choice," aka abortion, we have had almost 7 years of maybe--maybe not, leadership in the White House. They call their style "leading from behind." When someone stands and publicly calls present leadership "disastrous," the public takes note because they agree.
When someone says publicly, "Let's make America great again," people recall the years of a president who apologized over and over and over again for all our imperfections.
Napoleon wrote, "Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in."
A crises or a problem will never navigate itself. Mistakes are made, but decisive leaders don't wait.
Decisiveness energizes people, ignites passion, and stretches them to turn vision into results.
It's been awhile since America has had that kind of a leader.
Joshua defined leadership. Godly. And Decisive.
America is being called upon to "choose" leadership in what many feel is the most important election in modern American history.
Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Prayerful. Be Blessed.