Mr. Boombastic

There is a wonderfully creative television ad that’s running these days for Chase Bank. It’s that miniature pet pig prancing along the sidewalk to the music track of DiRealShaggy’s 1995 tune, “Boombastic.” The spot works on several levels. If you’ve seen it even once, you can immediately conjure in your head the heavily syncopated music, as well:

“She call me Mister Boombastic

say me fantastic …”

The pig on a leash sort of bounces along, proud of being a spectacle. Bystanders are bemused, enchanted,

“She says I’m Mister Ro-mantic,

say me fantastic …”

The advertisement is one of four created by the agency Droga5 in New York for J.P. Morgan Chase Bank. Whoever it was on their team that dreamed up the pig and the music is a genius and the spot is a home run. Pigs don’t usually roll that way while boasting a ladykiller line, but this one does.

“Smooooth…”

Which brings us to Donald Trump, who passed an important milestone on Labor Day Weekend that no one noticed, certainly not the media.

Mr. Trump visited the Great Faith Ministries International Church in Detroit and received a surprisingly warm welcome, at least from the pastor. He was gracious, humble, and subdued. He made the expected speech, touching points of importance but with no great eloquence. Yet, at least, the ice was broken by a candidate strikingly different from the prancing prig we’ve come to know and abhor. Which is to say that America is accustomed to heavily filtering Mr. Boombastic to get at his message. On this day, last Saturday, his speech was measured, rational, moderate, quiet and reasonable.   If people had listened, that is, if the media had reported it, they would have heard The Donald ask and answer the essential race question of our era: “What, really, has the Democrat party and all their plans and promises done for you in the last 60 years?   What really? Isn’t it time to try something completely different? Isn’t it worth at least a ‘hold your nose and take a look?'” Paraphrasing: “Can a Republican administration do any worse than those who have kept you on the Democrat (party) plantation since the days of Camelot?”

Oh, my. A hard thing to ask. Yet the Donald did.   Somebody must because it is a legitimate question.

Then, a few nights later, Mr. Trump acquitted himself admirably while trading military secrets with Matt Lauer. He was rational, informed, thoughtful and precise. He used his church voice — no shouting, no invectives, just the reasons why we need more Marines. Solid. Dare one say, Presidential?

Is there a woodshed behind Trump Tower? Did someone take him there for a time out? Perhaps an attitude adjustment?   It sure seems that way.

Or maybe they just put a little lipstick on you-know-who.