Appealing and persuasive aren't the same things; Trump is "appealing" to a certain demographic and mindset of the U.S population and that's how he bulldozed the

Appealing and persuasive aren't the same things; Trump is "appealing" to a certain demographic and mindset of the U.S population and that's how he bulldozed the GOP - he was charismatic to the right group of people at the right time. The GOP really did it to themselves... they moved so far right over the last 30 years that this happening was inevitable. I remember saying back in 2008 that if the GOP keeps this up (anyone remember Palin or Huckabee?), they're going to have have some batshit crazy candidate running for president. And here we are. He's not convincing anyone who believed something different; he's just pandering to an already primed base (a base which has been moving further right ever since Reagan beat Carter). I think opportunist would be a better word here.