After Donald Trump's cringeworthy appearance as the host of Saturday Night Live this past weekend, all eyes are on the 2016 Republican presidential hopeful to prove his campaign is more than a joke. Recent polls indicate retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson has caught up to Trump as the 2016 GOP frontrunner, so now more than ever, Trump needs to show that he's got what it takes to be the next U.S. president. Up until this point, many people have treated Trump's presidential campaign as entertainment and refused to take him seriously, which is the reason Tuesday's debate could make or break Donald Trump.
While it's clear at this point that we should be taking Trump's campaign seriously, this election season so far has seen headlines including "Donald Trump's Campaign Is for Real" (The Guardian) and "Donald Trump Is Actually Trying to Win" (The Washington Post). And it doesn't exactly help that the debate comes just days after the business mogul's SNL hosting gig, as the episode emphasized many of the ridiculous aspects of Trump's presidential campaign. The show featured sketches about Trump's love of Twitter and made plenty of offhanded jokes about Trump's alleged racism, which doesn't put him in the most positive light as a presidential candidate. If he wants to cement himself as a serious contender, Trump has a lot to prove at Fox Business Network's Republican primary debate.
Among the 2016 presidential hopefuls, Trump certainly has a unique background, which could either help or hurt him this election season. Unlike the majority of contenders from both parties, Trump doesn't have experience in politics. That gives him a different perspective, sure, but there's also a greater burden on him to prove that he's capable of handling the most important political office in the country. The other reason Trump has so much to gain or lose at Tuesday's debate is the fact that his background has been in business. Trump can use his background as an advantage when it comes to the economy, since he has real-world business experience dealing with the effects of U.S. economic policies, both good and bad.
Trump's been in the 2016 race for too long at this point for his candidacy to be considered a fad or a joke. But Saturday's SNL episode didn't do much to change that impression in the eyes of voters. It's up to him to explain and defend his economic policy goals during Tuesday's GOP debate so he can prove that his presidential campaign is more than just a punch line.
