John Pointer

Political analysts spend a lot of time on what Trump says. But performers notice something else immediately: How he works a crowd. Let’s look at the stage mechanics.

But once you see the trick, it’s no longer magic. It’s structure. And structure is something you can dismantle.

It also helps explain differences between: Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Obama and Biden. Even when the ideas overlap, better performers have an edge with public perception.

Political analysts spend a lot of time on what Trump says. But performers notice something else immediately: How he works a crowd. Let’s look at the stage mechanics.