Jack August: Historical perspectives on the Donald Trump phenomenon

The Think Tank’s favorite historian, Jack August, has pointed out: “History does NOT repeat itself, but sometimes it rhymes.”

Jack returns to the show with a very specific mandate to dissect the Donald Trump phenomenon and provide context for any historical parallels.

Trump was clearly an insurgent candidate, an outsider who took on a large Republican field of candidates and won — decisively. Has a true outsider/insurgent ever won a major party nomination before? If so, what resulted?

Major political figures, including two former Republican presidents, have withheld their endorsement, as have a growing list of Republican influentials. Is there a precedent for this?

Does the division in the Republican Party signal an eventual split or dissolution of the party? What were the conditions the last time a major American political party dissolved? Does the present situation feel like this?

We take on all of this and more in a conversation with the always intelligent and thoughtful August.

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