The answer is "no" but not for the reasons given. It showed that he is serious about this race. "The Donald" has also hit a nerve (actually several of them). The most important is with the American People. He is saying what middle America has been saying for years. He is is unfiltered and not the bland milktoast preformulaed politican f either party. He is direct. He is an outsider and rich enough not to be beholden to the corporate interests which own Washington and the politicians in it.

Secondly, the establishment wants him out. He's not part of their game plan. He's supposed to be the comic relief and it looks like the establishment of both parties are the ones playing the fool. This race was basicly prearranged and we were to go through the usual song and dance about who if the millionaires are really the most humble and poor and closest to the "common man". Lies of course, but that's the game, along with which one of the career politicans is really the secret "outsider" and will change Washington if only he (or she) could be elected.

Third, the media hates him. He's not part of the script in creating the illusion of the best qualified candidate from their prepackaged offerings. The more the corporate media belittles hims, the more the average voters love him. The corporate overlords hate him since he's messing up their abiliy to gerry rig the elections and it's tough to buy someone who has money and doesn't own favors. All of this simply endears him to ordinary Americans.

I agree with you. The public likes Trump because he speaks his mind and isn't beholden to the money boys because of his own wealth. No matter what his stripes or his rhetoric, he's still a formidable opponent.