Sports fans recognize that in almost every successful, championship winning season, it's almost impossible to forecast on Opening Day who will stand out and make the biggest contribution to the team when the rubber hits the road and it matters the most.
All along, Trump and Musk had enjoyed a kind of symbiotic relationship that's benefited them both. Musk's businesses now receive the advantage of being associated with the MAGA movement, and Trump's MAGA earns Musk's star power and credibility for votes for his campaign.
Sure, Musk takes a minimal business risk for being so public, which he first did after the initial assassination try on Trump's life, but even people who hold his politics against him will still buy Musk's innovative products. It's a win-win situation. And Elon earns a bonus because he will guarantee America's sacred principle of free speech.
At the same time, having Musk – possibly – placed in charge of governmental efficiency assures that the perpetual problem of waste, fraud and abuse will receive long needed attention by someone outside the government who has a vested interest in trying to rein in the beast. Many, many, conservative politicians have complained about the size of government, that it spends too much, is uncontrollable, unaccountable and irresponsible, but Musk gives the movement much desired "street cred". When Musk talks, people listen.
Musk may not realize it, but he was Tea Party before there was such a thing as the Tea Party.
How popular is Musk? Well, statistics from Donald Trump's appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast last week have come out, with the 2024 Republican candidate drawing nearly 35 million views thus far on YouTube, which is certainly impressive. But when Musk came to the show at Rogan's invitation, he drew nearly 70 million views, achieving Rogan's number one of all time.
Told you Musk was the MVP.
When this is all over – if it (meaning the campaign) actually concludes – Donald Trump will have a lot of people to thank. Some people helped out because they wanted something from him. Others chipped in their money because they simply hoped his MAGA agenda would make America a better place, and having a government with credibility is vital to them.
With an assist to supporters like Musk, Trump may very well get the chance to Make America Great Again. Who would've ever thought?
Honorable mention for MVP goes to Tucker Carlson, who summed up Trump's candidacy about as well as anyone has this year on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. "Liberation is the freedom to say what is obviously true as a free man and not a slave. Thank you, Donald Trump for that."
