In 2016, we all though Donald Trump was a self-sabotaging idiot because he kept going off on rampages against individuals he found offensive. We thought Trump was "stepping on his own message" as a political candidate when he attacked John McCain or Alicia Machado or Judge Gonzalo Curiel.

Trump is president now. Beefs, especially when they're racist or sexist, apparently aren't counterproductive if you're running for office in America in the 21st century. They're seen as entertaining. They suggest that the angry candidate is a brawler (and thus would be a brawler on behalf of the voter if elected).

Donald Trump learned a lot about the art of the beef when he was hanging out in the world of pro wrestling. Kid Rock, who seems to be gearing up for a Senate run in Michigan, appears to have learned a lot about this from Trump. Kid Rock also knows the world of hip-hop, where beefs are common. He's putting that knowledge to work:

Kid Rock, Detroit native and potential future Michigan elected official, is furious at the idea of civil-rights groups protesting his concerts tied to the the opening of the city’s new Little Caesars Arena. Per the Detroit Free Press, several groups have criticized the choice to have Kid Rock, a white performer, open the arena in a predominantly black city, especially since Rock has been an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, has displayed the Confederate flag in performances, and has criticized Colin Kaepernick’s decision not to stand during the National Anthem in protest of racism in America. The National Action Network’s Detroit chapter has called for the city to cancel the concerts and planned protests against them.

So the Kid posted a rant on his website yesterday under the headline "GARBAGE THE EXTREME LEFT IS TRYING TO CREATE!" In the post, he attacks charities he's supported for not backing him up in the face of the criticism. He attacks the National Action Network and one of its local representatives, an ex-con named Sam Riddle. And he continues to attack NFL players who protest the national anthem -- a completely gratuitous line of attack that seems to have nothing to do with either his life or running for Senate, but has everything to do with white conservative identity politics in 2017.

I am ... very disappointed that none of the people, businesses or charities I have so diligently supported in Detroit have had anything to say about all these unfounded attacks from these handful of jackasses and The Detroit Free Press. So for the unforeseen future I will focus my philanthropy efforts on other organizations besides the ones I have supported in the past. I would however employ that NAN go ahead and make up these losses since they claim to be so good for Detroit and do not want me opening the arena and generating tons of jobs and tax dollars for the city and people I LOVE... IDIOTS! ..... (Has Al Sharpton even paid his back taxes yet?)

P.S. Sam Riddle is a piece of shit criminal and prime example of a lot that is and has been wrong with Detroit. Sam, you suck and you know it! (If anyone does not know who he is, please Google him!)

P.P.S. To be clear - Fuck ANYONE who takes a knee or sits during our national anthem! Pretty sure if Russell Wilson or Tom Brady were doing it they would have no problem finding a job playing for any team they wanted in the NFL! So cut the bullshit!

The more he does this, the more I think he's going to win this race. I know that, nationally, the Donald Trump act is wearing thin. But white voters fell for it in 2016, white Republicans still enjoy it, and the disillusioned seem to be a small percentage of Trump voters who are surprised that the trash-talking ignoramus was just a mouthy fraud who didn't have any intention of fighting for voters as passionately as he fights his personal beefs, never mind the fact that he never displayed any sign that he'd know what to do if given power.

Do you really think Michigan voters won't fall for this twice? In a pollpublished by the Detroit News in July, Kid Rock had a double-digit lead over all his likely primary opponents, and trailed incumbent Democrat Debbie Stabenow by only 8 points. In that poll, Trump was at parity in Michigan -- 49% approval, 50% disapproval. That's not awful. (I should note that Gallup's polling in Michigan for the first six months of the year had Trump at 42%-52% in Michigan.)

I think a lot of voters are going to find his NSFW video compelling as well (see video above).

In a profanity-laden speech, Kid Rock crammed in as many as alt-right talking points in five minutes as he could, interspersed with guitar riffs and drum banging. I'm still not sure if this was a campaign speech or a rock concert with political commentary:

What’s going on in the world today?
It seems the government wants to give everyone health insurance
But wants us all to pay.

And to be very frank, I really don’t have a problem with that.
See, cuz’ G-d has blessed me and made my pockets fat.

But a redistribution of wealth seems more like their plan
And I don’t believe that you should have to save, sacrifice, do things by the book, and then have to take care of some deadbeat milking-the-system, lazy-ass motherf#$&%’in man.

Now, the issue of struggling single parents is an issue close to my hard.
But read my lips: we should not reward all these women who can’t even take care of themselves but keep having kid after mother-%$#@% kid.

Of course we should help them out. I don’t want to sit here and sound like a jerk. Let’s help them out with child care, job training, and put their G-d@#%@ asses to work....

Compared to an average politician, Kid Rock is exciting. He has stage presence. If you're not offended, he comes off as funny. If you don't understand politics very well, he comes as, well, maybe not smart, but clever. And he's running as an unabashed race-baiter who pretends not to be a racist at all. He really might win.

Originally published at No More Mister Nice Blog