This is not nation leading, it is simply crowd drawing tactics. He has painted himself into a corner. His outrageous, media feeding comments have energized a bunch of grassroots bullies. If he now backs away from these isolationist, immigrant bashing shouting positions, the bullies will feel double crossed (by someone they though was the last honest man), will be even more energized, and continue without him. Win or lose, this will only get uglier.