'Stupid presidents, smart presidents, white presidents, black presidents -- doesn't work! What this country needs is a crazy Third World dictator. And Donald Trump has what it takes to be that. He's already got a plane with his name on it, solid gold buildings, a harem...' – Lewis Black, on Donald Trump.
Introduction
There is nobody more interesting on the political stage either in America or throughout the world at the current time as The Donald. Time and time again he has been written off as finished, over, on the way out, both politically and in business. And yet here he is. Here he still is. Front and center and, at the time of writing, increasingly looking like winning the Republican nomination for the race to the White House in 2016.
And, if he does, there is every chance The Donald will become the 45th President of the United States and leader of the Free World. Well, not so much the leader of the Free World because America can hardly be thought of as that anymore. Never-the-Less a big job and an important one for the American people.
So should that worry us or should we look forward to such an outcome?
Well, much has been said and written about The Donald and, as is often the case, is usually written by those with a vested interest. Either by those who are vehemently opposed to him who have much to lose by his influence or by those who passionately support him and have much to gain.
In which case, what do the rest of us learn? What do us normal people know about the man who would be King?
Usually when I write I try to include as many relevant quotes about a subject either from those close to it or actually involved, as quotes from the experts can bring a written piece alive. They make the reader feel it is breathing, active, awake and has credibility. And it works too. Throw in an actual quote from an expert every few paragraphs and you have an article that is living and credible. It isn’t just what I think, it is what these other people think too. And this tells us a lot about a person or a subject.
Donald Trump has emerged, over recent years, as one of the great dividers of all time. Most of what we know about him and of his credentials as a possible President has been written or said about him by either those who love him or those who loathe him. And none of that really tells us anything.
So, I should declare my own personal interest here in the spirit of neutrality. I am English and don’t really care either way if you vote for him or not. I won’t be voting. And by the time you do America’s influence on world activity will be largely reduced by the Russians and Chinese anyway so I don’t think Trump or anybody else will matter much to me. But as a man he does interest me. He interests me enough to have spent thousands of hours either watching or reading interviews he has given, and listening to what he has had to say, over the last thirty or so years.
Reading about him it is obvious that the man himself divides opinion. Americans either love him or hate him. There appears to be little in between. Much like his ears. And once you have read what he actually has had to say for himself during his time as a public figure, you can then form your own opinion, without relying on others. This then is Donald Trump in his own words in the form of some of the interesting things he has actually said for himself. Presumably, then, it is safe to assume he really means some of it.
Make your own minds up.
Albert Jack, Bangkok, December 2015
