Donald John Trump
Is Donald Trump more of an evil genius or a celebrity buffoon? I think he plays ignorant on TV so people underestimate him. He’s a hustler, clever and ruthless.
What does he want? To be rich, popular, and powerful. He does not care about Americans beyond their adoring status or as chips in political power games or as wallets to be pilfered. He's corrupt. He doesn't care about the Constitution. He promotes political violence.
And yet, his fans love him! I think people who watched him on The Apprentice in the early 2000s still see him as a larger-than-life figure, a successful man who can do no wrong.
Brief Bio
Son of Queens: Donald Trump breaks into the Manhattan real estate development scene and makes a name for himself in the tabloid press. He publishes The Art of the Deal.
Hollywood Access: Trump stars as himself on The Apprentice on NBC. He plays a business tycoon executive, replete with his own catchphrase -- "you're fired!"
The Donald vs Goliath(s): Trump runs a scrappy, populist campaign for president. He topples the Bush dynasty (Low Energy Jeb! among 15 other GOP candidates) and then the Clinton dynasty (Crooked Hillary and the entire liberal ruling/cultural class).
He faced the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III. He was impeached twice. He faces multitudinous criminal indictments.
Can he pull it off and return to the White House? Or will he do time in the big house?
Misc. Thoughts
The way I see it, Donald Trump's instincts are killer/genius, and his judgment is terrible.Why does he shoot himself in the foot? Why does he associate with clowns like Rudy Giuliani while driving away people like James Mattis? Why did he invite the Taliban to Camp David on 9/11?
Trump will not diss himself but he is willing to be a salesman - always, it seems - and that can be pretty subjecting/subjugating. He is shameless.
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Donald Trump’s 2024 project is totally separate and different from his past campaigns.
Donald Trump’s 2024 project is totally separate and different from his past campaigns.
I’d argue 2020 failed to capture the winning energy of his first race, but regardless there was continuity among his first two campaigns by nature of his being an incumbent president seeking reelection to a second consecutive term. He went from “Make America Great Again” to “Keep America Great,” a logical if unsuccessful evolution.
In 2015 and 2016, he was a firebrand outsider running an insurgent campaign that shirked the rules and norms of presidential politics. He toppled two political dynasties through his combination of celebrity, shock-jock method of earning news coverage, and deft social media posting.
The allegations of sexual abuse and such are bad, full stop, but they are not new to the White House. The racism is repugnant, both casual and sometimes directed toward President Obama personally. But really, it too is nothing new.
In 2020, he was a twice impeached incumbent running amid the coronavirus pandemic and BLM protests. It’s hard for a sitting president to run on a vibe of “us against the world.” It’s no wonder he lost.
- The fraudulent claims of a stolen election
Now, he is running for his own freedom. He is under many indictments. As a challenger, he is no longer the incumbent. As a former president, he is no longer an outsider. He’s running against the backdrop of January 6, 2021, and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, for which he is under indictment.
- Loyalty to Trump is prized above all else
- From “I am your voice” to “I am your vengeance”
- The ominous language