Of today's two subjects, one I'm looking forward to and the other I'm dismayed by. The latter is the phenomenon that is Donald Trump. Apparently, many find him “unconventional” and “refreshing,” and are so devoted if he doesn't drool, he's presidential. Others find him a boor. Who can forget, when labeled having “small hands,” he reassured America about his penis size. (Reassured or repulsed?)
Trump has been labeled as having “narcissistic personality disorder.” It's supported by so many examples, including Trump's bragging, “I alone can fix these problems,” and “I know more about ISIS than the generals.” Really? You didn't even know what the “nuclear triad” was or that Russia already invaded Ukraine.
A stunning example of his insatiable ego came only hours after 9/11. Being interviewed, Trump managed to make a national tragedy all about himself. He actually boasted that his building at 40 Wall St., was “now the tallest in lower Manhattan.” Shameless.
Trump constantly reminds us how rich, tough and loved he is. Yet, he won't release his tax returns so we don't know how rich he actually is. Tough? He's so thin-skinned, a tweet sends him ballistic. (Check the Facebook group “Trumpelthinskin.”) As for being loved, you couldn't tell by the Republican National Convention. The RNC was so underwhelming that Trump actually said he had nothing to do with it. “I just showed up,” he said lamely.
At that RNC, there was his family, including Melania with her plagiarized speech and Trump's usual lapdogs, Chris Christie and Rudy Giuliani. Others included Scott Baio, an unknown underwear model and an equally unknown black minister who falsified his resume. What a group!
The list of the “Never Trump” Republicans is historic. The latest appears to be retired General and former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Tuesday he confirmed emails of his describing Trump as “a national disgrace,” “an international pariah” and that Trump's birther investigation was “racist.”
The Trump trait that's potentially most dangerous is his need to be loved. Take his one-sided “bromance” with Vladimir Putin. It first surfaced in December 2015, when Trump called in live to the Morning Joe show on MSNBC. He was as downright giddy because Vladimir Putin had called him “a genius.” (Or so Trump needed to believe.)
Ecstatic, Trump rambled on until host Joe Scarborough interrupted, “Donald, do you know Putin jails his opponents and has killed journalists?” Like a child who's had his Pokemon taken away, Trump sulked, “Yeah, well we kill plenty of people, too.” Huh?
Actually, Putin's “compliment” might have only been in Trump's mind. The Guardian newspaper explained, “The word (Putin) used was ‘yarkii’ can also be translated as colorful or flamboyant.” It can even mean “shiny” as in Trump's hair. But definitely not “genius.”
John McCain calls Trump, “A thug and butcher.” And yet, Trump insists, “When Putin says nice things about me, I'm going to say nice things about him.” Days ago, Trump went on Russian controlled TV defending Putin and criticizing American foreign policy. (What would Ronald Reagan say?)
The obvious truth is Trump has a disturbing fondness for dictators given his praise for Kim Jong Un, Saddam Hussein and Moammar Gadhafi. (“I made a lot of money” from Gadhafi.) He's still defending his quote of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, “Mussolini was Mussolini ... it's still a very good quote.”
Reportedly, people in Putin's inner circle say he considers Trump a buffoon, easily manipulated by flattery. (So true!) Allegedly, Putin has described Trump as without knowledge about the world outside his golf courses. Ouch! One thing's for sure. Trump’s willingness to recognize annexation of Crimea, to lift sanctions, and to withdraw promises of support for NATO allies in the Baltic has to be the Russian dictator’s dream. (Reagan would say “nightmare.”)
With Trump leading in some polls, I'm more than dismayed. I'm bewildered. So I'm shifting to the subject of tomorrow, a big day for my young friend, Aleah Hurwitz. She's 13, but I first met Aleah only hours after she was born. Well, on Saturday Aleah is having her bat mitzvah to the delight of her younger sister Adi and her parents, my close friends Andy and Arlene, longtime Santa Monica residents.
Aleah is bright, beautiful, talented and very caring. I can only say about tomorrow: Mazel tov, Aleah! (And that I regret you had to share this space with Trump.)
Jack is at facebook.com/jackneworth, twitter.com/jackneworth and jnsmdp@aol.com. Google "Keith Olberman 176 reasons NOT to vote for Trump."
