Not far away from my home, there is a Trump Building. It’s probably, oh, 40 floors, with luxury windows and luxury doors and a luxury gym.
It’s roughly 40 percent empty.
Not that Donald Trump probably cares. The building wasn’t actually constructed by him. He merely lent his name to the project, meaning there was little risk and high reward.
The thing is, little risk and high reward doesn’t extend to politics. Especially if one runs for the presidency of the United States. To take on such an endeavor, one must expect every business dealing … every connection … every tie-in to be analyzed, then analyzed again, then analyzed again. In other words, there’s no such thing as merely lending your name. If a business fails, it’s all you.
I bring this up because, in 1985, one of Trump’s businesses failed—miserably. At the time he was the owner of the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League. Trump was loathed by his fellow owners, because they viewed him first and foremost as a whore opportunist, desperate to attain money and fame while trampling over anyone dumb enough to stand in his way. Their main concern, in the realm of football, was Trump’s not-so-secret desire to have the USFL fold into the NFL, and the Generals became a third New York/New Jersey-based franchise for the big league. Hence, Trump led the USFL’s move to fall, as well as the league’s antitrust lawsuit against the NFL.
The result: The USFL vanished.
The culprit: Donald Trump.
I bring this up because I’m starting to think Trump might actually run for president. I’m not sure why, and I’m not sure how. But the GOP field looks awfully weak, and he’s gained some genuine—if not pathetic—traction with three-toothed Tea Partiers by demanding to see Barack Obama’s birth certificate. Maybe, just maybe, Trump’s ego is pushing the man where he really shouldn’t go. I’m not sure.
What I am sure of is this: Mitt Romney has a shot. Tim Pawlenty has a shot. Newt Gingrich might have a shot. Donald Trump has no shot. None. Why? Because he’s an empty suit; an arrogant, dismissive huckster with a shit TV show and a ton of scandal behind his name. One doesn’t spend 30 years in the real estate business by playing it clean. One can only imagine what’s behind Door No. 1.
What I dig most about Trump’s efforts is how the Tea Partiers are lining up behind him. Has there any been a less-Tea Party-like candidate than Trump? He’s not organic, he’s not patriotic, he’s a former Democrat and he’s greedy. Personally, I’d rather see President Palin than President Trump, and that’s—wait. I take that back.
I’ll take President Trump.
But only while vomiting.
PS: One thing I’ve been itching to say: Back when GWB was prez, anyone who questioned him during a time of war was sinful. Yet it’s OK for Trump, Hannity, Palin etc to continuously question aloud whether our president is lying about his origin? Without the slightest bit of reason or proof? Disgusting.
