Jimmy the Greek had a theory about American black athletic superiority. When they were slaves their masters practiced eugenics, and made sure a big strong man had plenty of mates. For all I know it’s true, but he was charged with racism, and to save his career he apologized. It didn’t do him any good, so Trump thinks it’s not smart to apologize, or so I’ve read.
Jimmy had nothing to apologize for, and he was a fool to do it. But Trump does have something to apologize for. I’m trying hard to get a read on this guy. He was my last choice because I thought he’s the one guy Clinton could beat. Three years ago, when I started thinking about this election, I thought it would be a slam dunk, and the candidate didn’t matter that much. I sensed we were about to experience a paradigm shift in our politics, a turning of the hundred year long progressive tide. I went with Kasich because of Article V, but I soon realized my mistake, and went with Rubio, even though he’d screwed the pooch on immigration. He looked like another John F. Kennedy to me, but he started waffling around with the neoconservatives, so I switched to Cruz, and stuck with him to the end. Now I’m a Trumpkin, I guess. As such, I’m invested in this guy, and I really haven’t figured him out.
I can sort of understand his problem with Cruz. I’ve never met the man, but a lot of people that he’s supposed to work with can’t stand him. It’s not politics with these guys, it’s personal. They just hate his guts. This makes me think there’s something wrong with him, that he lacks the sociability gene, or something. Maybe he’s just arrogant. So maybe Trump can’t stand him for a reason, and his attacks on his father, while despicable, are a tiny bit understandable.
But belittling Mrs. Khan for not speaking herself, but letting her husband speak for them both, is just bullying bigotry. The oldest part of the human brain is the inner, lizard core, and most people know how to keep it under control, but not Trump. Every time I see a picture of young Capt. Khan, a fine looking man, it pisses me off.
So if he won’t apologize, maybe he should send Mrs. Khan a gift, maybe a framed portrait of her son in uniform. And just to show that he’s really a big man, after all, he could send some patriotic gift to Rafael Cruz while he’s at it.
Some guys are just born with too much testosterone. Alexander the Great was 21 when he led his army against the Persians. His battle strategy was simple. He would personally lead his cavalry in a charge directly at the Persian king. He cut through their lines and forced the king to flee, and went on to conquer the known world. Way too much testosterone.
What finally got me aboard the Trump train were the people he’s surrounded himself with, and the fact that he’s listening to them. That’s not to say he’ll keep on listening, but it’s been six days now, so maybe it’s sunk in. If you won’t listen you won’t learn, and if you don’t learn you can’t be trusted.
I keep thinking back to the Reagan-Carter debate, and the line that won the election, “There you go again.” Carter had asked him a really tough question, and he really didn’t have a very good answer. But he had so much self confidence that he could shrug it off. I don’t think Trump has that much self confidence. His tough guy act is an act. Reagan was actually a tough guy, and played football in college. Maybe that’s the difference.
But we’re stuck with him and all of his insecurities. I plan on doing everything I can to help him win. I didn’t like Nixon either, but he was better than the alternative. So is Trump.
reaganproject.com 