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His Own Worst Enemy
Townhall.com ^ | August 27, 2015 | Derek Hunter

Posted on 08/27/2015 4:50:59 AM PDT by Kaslin

On paper, Donald Trump offers a lot as a candidate. He’s able to command a room, he is decisive, confident, unapologetic for what he believes, doesn’t need to kiss rings and make promises to raise money, and he stands up to an activist media. But campaigns aren’t run on paper, they’re run in life. And in life, Donald Trump appears to have an out-of-control ego in need of constant feeding, which is coupled with no ability to control himself.

Nothing about Donald Trump’s life requires constraint. Worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 billion, there is nothing he can’t afford to buy, aside from some countries.

I once had gotten paid all at once from a few consulting jobs I’d done; for how I grew up until that point, I was flush. I’d had more money in my bank account than I’d ever had. I’d been paycheck to paycheck before that, with some months pretty financially thin. I remember walking around a Target and, in the electronics department, it hit me: I could afford to buy anything in the store at that moment. It was a weird feeling.

While I could have afforded it, it would have been stupid to buy the most expensive thing there (I’m pretty sure it was their biggest TV), so I opted for financial responsibility and just purchased what I was there for. But I remember that feeling. It was the ability to breathe, to check the mail without fearing a bill or have to turn down going out with friends because I needed to pay rent. It was liberating, but it was also foreign.

Every day of Donald Trump’s life is like that, everywhere he goes, without the frame of reference of what it was like before. That has an impact on a person’s character.

I’m not saying Trump is of low character, this isn’t a value judgment or a self-congratulatory exercise where I pat myself on the back for my accomplishments, it’s an observation of a man who can’t seem to control himself when he should because he’s never had to.

The Fox News debate was 2 weeks ago, a lifetime in politics. Yet, for reasons unknown, Trump took to Twitter this week to attack co-moderator Megyn Kelly again. Using the retweet function to make most of his attacks via proxy, he endorsed calling her a “bimbo,” among other things.

Pointless and petty, but very Trump.

Donald may not have anyone close to him who can tell him “no,” or even advise him against an instinct.

The fact that he’s raised kids who, by all outward appearances, are well-adjusted, successful children who, unlike many in their situation of birth, still speak with and love their father, is a testament to an important part of his character. But he’s not running for the nation’s father.

The fact that he harbors such a grudge against Kelly for asking questions he didn’t like, long after the rest of the world had moved on, gives insight into who Donald Trump is.

What did he think running for president would be like? What, if he manages to get the nomination, does he think Democrats are going to do, play dead? These are people who accused Mitt Romney of killing a woman with cancer, who brought up how his family treated their dog in the early 1970s, who dug up dirt from his high school years. Did Trump really think things he’s said about women in the past wouldn’t come up?

If he did, he should fire his advisers for failing to prepare him properly. Unfortunately for him, he appears to be the only adviser he’s willing to listen to.

As much of a force of nature as Donald Trump is, he’s just a man. He’s a man who’s made a lot of money through his business dealings, and money is power. But power isn’t necessarily money.

While Trump has the power that comes with money, he doesn’t have, or even seem to understand, the power that comes from wielding government authority. Trying to earn money is very different from exerting the power of government. One gives you status and comforts in life, the other has the ability to take life, to imprison, to create the rules. People in business try to work the rules to their advantage, people in government make the rules. It’s not the difference between a football player and the refs, it’s the difference between a football player and the person who writes the rulebook.

People will do anything, legal or otherwise, to be involved in writing the rulebook. But to get there they must answer tough, even uncomfortable questions.

I loved it when Trump threw race-baiting activist masquerading as a journalist Jorge Ramos out of his Iowa press conference for constantly interrupting journalists’ questions. Ramos makes his fortune through division, has his power based on keeping an uneducated populace ignorant and away from assimilation.

But I also loved it when Trump had Ramos brought back in the room, answered his questions and refused to play the Ramos-victimhood game. Running for president, and being president, requires confronting people and questions that are unpleasant. Donald needs to accept the fact that he’s quite good at it when he’s comfortable with the issues, and awful at it when his ego is bruised by questions that make him uncomfortable. Because no one – not the media, not his fellow candidates, and certainly not the Democrats – is going to roll over and declare anything off limits.

If Donald Trump can’t handle tough questions about his past statements without continually throwing a fit, even weeks later, it raises questions about how he would act when things get heated while sitting across the table from world leaders. If a business negotiation breaks down and personal attack fly, egos are bruised. If world leaders let the invectives fly, and they’re taken personally while holding a grudge, the consequences are much greater than lost money.

Trump is a refreshing change from the usual political BS we’ve been spoon fed by both parties; he is a force of nature. But even hurricanes peter out. If he’s going to last, if he’s going to end up with a real chance at the White House, he’s going to have to find a way to keep in check his worst enemy.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: campaigns; donaldtrump; ego
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To: Kaslin

Who is Derek Hunter and why should anyone give a damn?


21 posted on 08/27/2015 5:31:01 AM PDT by Hostage (ARTICLE V)
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To: Kaslin

I thought Trump was Megyn Kelly’s worst enemy.

Trump is sending a message to all journalists. He just destroyed the top journalist with the top rated news show and dropped her to #2 while his poll numbers went up.

What other journalists want to be publicly humiliated like Megyn Kelly and Jorge from Univision?


22 posted on 08/27/2015 5:32:09 AM PDT by Rad_J
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To: Erik Latranyi

We are seeing a preview of things to come;

Substitute the name “Megan Kelly’ with “leader of Iran”.

Now tell us all that Trump hasn’t the temperament needed.


23 posted on 08/27/2015 5:34:47 AM PDT by Balding_Eagle (The Great Wall of Trump ---- 100% sealing of the border. Coming soon.)
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To: mkjessup

>> Are you drinking coffee now

You betcha!

>> or do you just go straight to the vein with the Dunkin Donuts coffee IV kit?

I’ve sworn off the hard stuff. Can’t find a vein anymore.


24 posted on 08/27/2015 5:34:53 AM PDT by Nervous Tick (There is no "allah" but satan, and mohammed was his demon-possessed tool.)
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To: 9YearLurker
But yeah, he should have been more careful with, particularly, retweeting a bimbo reference, when he’d already been roasted for doing the same thing a couple of weeks earlier.

The late Johnny Cash ~
"lies have to be covered up, truth can run around naked"


25 posted on 08/27/2015 5:37:27 AM PDT by mkjessup (Trump is the barbarian at the RINO gate, Cruz is his 'inside man' and I LIKE it !!)
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To: Kaslin

Donald Trump, warts and all, is the American Dream personified, magnified and demonstrated in all its glory. America has heard about it in political speeches ad nauseum since its inception. Now, for some reason, when it stands before them in the flesh, they somehow refuse to acknowledge that the man Trump has, without apology, used everything available to him and made it work, big time!

Conservative? No. Socialist? No.

If anyone thinks that they’re going to find a magic candidate that will put the gay agenda back where it belongs or make this nation a majority of Christians again is just going to be an unwitting tool of the Socialists that want to take it over. By “holding out” for that magician that isn’t going to come, they assure victory for the opposition. This is politics, not electing a messiah. Perfection is not going to be on the ballot.

The spiritual state of this nation isn’t going to be fixed or made comfortable for the Christian until Jesus returns. That has nothing whatsoever to do with politics. It’s up to us to refuse to obey any government proclamation that opposes those given to us by The Almighty. There isn’t going to be a magic candidate that will make that easy or protect us from what we have allowed this nation to become. In the end, that’s a purely personal battle that isn’t going to be fought in any election.


26 posted on 08/27/2015 5:39:13 AM PDT by Aleya2Fairlie
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To: Kaslin

We have a President that has for all of his days in office, yelled at the average American, “No, you can’t! No, you did NOT build that! No, you CANNOT believe that!”

We, now, have a man who is running for President, and his whole life has been:
“I CAN, and I DO!”

Who ya gonna go for?


27 posted on 08/27/2015 5:41:32 AM PDT by Terry L Smith
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To: Kaslin

28 posted on 08/27/2015 5:45:10 AM PDT by McBuff
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To: Kaslin

This author has a problem with Trump having enough money to buy anything in the store as if all the rest of the candidates he’s competing with cannot afford to buy anything in the store. Heck, the president and his wife can buy anything in the store and he’s never even had a job.


29 posted on 08/27/2015 5:50:44 AM PDT by Blue Collar Christian (Ready for Teddy, Cruz that is.)
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To: Kaslin
an out-of-control ego in need of constant feeding, which is coupled with no ability to control himself.

The second black US president?!

30 posted on 08/27/2015 5:52:35 AM PDT by Moltke
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To: ncalburt

Concern trolls are concerned.


31 posted on 08/27/2015 5:53:07 AM PDT by Fresh Wind (Falcon 105)
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To: Kaslin

Ya know? I used to read a lot from “townhall” but they are becoming more and more like every other Trump basher....I hope he gets in the White house and tears up every agency ...breaks the federal employee unions...gets pay below what is made in the private sector...no retirement for any public servant just a 401k like we that finance the current criminal enterprise known as the “government”.....I am SO PROUD I do not contribute any taxes (beyond point of sale where I can’t buy the item privately) ...I read all the comments on trump from “so called conservative freeper’s” and they seem to want someone who is tethered to their contributor’s...WHY? Why do you want another person who is just wanting to continue as usual and allow the continuation of the raping of this great republic?...whats wrong with you people? Stockholm syndrome?


32 posted on 08/27/2015 5:53:50 AM PDT by mythenjoseph (Separation of powers)
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To: Kaslin
Yet, for reasons unknown, Trump took to Twitter this week to attack co-moderator Megyn Kelly again.

Machine gun Kelly came back and spent her show hosting Trump haters. Lying in a so called news outlet should ruin the credibility of the author. Get the bimbo off the air.

33 posted on 08/27/2015 5:55:44 AM PDT by SpeakerToAnimals (Just scream and leap. Then Donate to Freerepublic.com)
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To: Erik Latranyi

Erik,what about sotoreo’s grudge against our country?


34 posted on 08/27/2015 5:56:43 AM PDT by mythenjoseph (Separation of powers)
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To: mkjessup

Yeah, she plays up her sex appeal, but she’s certainly not stupid.


35 posted on 08/27/2015 5:56:57 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: Erik Latranyi

If he really held grudges, he wouldn’t have let Jorge back in the press conference, would he?


36 posted on 08/27/2015 5:57:33 AM PDT by Catsrus (The Great Wall of Trump - coming to a southern border near you.)
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To: Erik Latranyi
Nothing about Donald Trump’s life requires constraint?

Really?...stopped reading right there. When was the last time the Donald, or his children were caught drunk driving or with drugs? When was the last time the Donald was caught bribing politicians (illegally)? How many golf games does the Donald play, vice being at work and taking care of business?

The commie who is pretending to run NYC tried to get the lawyers out of the contracts that the city had signed with the Donald, and they COULDN'T DO IT! This would have occurred with paid off crooked judges in NYC and they couldn't do it! That, and making a gazillion dollars in business doesn't happen with a person who cannot control himself or has no constraint! Most normal, sober, thinking people understand this and that is a big reason why they're for Trump. The people who pretend to be smart in the gov't and press have to pretend for a reason!

37 posted on 08/27/2015 6:01:18 AM PDT by gr8eman (Don't waste your energy trying to understand commies. Use it to defeat them!)
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To: Kaslin

I have had the same fears. I need to know if Trump will submit to the Constitution, fight those in Congress who do not, weed out those in the dept of injustice who do not, and will appoint a Mark Levin to the SCOTUS.


38 posted on 08/27/2015 6:03:28 AM PDT by huldah1776
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To: mythenjoseph

Good question. I think it is just the power of the status quo. All of these so-called journalists and smart people are truly neither. They’re just afraid of change and don’t want anyone to rearrange the deck chairs so they’ll have to adjust. The truth is...they’re scared shiiteless of Trump, while most normal people are in the stands cheering him on. Amazing times in the US of A!


39 posted on 08/27/2015 6:06:19 AM PDT by gr8eman (Don't waste your energy trying to understand commies. Use it to defeat them!)
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To: Aleya2Fairlie

Excellent post.

-JT


40 posted on 08/27/2015 6:21:03 AM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, If you can keep it.")
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