“He listed his contributions toward the black community and there was this passion in his voice that I rarely see. It’s like pride mixed with compassion and concern.”
On top of that, any thinking person has to ask and think about why a guy who was 69 years old, with a gorgeous wife, 5 great kids (including one who was then 9), grandkids and more on the way, worth billions of dollars, with homes, planes, yachts, the admiration of everyone in his social group, etc., would run for President knowing the shark tank that he was jumping into. It could not possibly have been to make more money - putting aside the fact that he’s lost a bunch since coming down that escalator, the money actually doesn’t mean anywhere near as much to him now as it did 30 or 40 years ago. His family - going to at least his very young grandchildren’s own grandchildren - will be wealthy beyond belief, so even a doubling or tripling of his fortune wouldn’t do anything for him or them. What, then, was his motivation? I, of course, cannot say for sure. But a 69-year-old guy is almost certainly going to be thinking about what his life has meant, and what it will mean to those who survive him. An extraordinarily wealthy guy of that age, with a strong drive to not just be the best at everything he does, but to be noticed as being the best - well, that person is going to understand that merely being super wealthy isn’t that much. The world rarely remembers the wealthy - you can name historically-known rich people from before the Robber Baron era on one hand; but politicians who do extraordinarily good things are remembered (as are their opposites, of course). To take a country in decline morally, economically, in terms of influence and power around the world, and to turn that around and, while doing so, to help millions or tens of millions have a better life and a better future for THEIR kids and grandkids...well, THAT is going to be a fantastic legacy. People remember that and, much more importantly, it will allow him to reflect on his life near its end with great personal satisfaction.
So, IMHO, those are among the things that have motivated him, and they fully explain why he has that passion and pride that you mentioned.
Yeah, I agree with you about the legacy, which is about both being remembered and giving back to the community and nation. Giving back is a natural urge and not just born out of the ego fulfillment of having your name attached to something. What I really respect about Trump is his attachment to the truth and keeping his promises. Biden is a career politician who spouts words, words, words... almost a type of madness. Trump has a core which is pretty obvious. Yes, he can brag at times and is prone to exaggerate (salesman can do at times) but these are hardly sins of magnitude compared to the incessant twin liars of Obama and Joe. Trump has a braggadocio quality which I think he probably got growing up with Italian construction workers in New York or from the natural pride New Yorkers have about New York. So though his personality can be off putting to some people, his virtues of keeping his promises and energy for work are amazing. He has raised the bar for future presidents.