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In Ego, Obama and Trump Are Two Of A Kind
Townhall.com ^ | October 24, 2015 | Jeff Jacoby

Posted on 10/24/2015 10:06:50 AM PDT by Kaslin

ARE YOU crazy about Barack Obama? Do you fervently hope the next president of the United States will be as similar to the current president as possible?

Then Donald Trump may be the candidate for you.

Of all the candidates running for president, the one who most resembles the incumbent is not Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders or Martin O'Malley. To be sure, the Democrats' policy views largely overlap with Obama's. But when it comes to attitude and self-image, it's Obama and Trump who are birds of a feather.

Everyone knows about Donald Trump's bottomless narcissism; this is a man who has affixed the name "Trump" to everything from hotels to golf courses to cologne. Asked the other day which world leaders he would reach out to upon being elected, Trump replied that he wouldn't need to call anyone: "I think I'd probably have them call me."

But Obama's march to the White House also involved startling displays of self-glorification, from Greek-style columns to a triumphal foreign tour to his own official seal (complete with Latin motto). From the earliest days of his presidency, it was clear that Obama was deeply enamored of himself, and had no doubt that the rest of the planet was just as smitten. "I am well aware," he told the UN General Assembly, "of the expectations that accompany my presidency around the world." He gifted the queen of England with an iPod that included his own speeches. Obama's addiction to the first-person singular pronoun — "I," "me," "my" — has been remarked on by many; he has even referred to "my military" and the troops "fighting on my behalf."

Anyone who finds such vanity attractive should relish the prospect of a Trump presidency. Trump, after all, never doubts his own brilliance. He's always the smartest person in the room; just ask him. Sound familiar?

"I'm a better speechwriter than my speechwriters," Obama told campaign aides in 2008. "I know more about policies on any particular issue than my policy directors. And I'll tell you right now that I'm gonna think I'm a better political director than my political director."

When a presidential candidate talks that way, what could possibly go wrong?


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: Arkansas; US: Florida; US: Maryland; US: New York; US: Vermont
KEYWORDS: 2016election; artofthebrand; artofthecelebrity; berniesanders; bushbot; election2016; florida; gope; iamgreat; jebbot; jebbush; jeffjacoby; marcorubio; mediasuckingsound; mememe; newyork; obama; tds; townhall; trump; vermont
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To: DannyTN
Actually Obama is driven by hatred of America; Trump by love.

You cannot sit in the pews of a Church for 20 years, where the Pastor openly "damns America," and convince anyone with normal intelligence, that you do not hate America.

Of course, everything the Quisling has done since entering Office, demonstrates the ongoing nature of that hatred.

21 posted on 10/24/2015 10:26:15 AM PDT by Ohioan
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To: Parley Baer
Trump’s is based on truth. Obama’s is based on lies.

I also think that a lot of what Trump says about himself is tongue-in-cheek. Sort of like Muhammad Ali's trash-talking before a big fight. On the other hand, Obama is deadly serious about his own supposed greatness.

22 posted on 10/24/2015 10:27:08 AM PDT by Leaning Right (Why am I holding this lantern? I am looking for the next Reagan.)
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To: proust
The people staying in the race with 4% or lower are worse in the ego dept.

So you're saying people that register low poll numbers should drop out of races?

What about all the grass roots conservatives taking on entrenched politicians? They often start out and stay very low in the polls with the hopes that they will eventually see a surge of support and knock of the incumbent or foe backed by big money. Does it usually work out? No. Does it sometimes work out and they rally and win? Yes.

There is nothing wrong with staying in the race if one has at least an outside shot and is playing the long game. Just ask McCain. He was written off for dead in '08 and came back to win. In this case it was very unfortunate since McCain was a terrible nominee, but he waited for Guiliani and Thompson to implode and then raced up the polls and took the lead for good.

23 posted on 10/24/2015 10:27:59 AM PDT by Longbow1969
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To: MNJohnnie

Jacoby is despicable with his failed attempt at equating obama with Trump.


24 posted on 10/24/2015 10:28:46 AM PDT by glennaro
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To: Kaslin

They both drink water, breathe the exact same O2/N2 mix, and have the ability to pee standing up (although Obama probably chooses not to).


25 posted on 10/24/2015 10:28:58 AM PDT by Bryanw92 (Sic semper tyrannis)
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To: Kenny

You can add the WSJ to that pile as well imo.


26 posted on 10/24/2015 10:30:19 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (SEMPER FI!! - Monthly Donors Rock!!)
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To: Kaslin

There is a big difference between academic ego and earned ego.

As has long been said about academic fights, “They are particularly bitter, precisely because the stakes are so small.” This amounts to “everyone must agree with me or they are my enemy and I will hate them forever.” Arrogance, hate and envy rule people like Obama.

The messenger matters more to them than the message.

Earned ego, for instance in the business community, is always tempered by pragmatism. “I hate his guts, but he is good for business and I’ve made a fortune because of him” means you are willing to accept powerful opposition as long as it pays off.

They don’t care if it is a passenger pigeon that gives them good advice, as long as the advice is good.


27 posted on 10/24/2015 10:32:02 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy ("Don't compare me to the almighty, compare me to the alternative." -Obama, 09-24-11)
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To: Kaslin
They're both narcissistic, but there are as many different kinds of narcissist as there are different kinds of people politicians.

The real news -- the real surprise -- would be finding a politician who wasn't more narcissistic than other people.

28 posted on 10/24/2015 10:34:07 AM PDT by x
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To: Kaslin

Jacoby is a neo-con, open borders punk.


29 posted on 10/24/2015 10:34:54 AM PDT by LongWayHome
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To: Ohioan

Yeah, I was being nice and seriously understating Obama’s feelings toward America.


30 posted on 10/24/2015 10:35:24 AM PDT by DannyTN
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Comment #31 Removed by Moderator

To: Kaslin

It remains on Donald Trump’s shoulders to prove this is not true.

Although, Trump has Certainly demonstrated that he is the real thing when it comes to leadership, he is certainly lacking in any outward form of humility.

I would not go so far as to compare him to Obama, however. The big O has actually accomplished nothing in his life other than to lie his way into the Presidency. If he was a white man, he would never have been supported unconditionally by the liberal press.

But, Donald does not want to be compared to Obama who is obnoxiously egotistical. Donald has a lot to be proud of, but his ego can overshadow his accomplishments.


32 posted on 10/24/2015 10:39:19 AM PDT by Gumdrop
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To: Kaslin

There are in fact a couple differences between Obama and Donald:

1. Obama (and all the rest for that matter) practice hiding their massive egos from the public, especially when IN public. Donald is simply being is real self in public, an unbelievably refreshing and practically unique situation. That’s actually one of the main reasons Donald is so appealing. We all know these people have massive egos and hide their true selves in public and are sick of it, particularly because it makes it very difficult to judge who these people really are. With Donald, what you get is Donald.

2. Donald is a self-made billionaire, whereas Obama is an affirmative-action baby with essentially zero real accomplishments (unless you count being a “community organizer”), thus as least Donald has big accomplishments to back up his big ego. There’s actually very little more pathetic than someone with a huge ego but nothing to show for it.


33 posted on 10/24/2015 10:40:11 AM PDT by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
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To: Kaslin

Trump is genuine. He wants the country great again and he is the only one who knows how. He is the only one who has relationships with those who can help us get our country back on track.
I like Carson and Cruz a lot; but only Trump knows how, and has the will/desire. Plus he has his own money.


34 posted on 10/24/2015 10:41:45 AM PDT by ncpatriot
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To: ilovesarah2012

That’s true he does, and a whale of a lot more and better too.

He’s still got a vain streak. That doesn’t have to kill the whole deal, but the guidance of the Lord will be paramount in this picture. Trump is opening himself up to a deal with the larger America, which is still marked at least by a nominal faith. It’s up to the people how large they want that faith to be.

I think I understand Cruz for president promoters. Here’s an important office, here’s a guy who seems to know his conservative stuff, let’s put them together and we have nirvana (so to speak). Got it that far. Thing is, there are more dimensions to a presidential role than this, unless you are going to let a committee tell you what to do which is probably the Barack Obama situation. Barack is a puppet executive. Trump is a real executive, and amazingly effective to what he puts his mind to. Cruz is a great servant, but unproven in the executive role. I think it is looking like it is time for conservatives to make hay while the Trump sun shines, and that sun has stated its willingness to be negotiable. It should be negotiated in the right direction.


35 posted on 10/24/2015 10:45:33 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: Kaslin

Nothing wrong with ego...without it one can not accomplish great things. If you don’t believe in yourself, you are never going to be a great leader.

Obama = built nothing, employed no one, feeding at the government trough.

Trump = Built Yuge structures, skating rinks, golf resorts, hotels, casino’s, residential high rise buildings. Employed tens of thousands of people.

These two are like night and day.


36 posted on 10/24/2015 10:46:48 AM PDT by entropy12 (If you do not DEPORT ALL ILLEGALS, it is Amnesty! Only Trump dares utter the words "DEPORT ILLEGALS")
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To: HiTech RedNeck

I love Cruz. Would he be a great president? I’d give him a chance.


37 posted on 10/24/2015 10:50:03 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012
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To: Kaslin
It matters not what his ego is, if he is right.

It matters not what obummer’s ego is, because he is wrong 99% of the time.To smarten you up, anyone who wants to be president has a huge ego. Otherwise he would never want to be charged with solving the problems faced by this country. Every one of them has ego but some are adept at hiding it. As for me, nothing turns me off, unless it is an outright liar and/or thief, than the person who has a huge ego but tries to pass himself off as "just a common man, just like you."

38 posted on 10/24/2015 10:51:15 AM PDT by old curmudgeon
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To: Kaslin

The only reason Obama seems to be a success is because Valerie has told him so.


39 posted on 10/24/2015 10:53:29 AM PDT by Slyfox (Will no one rid us of this meddlesome president?)
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To: entropy12

At least that would be a worldly view.

Great faith and confidence in the Lord could take the place that ego stands in for. Here’s where I have heard contradictory accounts about Trump. From one quarter we hear Trump saying with respect to forgiveness that he tries not to do things needing forgiveness. From another quarter we see Trump meeting with the inspirational evangelist Lance Wallnau and others for prayers.

It’s up to people of faith to look for discernment of where the spirit of the Lord is planning out a path here. I see possibilities developing in the Trump picture. I might be wrong, or something else might interfere that America now has too little spiritual power to handle. If we are going to try a Cruz cruise, I believe we have to ask what kind of a manager he is going to be and who is going to help him into that role and how. The previous administration will be no help; they sabotage everything they can.


40 posted on 10/24/2015 10:54:09 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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