Columnist: Donald Trump – billionaire, consummate showman, a buffoon and maybe future president

Published 12:00 am Saturday, October 1, 2016

The first heralded debate between presidential nominees Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton is now over. It is believed that nearly 100 million people watched the debate, more than those who normally watch the Super Bowl.

Americans had an opportunity to hear firsthand what the two candidates would do were they to be elected as president of this great country. I don’t particularly care for Trump, but I have to admit that the first 15 minutes of the debate, he did actually appear presidential. The real Trump, however, took over like comedian Eddie Murphy’s alter ego in the popular movie “Dr. Doolittle,” and ruined the evening for the billionaire.

Trump just couldn’t stop putting his foot in his mouth during the debate. From believing that he was a smart businessman by avoid paying taxes, to lying about his actions related to the place of President Obama’s birth – the real Trump just wouldn’t stop making a fool of himself.

Later, after the debate, he went on to say that he could’ve said some horrible things about Mrs. Clinton, but refused to do so because of her daughter, Chelsea, being present. The inference had to do with Mrs. Clinton’s husband’s alleged infidelities and lying about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

It appears as if he was encouraged by one of his inner circle advisors, former mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani.

Here is the irony and contradiction: Rudy Giuliani, who has publicly said Hillary Clinton was “too stupid to be president,” as mayor of New York, carried on his own, very public extramarital affair, which did, in fact, cast a shadow over his administration.

Persuaded yet on the hypocrisy of Mr. Trump and his supporters’ attack on Mrs. Clinton related to her husband’s improprieties? If not, you should review the court documents related to the bitter divorce proceedings between Mr. Trump and his first of three wives, Ivana.

It seemed as if the divorce was due in part to Mr. Trump carrying on a very public affair with a former beauty queen named Marla Maples, whom he actually married in 1993 and divorced in 1999. When asked by the judge who supervised the proceedings whether or not he had engaged in any extramarital affairs, Mr. Trump invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 90 times, in order to not incriminate himself.

The irony. Mr. Trump has disparaged and condemned Hillary’s staff for invoking the Fifth Amendment before Congress when asked about their knowledge of emails allegedly having been erased by her while serving as secretary of state for this country.

The sum total of Trump, with all of his obvious contradictions, has resulted in some of the most conservative newspapers in the country throwing their support behind Hillary Clinton as the next president of the United States.

The popular USA Today, which in its 34-year history has never endorsed a presidential candidate, has stated emphatically that “one of the candidates — Republican nominee Donald Trump — is, by unanimous consensus of the (USA Today) Editorial Board, unfit for the presidency.”

Another major newspaper in the country, the Arizona Republic, that has never endorsed a Democrat for president in its 126-year history, has now endorsed Hillary Clinton. The editorial board of the paper stated unequivocally in its endorsement that “Hillary Clinton has the temperament and experience to be president, Donald Trump does not.”

In his disingenuous attempt to be representative of the interests of all Americans, has the real Donald Trump ruined his opportunity to become president?

While addressing minorities, he talks about improving the quality of their lives and, at the same time, endorses programs and policies that are not in their best interest. He talks about being fair to women and, at the same time, believes that their getting pregnant on the job essentially creates a loss of production and financial burden to employers.

Can we really trust Mr. Donald Trump as the leader of our great country to behave responsibly under pressure, and does he really have a plan to make our country greater? Or, is it time for Americans to say, Mr. Trump, you are fired?

What’s your opinion?

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By Glenn Dowell

Contributing columnist

Dr. Glenn Dowell, a LaGrange native, is an author and columnist who lives in Georgia. He has been an instructor at Texas Southern University, guest speaker on major college campuses and appeared on TV programs including ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show.’ He may be reached at gdowell@live.com.