Trump: spinning too many plates

 If you are old enough to remember the Ed Sullivan Show you may also recall the guy, Erich Brenn, who spun many plates simultaneously. The novelty act gained traction. The man moving rapidly to keep plates spinning atop wooden poles seemed to capture something beyond simple entertainment. We watched Erich moving rapidly from plate to plate and we saw a microcosm of life itself. 

Donald Trump’s recent expansion into multiple issues has a spinning plates quality. He seems to be multi-tasking, working to attract voters and clouding the issues all at the same time. Trump is a man who much prefers campaigning to governing. He is a perpetual campaigner.

These issues include:

1)  Criss-crossing the country on Air Force One, like a newsboy proud of his new bicycle. His big rallies on behalf of Republican candidates for the House and Senate are impressive and oppressive.

2)  He calls the press “The Enemy of the People” at his rallies, even though media is his secret mistress.

3)  Trump depicts the caravan of Central Americans as “invaders” walking across Mexico on their way to the U.S. border.

4)  Claims he can sidestep the Constitution and declare babies born to illegal immigrants as non-citizens.

5)  Creating a massive tax break for the wealthy and adding massively to the national debt. Makes believe he is interested in a “middle class” tax break.

6)  Uses coded language to insult women and minority Democratic candidates—like Andrew Gillum—the African-American man running for Governor of Florida. Trump claims Gillum will turn Florida into Venezeula if elected over Trump acolyte ( read ass-kisser) Ron DeSantis.

7)  Trump declares himself a “Nationalist”—despite the anti-Semitic rally in South Carolina where a white nationalist ran over an innocent from the other side.

8)   Taking a “pass” on the opportunity to of call Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton after they received pipe bombs in the mail from a Trump supporter.

9)  Bringing Kanye West to the Oval Office in a show of support. Kanye has since begged off of politics.

10)              Traveling to Pittsburgh for the funerals, despite requests that he delay his visit.

11)               Refusing to take on the role of national healer in chief even in the wake of the murder of 12 Jewish members of the Tree of Life synagogue.

I’ll stop there at 11. That’s enough spinning plates.

A conservative, right-wing friend of mine showed me a bit of cellphone video shot in the Pittsburgh hospital where survivors of the mass killing recovered. Donald, Melanie, Jared and Ivanka were there to visit the injured. 

The Trump foursome and their retinue of bodyguards walked down a polished, clean corridor of the hospital and came across a group of ardent supporters. The small group of supporters began repeating the phrase “Thank you! Thank you!” Trump realized the compliments were directed his way.

The simplicity of the phrase “thank-you” proved irresistible. Donald approached the well-wishers. He had a blue tie, not the usual red. Maybe this was a bi-partisan fashion choice? The president, on his visit to a city hurting with the pain of anti-Semitism and horrible murder, might actually have softened in some microscopically tiny way.

Donald seemed moved. He relaxed and greeted the folks. He even extended his hand for a handshake. I hear he’s germ-phobic and this was a concession. Melanie stepped forward. “Thank-you First Lady,” said one of the fans. Melanie extended a hand. Jared and Ivanka hung back in the hallway but beamed their contentment. “We love you Ivanka,” said another. That got a laugh and more smiles.

The Trumps need love on a personal level like the rest of us. Donald savors the campaign stops and the adoring cheers and laughter of his supporters. The greetings and love in that hallway spoke volumes about the chance for humanity in every human being.

Donald Trump: Most Redeeming Quality

Donald Trump has taken over the global electronic marketplace. He is on every screen, his name constantly uttered by media pundits, talking heads, friends, enemies, sycophants,  and, most importantly, the man on the global street. Will all this attention get him elected? I think not. He is down in the polls and the subject of much criticism, especially of late, for his crude techniques for meeting women. Some describe the encounters as assaulting women. Like everything else Trump does, his methods for introducing himself is heavy-handed, self-absorbed, crass, blunt and direct. He moves forward until pushed back-- in business, in sex and on the campaign trail. It's often not a pretty picture.

In Hillary Clinton v. Donald Trump, Debate #2-- the town hall-style meeting, with citizens asking questions-- the final question was directed to both candidates. It went something like.... What is one trait you find admirable in your opponent?

Donald Trump answered the final question more successfully than Hillary Clinton. He described her tenacity, persistence and ability to keep moving forward under the most difficult circumstances. That compliment might be double-edged, implying Hillary is something of a plodder, going forward despite all the odds. But she does have the ability to fight with great intensity in the most grueling circumstances-- a key personality trait to achieving the lofty goals she has set for herself.

Hillary struggled to find a single positive thing about Donald. She settled on saying she admired his family. Trump's family is not really a personality trait. Having a good family reflects well on one's character and priorities. But it's almost the equivalent of saying you admire their car or their house. She was reducing her commitment to finding a specific trait she found admirable in Donald Trump and offering faint praise by shifting the subject to his children. Her daughter Chelsea Clinton is friends with Ivana Trump, Donald's daughter.

Though I'm a lifelong Democrat and self-declared liberal, I will find a trait in Donald Trump that is admirable-- and something we could all benefit from-- he does not sweat the small stuff.

I can hear the roars of anger rising from the throats of Trump haters. He doesn't fret over anything, including the prospect of pushing a button to start a nuclear war. Okay, that's a flaw. But most impressive to me is the way he has moved through life without a fear of committing a faux pas.

Most of us cower at the thought of offending any single person, never mind an entire ethnic group or President of the United States. And he knew the birther claim about Barack Obama was a flat-out lie. But, by contrast, the vast majority of people are light years away from the Donald Trump approach to life. We tiptoe through our lives,  jumping away nervously if a butterfly alights on our shoulder.

So, the Trump trait I admire is a willingness to not Be-Perfect. The fruitless attempt to Be-Perfect is a neurotic drive in most of us. We limit our embrace of life, or should I say... I have limited my embrace of life and all of its challenges-- by a huge timidity. Most of us, or maybe it's just me... get intimidated by the thought of not doing something perfectly well.

Trump cannot apologize under any circumstances-- but most of us fail at the other extreme-- we do not take life on with the vigor it deserves and miss out on many experiences as a result.

I was hesitant to write this piece-- knowing that the Trump name and behavior sparks a firestorm of reaction. But I decided to throw Be-Perfect to the winds and plunge ahead. For once!