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Something I posted as a comment in a Facebook thread today 6 years ago, the morning after the first the Clinton Trump debate and five weeks before the 2016 presidential election. 'I think Trump is a sort of genius. Not a 1st class mind, as we Cambridge men say, of course - nor was Napoleon. Though I don't think businessmen usually make good politicians. Berlusconi had his pluses and minuses. Joe Chamberlain is an exception - can't think of others. Neville was a bad businessman. At least his rubber farm went bust.'
I think there is a huge difference between genius and savant syndrome.
ReplyDeleteIf Trump is a genius, it is in the manner of e.g. Madonna Ciccone--utter lack of embarrassment, willingness to do or say anything for applause and publicity. He was not that good a businessman, probably hardly better than U.S. Grant, though with the capital to operate in real estate and building rather than local retail. George Washington was a pretty fair businessman, though one hardly tends to count farming as business these days.
ReplyDeleteThe expression "not a first class mind" I tend to associate with the Cambridge in Massachusetts: Justice Holmes said that FDR had "a second-class mind but a first-class temperament".
So you have learned nothing in 6 years.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget how grossly unappealing his opponent was either...
ReplyDeleteThe same is true of the nixon kennedy debates. Listen to them rather than watch and you'll see Nixon beat Kennedy like a rented mule. Unfort for Nixon his makeup and frankly sneaking looking mien killed him.