Donald Trump uttered factual words on Friday.
This is headline news.
The big reveal? That Trump said, using his own vocal cords, “President Obama was born in the United States — period.”
This just in.
Trump, who for five years has stoked and traded on the lie that President Obama was born in Kenya, in that same statement managed to pretend that Hillary Clinton started the birther rumor in 2008. And then, as icing on the cake, instead of acknowledging he was flat-out wrong, Trump took credit for putting the record straight.
It’s all a set up, and Trump has milked his own lie masterfully. He was one of the original birthers and has repeated the lie again and again as it gained him attention among the reality-challenged right-wingers who now comprise his base supporters.
When it served his purpose, he made noises that he still believed the birther line. Then, his campaign released a statement that Trump “believes” that Obama was born in the United States. He said he would make a statement later, when he wanted to talk about it. You have to give people a show in this business, right?
On Fox Business Friday morning, he told Maria Bartiromo: “You watch my statement. I have to, we have to keep the suspense going, OK?”
We’re audience members, not voters or constituents. It’s all about the show.
I have no doubt that millions will now believe that Trump is the hero of this shameful story. The past five years of Trump’s verifiable words and actions — it’s not like he did anything in secret — will be wiped away and replaced with an alternate, malleable version of reality.
This is one of the most troubling parts of Trump’s rise and appeal. He doesn’t convince people with plans or concrete goals, nor does he offer a strong moral compass that guides his views. Judging by his words and actions, he shows little motivation beyond his immediate gratification and ego.
Trump’s greatest ability seems to be to attract a segment of people with his racist, sexist and hateful language, yes, but to also present himself in such a way that people — smart people — graft on to him qualities they admire, but that he hasn’t demonstrated.
Trump is no gut-level businessman with keen instincts honed by knowledge — he’s demonstrated his recklessness again and again over decades in the public eye, not to mention this campaign season.
He’s a destructive force. To improve anything — a relationship, a product, a government — you must first understand how it operates, all of its parts, its context. You need knowledge. You need consistency.
The American political system is deeply troubled. We need significant changes in how power operates in Washington, a stronger educational system, real national security, a better economy and more good jobs, an immigration policy that makes sense and is humane. We need candidates who want to serve, not run a marketing campaign.
There is a lot of work to do.
But giving the keys of the White House, and all that comes with that office, to Donald Trump would be a dangerous mistake.
