Opinion: Got money? Now, Donald Trump ponders buying the White House
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
‘I think it would be fun to run a newspaper,’ Charles Foster Kane, ‘Citizen Kane.’
What is it about money that makes some men think they can be president?
Barack Obama collects $750 million and he becomes president.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, possibly the world’s richest short person, spends north of $100 million to buy another term as head of that place. And there’s now talk that he’s talking about a 2012 White House run with some MSNBC morning show guy.
Now, P.T. Barnum, er, no, Donald Trump’s inflating the trial balloon that he might run in 2012 if he....
...remains unsatisfied with the course of the country. Who wouldn’t? He thinks the U.S. is getting pushed around internationally, would talk tougher to China and he says he’s good for possibly $200 million of his own dough in a presidential run. He’ll decide next June. And, good grief, nothing in Trump’s past would suggest he’s the kind of person who’d pull a presidential publicity stunt.
Besides, none other than the normally sagacious George Stephanopoulos interviewed Trump. ‘It could be fun,’ Trump told Bill Clinton’s former aide, ‘because I’d like to see some positive things happen for the country.’
Well, again, who wouldn’t?
Take a peek at unemployment, inflation worries, the price of gold, the deficit, the national debt, the solutions to all that. The professional pols, who also happen to be rich, don’t seem to be doing too swell a job of running the national show. The midterm election message to many was not so much pro-Republican or anti-Democrat as, ‘Please, will somebody -- anybody -- do something?’
A majority of Americans now don’t want Obama to have a second term. Even fewer approve of his current job performance. And the work being done by Congress is approved by about 17%, which is pretty much down to their family and staff.
So, is it just that the president is out of the country again? Or is this the start of a serious look by the country beyond the same old-same olds to toy once more with the idea of hiring someone from outside politics to redecorate the Oval Office? He’s probably not interested but Gen. Petraeus is busy right now.
Two words about the presidential candidacy of rich men though: President Perot.
- Andrew Malcolm
God help us, 2012 is just around the corner. Click here now to follow The Ticket via Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item. If you support Brandy click this: @latimestot. Our Facebook Like page is over here. We’re also available on Kindle now. Use the ReTweet buttons below to share any item with family and friends.