Trump For President

Donald Trump is running for president. You heard it here first. He hasn't announced yet. He may drop out of the race before the he anounces. But he is running for president.

Last night I saw Trump speak at the Learning Annex Rel Estate Wealth Expo. There was such a rock star atmosphere it was like being at a Stones concert. He entered with a parade of beautiful women, a confetti drop, a guy dressed as a Trump bobble head doll and, of course the OJ's "For the Love of Money" (that's the apprentice theme) playing over the loud speakers. Over on my Live Journal on Saturday, I wrote that the expo was like the woodstock of seminars; huge, with an amazing variety of spectators and one speaker after another taking the main stage to adoring crowds in a circus like atmosphere. Trump was like Hendrix at Woodstock. He was headliner, he produced far and above the most buzz, bu because he was the last speaker he had a smaller crowd than Tony Robbins, who totally packed the room on Saturday.

But back to this president thing. When asked directly in the Q&A what it would take to get him to run, he gave the usual evasive answer "I like what I'm doing now," then added " but I'm really pssed off at our leaders." He did not give a Sherman statement. But the first third of his speech was devoted to how he would run things if he were president, how much better a negotiator he is than anybdy else, how he knew "a bunch of savage animals" from various board rooms whom he could stick into various cabinet spots who could make sure we got a better trade deal with China or a nuclear deal with Iran. And he was relentless on the subject of the war in Iraq. He really had the crowd going, and I turned to my girlfriend and said "he's running." I don't think being King of New York is good enough for him anymore.

Oh, and he's a great speaker. He was the most natural of the speakers there. He was funny, charming, interesting, and completely natural. He wandered off point a bit but always came back to where he had started and somehow made it make sense. He was by far the most engaging speaker there--and like I said we saw Tony Robbins the day before. And inspite of his rep, among people he's a really nice guy--not nice in a politician kiss your baby srt of way, but nice in a genuine way. He even offered help to those who asked: anyone who wnated a job, needed a referal, had a deal going on they wanted advice on, he said "write me with the details and I'll give you an answer." And Trump is known for answering his own mail.

But the greatest thing about Trump was how funny he was. He made reference to his image as a lothario and joked about it. He made jokes about his hair. Of all the people I saw, he swore like a sailor. He is a New Yorker after all. Other speakers stopped short, using words like "freaking," and sometimes almst blowing it. Trump said "fuck you." And he knew it shocked a few people, but he's Donald Trump. What are they going to do? The mans a billionaire, he's the star of the show, he can do what he wants.

(Tony Robbins did swear once, and I'm told Kiyasaki cursed like the Marine he is, and I suspect James Cramer did too, but they were the other keynote speakers so they could get away with it too).

The other day I wrote about the various New Yorkers who are already in the presidential mix, and how Hillary leads the pack here in town. Throw Trump into that mix. He's running, and he's got more cross party appeal than Giulianni, more name recognition than Hillary, and more money than Bloomburg. He coudl speel trouble for every body.

Oh yeah, and I'd vote for him.