A New Pride and Prejudice
AJ Robinson

It's taken me a while, but I think I'm getting a handle on Trump. It wasn't easy, as he's all over the place when it comes to subject matter and actions. His recent trip to Puerto Rico really helped clarify the President for me.

He’s the new pride and prejudice.

Trump is narcissistic bigot. He's also greedy, but that's actually secondary alongside his ego, which is the dominant aspect of his psyche. It's all about him. In every circumstance, every event, he has one overriding concern; that is, how does it affect him. The secondary aspect is how can he use it to make himself look good?

Puerto Rico is a perfect example of all aspects of the Trump personality. Take his racism. More than a week after the hurricane tore through there and he did little to help or guide the relief effort. He made excuses, he made a brief visit, he insulted the mayor of San Juan and, after his visit, he's done almost nothing regarding the relief and rebuilding of the island. All we hear are self-congratulatory statements about how well he's helping the island.

You'd think he was there with a shovel pitching in instead of swinging a club on a golf course.

This highlights his chief attribute, a total focus on self. In every circumstance, every event he handles, his one and only concern is how it affects him; how does he look, what are the, as he says, optics? If he looks bad, he looks for someone to blame, he lies or he changes the subject.

Puerto Rico not going well, then let’s talk of the National Football League (NFL). Twenty-five years ago or so, Trump sued the NFL, receiving roughly $3.50 settlement. As well, the NFL banned Trump from owning, in whole or part, any NFL franchise for life. Thus, the NFL is a deserving target for him.

Can't pass Affordable Care Act (ACA repeal), then blame others. Shift attention to tax reform, which he has yet to plan adequately. It’s easy to make friend and influence people if you put more money in their pockets.

He wants to look tough among the chicken hawks. Talk tough about North Korea and Iran; rattle the old saber, as the saying goes. He never follows through on his threats. When demeaning North Korea and Iran doesn’t rile those countries, play golf.

It's not that Trump cares about the innocent lives, Puerto Rico, Las Vegas, Charlottesville and the other storm events. He has demonstrated his lack of empathy. No, it's that a war would put American military at center stage and he can't have that. There's also another issue at play, one of his secondary character flaws, that is, cowardice.

Trump is craven.

Like all bullies, Trump is, at heart, a wimp. This aspect has been evident for some time. I first noticed it during the election when someone in a crowd brought up the birther issue. Now, granted Trump has made a his political career out of this issue, but at that point he could have taken the high road and shut down the clod who brought it up. McCain did, which was the right and brave thing to do and he earned my respect that day. As for Trump, he gave his usual wimpy answer about how they'll "look into it."

Yes, total cowardice. Onn North Korea, he'll make the occasional inflammatory statement and laugh as the politicians, pundits and reporters go nuts trying to figure out what he's planning. Then he'll shift his attention to the next "shiny bauble" before any real bravery needs to be displayed.

Taunt and tease is his only ploy. He learned this from his mentor Roy Cohn. In the 1950s, Cohn pushed Senator Joseph McCarthy to pursue almost non-existent Communists in American. From the grave, the memory of lessons taught well by Cohn drive Trump.

As for Iran, Trump hems and haws, blusters and delays, yet, when it comes right down to it, he quietly sign-off on the certification. He's doing what he always does. That is, tease us.

How many times has he said he had big news coming and that he'd be calling a press conference to make a startling announcement? How many times has he actually delivered? Again, the sole purpose of all of it is to keep him center stage, keep the focus on him and insure the media and the public stroked his ego.

Bluff, fluff and no substance.

The rest of his term will be like so much of his past, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. I have a feeling historian will characterise his presidency all bluff, fluff and no substance. What a legacy.