E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
Donald Trump has never won elective office -- for any position.
Yet, from time to time, he likes to fashion himself as someone who could be president. And in the most recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, Trump, in large part because of his name recognition, has rocketed to second place among Republicans and the top choice among Tea Party activists.
We’ve seen this movie before.
Trump has flirted with presidential bids twice previously -- in 1987 and 1999. Both times he didn’t actually up and run, but what did go up was the buzz surrounding him and sales of whatever The Donald was pushing at the time.
A cover profile of him from the now-defunct George magazine in its February-March 2000 issue, when he was toying with a presidential bid in the 2000 cycle, is instructive.
“Nonetheless once every decade or so Trump begins reminding folks that millions upon millions of them would like nothing better than to have him as their president, and up rockets his public image—and his income,” wrote Christopher Byron, the story’s author. “Up go the sales of whatever ghosted autobiography he happens to have in stores at the moment, up go the rental values of his apartments, in come more day-tripping gamblers lured to his Atlantic City casinos—in short, up goes the market price of the most valuable, and promotable, possession Trump has: his name.
“Then, like Kenny Rogers character who ‘knows when to hold ’em, and knows when to fold ’em,’ he simply places his cards facedown on the table, sweeps his winnings into his lap, and exits the quadrennial poker game without ever showing his hand—namely, the obligatory audited personal financial statement, required of serious candidates, that would reveal how modestly wealthy, relatively speaking, he really is.”
In 1987, per George:
“[W]hen Trump’s book leaped onto the best-seller list for the next 48 weeks, Trump’s campaign for the presidency faded away until nothing remained but the smile of a Cheshire cat.”
And Trump in the profile all but admitted it was about the money.
“I’m the only one who makes money when he runs,” Trump said. “I got a fortune for the book I came out with. Also, I’m the highest-paid speaker out there. I’m making 12 speeches a year at $100,000 each.”
Trump said on NBC’s Today show this morning that he would welcome filing the required financial disclosure. But the George profile highlights the smoke and mirrors of Trump’s wealth. Of his ostentatious home in Palm Beach, FL, once owned by cereal magnate Marjorie Merriweather Post:
“[T]o save it from seizure by creditors as his business empire crumbled, he turned it into a kind of real-life Love Boat for status-hungry businessmen you’ve never heard of. Trump sells memberships to the place for $100,000 a pop, which is not a bad way to pay the bills.”
And:
“His ownership of the Plaza Hotel was stripped from him, he lost his mansion in Greenwich, Connecticut, and he even wound up having to turn his treasured Mar-a-Lago [the Palm Beach home] into a spa open to the paying public.”
How would this square in Iowa?
It’s well known that Newt Gingrich’s biggest hurdle with social conservatives is his multiple marriages. But Trump, not only has had his share of marriages, few of his competitors’ exes were as scantily clad. For example, in the George piece, there was “the arrival, midway through the meeting, of a half-naked fashion model wrapped in a towel about the size of a dinner napkin, who approaches the two of us and joins the discussion.”
That woman was then-Melania Knauss, whom “Trump paraded around as his potential first lady.” They broke up, per the story, but she is now Trump's wife. He touted her as a “supermodel,” when “in reality,” she was “represented by a modeling agency owned by Trump.” Knauss’ rate doubled, and “20 percent of her modeling fees go to Trump, who also collects another 20 percent from agencies and publishing companies that hire her.” He “pocked 30 percent” of his second wife, Marla Maples’, brief stint as a Broadway actress.
He’s certainly not likely to win over women, not just with his prior marriages or his management of their modeling and acting careers, but then there's this quote in George about a woman who appeared in his house en route to the spa: “That bitch had some nerve, the way she treated Ron Perelman.”
(The woman was Patricia Duff, described by New York magazine as a political activist, who was Perelman’s third wife. Their marriage dissolved in a messy divorce.)
If that’s not enough, of course, Trump’s most well known for his involvement as a casino owner -- “the source of most of the cash and calamity in his life over the past 20 years."
Or his owning “a 282-foot yacht that had previously belonged to Saudi Arabian arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi.”
Or his general self-absorption, penchant for exaggeration, and self-aggrandizement, including a wall of magazine cover devoted to himself in his New York office, and even an oil painting of himself that sits in the Palm Beach home, which George described this way:
“[T]he Trumpster is tricked out in a white tennis sweater, with his mop of sandy hair tousled as if he’d just come in from a love game, set, match with Rudy Valle.”
Or his “various properties” that “slid into bankruptcy, and he was forced to sell his yacht as well as his airline….” He defended the bankruptcies on MSNBC’s Daily Rundown: “I never went bankrupt,” Trump said, trying to draw a distinction between personal bankruptcy and putting a company into Chapter 11. “Many of the biggest people in this country, many times have filed Chapter 11s on various companies in order to reduce debts.” He added, “I’ve done an unbelievable job” and used the laws of the country to help his companies.
The George story points out:
“[T]he siren song of the slot machines and craps tables was also the reason for his collapse into a prepackaged bankruptcy reorganization—from which he emerged as only a minority owner in a business he once owned outright. The fiasco in Atlantic City also led to the bank-directed reorganization of his real estate holdings, reducing him to little more than a manager of buildings he once owned.”
The line of using the laws is an old one, according to the George story, which pointed out his private plane was “registered in the offshore tax-haven domicile of Bermuda.” Trump responded: “I play by the rules, and the rules say I can keep a plane in Bermuda, so I do.”
Trump says his wealth is really wrapped up in real estate. But a Trump executive, quoted in the George story, via the book “Lost Tycoon,” said:
“It was all a shell game. We never had any unencumbered cash. We were always creating new partnerships and corporate entities to shift the money around. We were always robbing Peter to pay Paul.”
Case in point, in order to make it easier to borrow money, George wrote:
“Trump had his organization prepare a bogus net worth statement that pegged his net worth to $3.7 billion by wildly inflating the value of his assets, and then circulated it to the press. The ploy helped convince Fortune to proclaim him an authentic billionaire that autumn, and that in turn helped him secure the financing to buy the Eastern Airlines Shuttle and, thereafter, the Taj Mahal.”
For the record, Forbes, George wrote, said his net worth was likely $1.6 billion when the profile was written, but “much of his wealth s not from his own wheeling and dealing, but simply represents the Queens, New York, apartment buildings he inherited from his father, Fred.”
The conventional wisdom is that Trump would benefit financially from yet another flirtation with running for president. But as public-relations guru Jack O’Dwyer warned in the George piece:
“Publicity is like a football. You never know which way it’s going to bounce next. One false move and he could have the whole country laughing at him.”
Considering Trump’s doubling down -- to use a casino term -- on birtherism, it’s a very real possibility this time around that the third time won’t be the charm.
Leave a Comment:
This guy is a Republithug Whackadoodle. We need more of him to keep us entertained. I need to start watching FAUX News.
Giggidy
X^D
Steve-505729 Comment collapsed by the community
Domenico
#2 - Thu Apr 7, 2011 9:47 AM PDT
Steve-505729 Comment collapsed by the community
what
#3 - Thu Apr 7, 2011 9:47 AM PDT
Steve-505729 Comment collapsed by the community
about
#4 - Thu Apr 7, 2011 9:48 AM PDT
Steve-505729 Comment collapsed by the community
the
#5 - Thu Apr 7, 2011 9:48 AM PDT
Steve-505729 Comment collapsed by the community
Collasped
#6 - Thu Apr 7, 2011 9:49 AM PDT
Steve-505729
Posts...
You jumpped in so quick when IR posted about the Issue. But Nothing when you see the liberals doing it?
#7 - Thu Apr 7, 2011 9:49 AM PDT
Now it's time to let the fun begin, talking about which one would be the bigger train wreck as the republican nominee: Sarah Palin or Donald Trump?
Or how about a Trump-Palin ticket?
Hey now... a democrat can dream can't he?
LouisJ
Is that the funny haired bankruptcy mogul from BIRTHER avenue in NY?
He's bankrupting the American message. In my best Andrew Dice Clay Impersonation, "He'd turn Lady Liberty into a habitual Plastic Surgery junkie! Ohhh!"
Giggidy
:^o
Oh LouisJ, get real. "Turn Lady Liberty into a habitual Plastic Surgery junkie?" Now if that isn't a dumb-ass statement to make. By the way, has MSNBC stopped sending you information to submit under your name? Your posts have really gone from interesting, not believable but interesting, to extremely over-the-top.
What's up with the cheesy names?? Really?? And it's a shame more people can't think outside the box on this one....I'll say it again - We don't need a buddy in the WH; we need a very strong, effective leader that can take care of business for the US......And No More Lawyers!
The public shouldn't read any articles like this one--filled with bias.
I don't care who the article is about--it's about Americans not knowing the pure, simple facts anymore.
Trumps our man. Depending on his running-mate anyway. If Palin or any of those whack-job Repubs get their hands on his administration I'm not voting for him. But I'm sure Trump will be better than Obummer.
Yep, for sure couldn't be any worse than "president wrecking-ball"
Those that hate Trump are one of 2 things. Jealous or they just hate him because he is white.
KevinT - Yeah that makes a lot of sense... America is very racist towards white-people... do you think before you speak? (in this case, type?)
Oh please - can't he and the Palins just go away? This idiot is so in love with himself he just can't keep from opening his mouth to say how great he is. Please just stop reporting on his idiotcy! Kevin, please - what an idiotic post!
Above and beyond everything else, the Donald is a salesman.
I just don't like his sales pitch from this morning on Morning Joe, but he is entitled to go about it however he sees fit.
From the article, it doesn't sound like the dems have anything to worry about with The Donald. Apparently everyone expects him to just go away after hes stirred the pot and made some money. So as long as First Read, MSN and the rest of the libtards don't fall into his trap and give him the face time he craves, he'll probably just go away, right? The Domenico fell into The Donalds trap. Viera did too. Who's next? Line forms from the left...
Curious way to present The Donald in the article. "Not" that its a smear piece, but all I see is his negative history. Nothing about any good stuff. Typical leftist crap.
Lot of Republicans stroking the Donald. Strokin'! Stroke it to the east, stroke it to the west, stroke it to the Donald you love best... Republican strokin'!
Giggidy
(:^))
Kevin T is right. If people are always pulling out the "Race" card if we dare say something against Obama, why can't we pull out the "white" care - that's only fair.
I never said I hated him.
I just think Donald Trump is asinine, slanderous, and malicious, especially when he brings up the same old lies about President Obama's birth.
For one, Sarah Obama is not Barack's biological grandmother. She is his paternal grandfather's second wife. Second, the interpreter misinterpreted what Sarah actually said. I'm not even going to go into the other blatant lies being perpetrated by the Donald. The guy needs to stop being an ignorant, sensationalist jerkoff.
GendoIkari.....
Why don't you come clean and tell us how you really feel about Donald...?
Don't hold back now....
Nancy and Kevin T you both are something else. I'm white so my disdain for Donald Trump isn't due to the fact we are both white. The reason people claim that criticism of Obama is often race related, is because often it is the only viable explanation.
I would love to see Donald Trump as the GOP nominee, he would be as easy to beat as Sarah Palin. I've never liked Trump, whether it was when he was supporting Democratic candidates, which he's done quite often, or pretending to consider running for President as a Re[publican, the guy is a self promoting class-less jerk, and my disdain for Trump has zero to do with our shared skin color. However most of the people who believe President Obama wasn't born in the US (or like Donald know better but promote the lie any way) simply can't handle the idea that our President is Black.
And for all the conservatives who love Trump now, take a look at his campaign contributions, they overwhelmingly favor liberal Democrats. In 2004 he gave 2,000 each to Bush and Kerry. In 2007 he gave 2,300 (the maximum per election cycle) to Charlie Rangel and Anthony Weiner for Congress. In 2007 he also donated 1,000 to Robert Menendez for US Senate, 1,000 to Dick Durbin, 600 to Hillary's Presidential campaign. Although in 2008 after Obama beat Hillary he did donate 2,000 to John McCain. Trump gave the maximum allowed by law to Senator Schumer in 2009, and again to Anthony Weiner in 2010. In 2008 he gave 25,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign, which is 15,000 more than he gave to the Republican Senatorial Campaign in 2007.
What, that wasn't clear enough for ya?
Donald just needs to get off the retarded birther issue while he still has an ounce of dignity left.
Sean, my point is not that I should have to tell you about wonderful deeds Trump may or may not have done. I didn't write the article. My point is that if a so called reporter is going to write an article, regardless whether its about a person place or thing, that reporter would supposedly approach the subject objectively. The byline of First Read claims it is "the first place for key political news..." Too funny.
Perhaps Trump has never done anything charitable. I really don't know. Apparently it did not dawn on the author of this news article to cover that. So we don't know either. It was clearly more important to point out that Trumps yacht was formerly owned by an arms dealer. Did Trump get the pink slip because the dealer didn't pay his debt to Trump or was it because Trump picked it up at a police auction (good deals at police auctions sometimes, ya know). Does Trump know the dealer, or is he just some guy in the neighborhood whose kids go to the same school? We don't know. The comment in the article was clearly not meant to provide any in depth information, it was just meant to provide some libtard screaming points (libtards dont have talking points. Just screaming points. I've never met a 'tard that could have a civil discussion. After 30 seconds they're backed in a corner screaming and cursing. Just look at the previous comments on this thread, 1.1 through this one. Compare the language and name calling the 'tards turn to without provocation versus the language of the conservatives. Its funny. Thats a whole 'nother topic though.). The whole "article" is just a smear piece and inventory of 'tard screaming points. Why not just put that in the title instead of pretending its some news story.
You want to find out what Trump does? Google it. Look at another source yourself. First Read clearly can't do it.
Trump has declared bankruptcy numerous times but manages to keep his assets--not physical, folks.
He wanted to run for president when married to wife #1, but then, got divorced. It was an issue of infidelity. Then, he went on to collect other ex-wives. I think he figures that America is a forgiving nation and is willing to ignore his previous indiscretions. I caught a bit of Oprah, a show I never watch, and it looked like the Brady Bunch.
The point is, Bush bankrupted 3 oil companies and Trump has been in the tanker many times. Is this a pattern? Can you see what I see?
Rightly Amused, that is always because you Repukes don't know how to have an honest truthful debate.
Your conceited opinions do not equal facts. I'd just once like to meet a Republican who didn't lie through his/her teeth about everything.
Republican=Deceiver
GendoIkari - It wasn't long ago that I would have completely agreed with you except I'd adjust your equation at the end.
Politician = Deceiver
Both sides want to rape us of everything they can. The less they do for the American people the more the corporations give them in return. I believe I've seen the Democrats stand up for the American people more than the Repubs have, but then again, I'm just a stupid American like the rest of you so I don't know.
Domenico
what
about
the
Collasped
Posts...
You jumpped in so quick when IR posted about the Issue. But Nothing when you see the liberals doing it?
Domenico- Did we say *yawn*?
Domenico, I know you've got a serious liberal bias, buddy, but for the sake of your professional reputation maybe you could refer to potential presidential candidates by their full name. To see Donald Trump referred to as "The Donald" by a professional publication is insulting to its name. I mean, I expect it from George, but let's face it - that was never a source of news, while MSNBC purports to be.
Seriously, did your coursework in journalism EVER cover impartiality?? What happened to just covering the facts without bias?? It's just sad to read such articles, man. And you wonder why people turn to other news sources? Read (and internalize) my post again and it'll save you the suspense.
And we all know how viable George's business model was.
Kinda like Air America or MSNBC.
Or for that matter NBC. Still nary a word about Immelt. Huh.
We Saw 2 Weeks ago there Response to a Question about what First Reads responsiblity was to setting the Agenda at MSNBC. Yet continually they are in the bottom Rankings of the Cable TV News Ratings. they dont understant that it is their OUTRAGEOUS BIAS in reporting that keeps them at the Bottom..
officer,
'Impartiality' and 'facts without bias' ended with FOX boobs owner RM paying his own money just to get FOX boobs afloat for the sake of becoming the 'Message Management Machine' for the repugnicans and their overlords the top 1%'ers.
militaryofficer: Trump refers to himself as The Donald. He loves the handle. So what again is your gripe? OK if we refer to you as militaryofficer?
humansmatter - two wrongs don't make a right, and if everyone was jumping off a cliff, would you? We're talking about principles of journalism, here. Impartiality should always be a staple of a news article.
Kel-dog - the handle is still not professional, regardless. Furthermore, the blantant bias in the article is more the point of my comments (to answer your actual question). And, yes, you may call me militaryofficer.
officer,
Why does my statement imply two wrongs making a right? You asked what happened to it. I stated where I believe it ended. I certainly agree that impartiality should be in place. Sadly, I don't believe it will ever be
again. The damage done by the 'message management machine' will never be undone either.
I know you have a serious repugnican/conservative bias because you decided to make a person dig at me after I made a comment with which you do not agree.
I say go for it Mr. Trump, you have business sense, have run a huge corporation, raised hard working children and you are not a "yes man". Obama is the worst president in our history, he is running our America into the ground. God Bless us all.
Not sure I understand why all the talk about bias. The article is stating something and giving a reason why it is making that statement.
If he throws his hat in the ring this will be his third decade doing so. When he doesn't actually run again it will be three for three. Take what you will with all the comments about his financial status and business practices, a little window dressing is what it is. The point is Trump stating he will run for President is BS and it is proven.
Stop thinking like D's and R's and start thinking like intelligent human beings. There is no difference between having a D and R talk politics as there is a Catholic and Jew discussing religion. An argument will ensue. Too bad we can't focus on the one common goal that is good for all of us.
Think about this for five minutes. Why do humans have to separate themselves? We are one of the many species of living things on this planet. It does not matter what color you are, what language you speak. What screws it all up is religion and politics. Sorry, greed needs to be tossed in there too.
Religion and politics are both cults. Even if your opposing party has a brilliant idea you will oppose it. It's not a battle for what's right it is a contest to see who ends up on top.
Jumping off my soapbox before I'm pushed off.
Perhaps Trump and Beck?
donald trump for president ? Trump looks like something you would put in your farm to keep the crows away
Spanky-
Posted: "And we all know how viable George's business model was.
Kinda like Air America or MSNBC. Or for that matter NBC. Still nary a word about Immelt. Huh."
Spanky you are a sick excuse for a human. As a subscriber to George it was a great magazine, but as you should know when John F. Kennedy Jr. the founder and publisher of George died in a tragic plane crash the magazine did not survive. Prior to his death the magazine was growing. Contrary to the right wing spin MSNBC is doing very well, and is a great business model. It seems Trump's supporters like Palin's etc, don't like to deal with facts!
By the time the president is done with us we will vote for almost anyone else.
" Or his general self-absorption, penchant for exaggeration, and self-aggrandizement"
This description seems to fit the current President as well...
Give one example.
So does the headline.
President OBAMA? We've seen this horror show before
Donald Trump is a tool. He makes Palin look almost human.
I think this is a fascinating article. The Donald is a creep and was always a creep. He gives me the creeps.
But with all the great wonderful things about New York City, you are always going to have someone like The Donald. The word I would use to describe him is not fit for this website.
It begins with a "w". When I took the girls for a walk down Fifth Avenue one very early beautiful Sunday morning, the one bldg. I didn't take them into was Trump Tower.
Have you seen photos of his penthouse? It looks like something out of Saudi Arabia.
Trump thinks he's a prince, which he isn't. But he tries to pretend he is.
The only thing missing on his arm is Rita Hayworth.
Please Bev...I love Rita Hayworth..Don't tarnish my memory of her. Rita and the Donald? eeeeWWWWWWWWW
we haven't had a television "STAR" in the whitehouse since reagan, and look how great that turned out. i can picture the whitehouse now, draped out in red velvet and gold leaf everywhere. we'll have to put a big t on it somewhere, and give it a new name like trump house or house of trump. hail to king donald.
I hope he does run. We will be able to see what a big jerk he really is. Does he think that people with a brain will vote for him? He might get some birthers to vote for him but that is not going to get him into the white house. That nonsense he is ranting about President Obama's birth is crazy talk. I have lost respect for Mr Trump. If he were President,we would probably go to war with china. He really talks like an idiot.
The bar was lowered when Bush II was elected President. Trump as a Teapublican President is not that unfathomable considering how idiotic the electorate is.
And just when you thought the bar could not get lower, we had to follow with BO, a comunity organizer. If the last couple years have showed us anything, they have shown us that we need a real leader, not a talking head, but someone who actually has gotten things done. I do not know if Trump is that guy, or if the Republicans or Democrats even have that guy, but I do know that BO is not the guy. We need someone who will take responsibility for "what is" and quit blaming everyone else for their inability to lead effectively.
I suppose it's touching to find that "The Donald" has his apologists. I count maybe 10 votes for this clown already.
Meredith is a joke. The view suited her better. Â
Why would NBC put this garbage on the air?
Unfortunately to help the ratings of his trashy reality show. It's sad to see The Today Show sacrifice its integrity to build ratings for its entertainment division!
Tublican.
I saw this idiot this morning ...on Morning Joe ...He made a complete fool of himself ... and made his personal friends on the show .. visibly uncomfortable...He is now a total joke ...if anyone votes for him it will have the same novelty value as voting for Tinker bell......Hilton ! He totally lost any credibility as a serious candidate with his Tea Party Rants !...At my office we keep playing the tape and laughing at it ...Its just to funny ...a great man has fallen ! And he hasn't a clue ....Donald's father was right !
I saw a few minutes of it. (What I could stand before I changed the channel.) Gov. Ed Rendell was smiling. He knows that the further he sucks out the air from the Republican Party the better. He won't get the nomination, but he will probably screw it over for the non-crazy, ordinary looking or serious political minds still thinking about running.
willynel can you name one?
As president, I am sure he won't give banks special treatment and will be very frugal on White House expenditures - esp his wife - who undoubtedly would not be with him but for his money. Imagine waking up next to that every morning, bad breath and all - yuck
I would really like to see this Trumps' draft card or Rushes', or Newts' or Georges', or Cheneys' or Mikes' or Mitts' or any Teagaggers for that matter.
The fact that there is even a discussion about a serious possible run by this media manufactured tool is proof that the US has degraded into an Idiocracy. Smarten up people, your country depends on it! Trump has NO credibility unless you count television ratings and yacht ownership as a prerequisite.
Just what the GOP needs: A multiple bankruptcy, financial fraud, multiple marriage, egomaniac, and "birther!"
Don't they already have enough of them?
Why in the world would NBC give air time to this creep? What in the world is happening? I agree with some of the above people about his being a thug, and probably worse than that. I believe that the reason that the republicans are still questioning where our President was born, is because they don't want to appear as racists and are truly objecting to the fact that we elected a black man to be President of The United States of America. GOD BLESS AMERICA, and all of us who voted for the man, not his color .
Well, if they just stuck to stuff that was truly newsworthy, they wouldn't have enough material to feed the media monster. With people walking around with their eyes glued to their "smart" phones for updates on everything under the sun, what do you expect? lol
ahalsey18,
He's in the top 1%.
This is the Corporate States of America. Government by the top 1%, for the top 1%.
He will always be allowed to speak his mind for the 'Corporate Good'.
To further validate the Tea Party is all messed up.
Enough fluff... where does he stand on the issues?
he's a "birther",wants to cut taxes for himself, criticizes obama on everything, wants to kill "obamacare". aren't those the issues that matter?
I loved the MSNBC interview with Donald Trump!Donald touched on many issues that frustrate me, for the first time in my life I am excited about politics.If Donald Trump runs for President.. I am all in and more. I like what he stands for.
This is all a publicity stunt, he won't run because he would have to publish his true "wealth" which is most likely all smoke and mirrors. He is making money on his reality show and from speaking engagements. He has used bankruptcy too many times to "clear his debt". And his views are dangerous and stupid. He should take civics course 101 so he would know how the government really works.