Trump Tries New Clothes

Photo by Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA2.0

Hans Christian Anderson, the popular children's fairy tale author who lived in the 1800's, could easily have been hired as Donald Trump’s political operative in the 2016. His classic story of the "Emperor's New Clothes" is a tale that would play well in the Trump campaign.

As the story goes, two weavers are hired to make a very vain Emperor a new suit of clothes. The Emperor always had a coat for every hour of the day. The weavers promise him a top of the line best quality suit, made from a fabric that's invisible to anyone "unfit for his position" or "hopelessly stupid."

We have a candidate about to become the Republican presidential nominee who has thrived on changing his verbal ‘outfits’ at whim. But he finally agreed that he had to change some of his campaign in an effort to appear more presidential. So he flung out the old and controversial campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, and hired a new more seasoned “weaver,” Paul Manafort. Corey, it seems, was deemed unfit for his position. The man who touted "Let Trump be Trump" was escorted out of his Trump Tower office in true Trump fashion, by security guards, and muzzled by an apparent airtight non-disclosure agreement. 

Paul Manafort has been a long-time lobbyist and political consultant working with foreign governments, dictators and corporations as he wound his way around the globe of political operatives. Manafort has also advised the presidential campaigns of Republicans Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. He's a man who has been quoted as having a "history with strong men." A recent story in Slate says Paul Manafort "has a particular knack for taking autocrats and presenting them as defenders of democracy." Add to that the facts that Manafort's old firm has done work for Trump, and the new campaign chief has an apartment in Trump Tower. Sounds like a match made in Trump heaven. 

So two wealthy men of about the same age have come together to pull off a Trump victory. And a new suit of clothes begins to be designed. It weaves a fabric of advice determined to make Trump appear just as palatable and professional as some of the politicians Mr. Manafort has previously disdained. If that means using more things like teleprompter support to help him stay on message, then so be it. The newly woven fabric also calls for less Twitter, but that seems to be more challenging. Trump may being trying, but here's a recent Trump tweet: 

“Crooked Hillary is wheeling out one of the least productive senators in the U.S. Senate, goofy Elizabeth Warren, who lied on heritage.”

So are we to expect Trump not to be Trump under Manafort's reign? Donald Trump is who he has been for 70 years.

He may overtly show short term signs of changing his approach to the campaign, but over the long-term I believe Trump will be Trump. I was a New Yorker in the ‘70s, '80s and '90s observing this man. He has just gotten bigger, bolder, brasher, and more egocentric over time. The thought that Trump will reverse those characteristics as part of a long-term personal and professional overhaul is hard to imagine. 

If you recall, the Emperor's new suit showed him wearing no clothes at all. It was a tale of grand deception.

Can Baby Boomers Clinton and Trump Change Negative Views on Aging?

Presumptive presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump share two distinctly non-political titles by category. Baby Boomer and Senior Citizen. We don't think of referring to them that way, because it hasn't become a job performance issue in this race. Hillary is 68-years-old and Trump recently turned 70. Their vitality is self-evident.

If the campaign says anything about age, whether it be Clinton, Trump or Bernie Sanders, few have not marveled at the stamina they've shown during a grueling primary season. Forget for a moment the politics involved, as hard as that might be, these candidates are unintentionally positioned to become role models for a greater senior workforce that needs to be valued, emboldened and increased.

Each day 10,000 Baby Boomers are projected to reach the age of 65. Yet the prejudice of age discrimination lurks behind too many corners of this generation's life. Especially if you are a woman. Ageism and sexism unfortunately go hand in hand, and both are rampant.

If Clinton is elected president of the United States, she will not only break the glass ceiling of that office, but will help break another employment barrier that millions of women face every day. Age. Clinton would be 69-years-old at the time of her inauguration, the same age as Ronald Reagan. Most women can't get a job of any kind at her age, no matter how qualified they are or how hard they work. And prior to Trump entering the race, Republicans tried to raise the “age issue” against Clinton.

Women over 55 are confronted with employers who only see value in youth. If they are able to find jobs, it's often for less pay. Senior men face discrimination as well, but they have an easier time finding more jobs at higher pay scales. A report by the National Bureau of Economic Research puts it succinctly: "For women, age discrimination starts earlier and never relents." 

Age discrimination has been illegal since 1967. It needs to end. Our next senior president will have an opportunity to focus on the issue if she/he chooses. The political lift needed seems small compared to the economic impact on millions of unemployed Boomers who also vote. Our workplaces need to be age mixed and open to all who are qualified. Just like our White House.

Clinton's Victory - On Being the First

Late in the evening of June 6, 2016, the Associated Press announced that Hillary Clinton had secured the delegate count necessary to become the Democratic nominee for president of the United States. She became the first woman in American history to become a major party’s presidential nominee.

The news came as I was ending dinner with a childhood friend whom I hadn't seen in over 50 years. She and I stood on the street outside the restaurant reading the news on our phones. We each looked at one another, said nothing for a moment, and then said, "Finally."

For women of our generation - Hillary Clinton's generation - the significance of this historic moment is powerful. The strength of Hillary’s pure achievement as a woman in this country is never to be underestimated. She is now officially the first.

Clinton cinched the nomination in a low-key manner, as a few more delegates moved to her side and the word began to spread. No balloons or confetti. That will come later. No big speech. She did that last week. And voters are still voting before the primary season ends. But we know she's the one.

Her nomination will come 32 years after New York Representative Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman named a vice presidential candidate by Walter Mondale. On July 12, 1984, Mondale made history and did what many thought was a gutsy, smart political move. Thirty-two years is not yesterday, but that's how long it's taken for another woman to make her mark at the highest level in our land.

Being the first is not easy. It takes fearless determination. Like many women who worked the tides of change at the same time as Hillary Rodham Clinton, we know what it's like to break barriers. It's hard. You make mistakes. Not everyone likes you. But all along, we worked with dogged perseverance to win a place at tables of our choice. Hillary has won her place.

Unless there is a first, there can't be a second, or a third or a fourth. Congratulations Hillary.

Game On

Hillary Clinton finally launched a full out attack on Donald Trump that put the bully in his place - for a moment. Delivering a foreign policy speech in California on Thursday, Clinton came out fighting. She skillfully threw targeted punches at Trump showing the kind of strength that many Democrats these past months have been waiting to see. Framing her attacks on experience, Hers vs. His, she worked hard to get under what she called Trump's 'thin skin'. 

"He is not just unprepared. He is temperamentally unfit to hold an office that requires knowledge, stability and immense responsibility."

Clinton spoke substantively about foreign policy, but wove jabs at Trump as efficiently and effectively as any prize fighter. And it seemed to work. Trump was watching and tweeting comments throughout her speech.

"Crooked Hillary no longer has credibility - too much failure in office. People will not allow another four years of incompetence!”

Using a combination of broad strokes backed up with Trump examples, Clinton opened the doors to Independents and uncommitted Republicans for whom Trump is problematic. Perhaps the big tent approach revisited. The audience loved it. Ratings from the bigger audience are yet to come.

Clinton kicked off this last phase of her presidential campaign with a speech that will likely be viewed as one of the more important speeches of the 2016 race. Her tone was strong and strategically determined. Her words weren't used to whip up a frenzy. They were used as well-crafted weapons designed to invigorate an audience and position her opponent as a man with "dangerously incoherent" ideas. It's an approach we're sure to see and hear much more of going forward. She gave us an opportunity to think that all positive is not lost. Something that can only be described as refreshing at this point, in a very long and divisive race.

"Don't let anybody tell you that America isn't great. Donald Trump's got the country all wrong. This election is a choice between two very different visions… One that's angry, afraid and based on the idea that America is fundamentally weak and in decline. The other is hopeful, generous and confident in the knowledge that America is great, just like we always have been."

Since this presidential race began, we’ve watched Clinton appear to be searching for her true voice. The California speech on foreign policy helped her find it.