Just a story I saw in the Arizona Daily Star this past week — and nowhere else, including here, as near as I can find. I wanted to make sure it was on the radar of those cataloging tales of Himself.
Jack O’Donnell was a top executive at Himself’s Plaza Hotel and Casino. The last half of his time there, he was the president and chief operating officer of the operation.
He built the Plaza through the best times — the fight nights, hey, the Rolling Stones— biggest operation in the East. Then, when he left, the shenanigans started. When Himself went under and tried to blame other people, some of whom were dead and gone and beyond defending themselves, O’Donnell felt bound to defend their names.
In 1991, he wrote what O’Donnell himself describes as a tell-all, “Trumped! The Inside Story of the Real Donald Trump-His Cunning Rise and Spectacular Fall,” about his experiences with Himself.
After publishing what he felt was his personal last word on the subject, O’Donnell went largely silent, telling inquiring journalists, “My book was about that time. I’ve changed. I assume Donald has changed, too.”
Until this season, when he felt an obligation to share what he has learned of Himself’s acumen and judgment, and how this self-described billionaire might fare in a new office.
Back then, Donald Trump’s ego was as big as it is today. He was short-tempered, he was judgmental without facts, he judged people based on their clothes or the color of their skin. His attention span was so small it was almost impossible to have a strategic conversation with him about the business. He would say something one minute and change his mind the next. He would demand something be done one way, only to criticize that directive later, never taking blame. He never said he was sorry for anything. He was crude and sexist toward women, he was a philandering fool publicly. He would humiliate his wife without a second thought.
Donald Trump was humorless, cold and selfish. He would hurt the little guy if he could see even the slightest gain for himself. He refused to pay his bills, he sued anyone who got in his way. He threatened people like myself for telling the truth.
I am horrified at the prospect of a Trump presidency. I know first-hand that he lacks the intelligence, nor does he have the attention span to process the complexities of running our great country. The vision of him sitting in the War Room during a national crisis should frighten every American. Sitting with the Joint Chiefs, secretary of defense, secretary of state and others, he would be forced to do something he is not capable of doing: listening to others.
O’Donnell ends his message with a warning of pivots, saying the public will be told there’s a “new” version, that “he gets it,” but that, as only someone who’s worked so closely with Himself would know,
Well, from where I sit, Trump has not changed one bit . He was not capable of running his business without hurting others back then; he is not capable of running our country today without hurting others.
I hope you can forgive yet another story about Himself. I thought Mr. O’Donnell’s experience might be of benefit to us all.