Does Donald Trump have single redeeming human quality?

[LDAHL]

Agreed, but I'm not sure he's not Richard Nixon. I can't think of much good to say about the guy. I don't disagree totally with all of his policies, but his means don't justify the ends.

I think Nixon was a more Shakespearean sort of villain: clever, complex, flawed and hubristic.

Trump is more of an Aaron Sorkin villain: simple-minded, uncomplicated, gratuitously nasty. The perfect foil for characters who speak in manifestos.

[Alan]

I've been on internet discussion boards and before that BBS Chat rooms long enough to know that he's just continuing a predictable cycle. In the 80's it was a proven fact among all my liberal online friends that our President was the most evil person to ever inhabit the office, old and mean spirited. He was followed by his minion who as a previous head of the CIA was also evil incarnate, but in a refreshing bit of Democracy in action he was followed by the most brilliant president ever, who was then followed by the dumbest President ever, then the most brilliant (again) ever (and a minority to boot, that made him extra brilliant), and then there's Trump. Wash, Rinse, Repeat.

[oldhat]

I'm seeing a lot of dancing around the issue and sniping at Democrats, but few answers to my question, which, as I said, was not posed facetiously. I thought hard for five minutes about this and really could not think of a single positive quality.

So far I've got that he appears to love his children and they love him, and he is possessed of some wit. I'm not sure about the first--narcissists see their children as extensions of themselves. As for the kids, I have to wonder if they aren't just recognizing what side their bread is buttered on. But I guess it's possible they really love him.

As for wit, I suppose I've heard him make a few self-deprecating remarks, but 98% of his "humor" seems to be about insulting others, usually in the nastiest personal terms.

[CathyA]

I can't think of anything, oldhat. Like you said, who knows if he really loves his kids.........or if they really love him. It's hard to believe that he hasn't been too hard on them......focusing more on them obeying, or accomplishing, rather than just being loved unconditionally.
I think Trump is a pathetic narcissist. I usually can feel something good about almost everyone..........but not him.

[creaker]

Early on Trump said something about being "unpresidented" [sic]. I think he nailed it.

[LDAHL]

I'm seeing a lot of dancing around the issue

Gun control is an issue. Immigration policy is an issue.

Really, really loathing Trump isn't an issue. It's more of a mental state or syndrome.

[rosarugosa]

He has nice teeth.

[iris lilies]

I'm seeing a lot of dancing around the issue and sniping at Democrats, but few answers to my question, which, as I said, was not posed facetiously. I thought hard for five minutes about this and really could not think of a single positive quality.

So far I've got that he appears to love his children and they love him, and he is possessed of some wit. I'm not sure about the first--narcissists see their children as extensions of themselves. As for the kids, I have to wonder if they aren't just recognizing what side their bread is buttered on. But I guess it's possible they really love him.

As for wit, I suppose I've heard him make a few self-deprecating remarks, but 98% of his "humor" seems to be about insulting others, usually in the nastiest personal terms.

You missed my main point which is he connects with his audiences. That you are not his audience makes that fact easy to ignore, I suppose.

[frugal-one]

Every person I know who voted for Trump has stated they don't agree with his tactics..... albeit they are all Republicans and, I believe, this is the ONLY reason they voted for him. As Trump said early on... "I could kill someone and they would still vote for me." That being said, the only redeeming thing to many is that he is a Republican (or at least ran on that ticket).

[catherine]

Well, one good thing you could say about him is he takes after chimpanzees. I was just reading an article about Jane Goodall, and this is what she says:

“In many ways the performances of Donald Trump remind me of male chimpanzees and their dominance rituals," she told The Atlantic during the 2016 election. "In order to impress rivals, males seeking to rise in the dominance hierarchy perform spectacular displays: stamping, slapping the ground, dragging branches, throwing rocks. The more vigorous and imaginative the display, the faster the individual is likely to rise in the hierarchy, and the longer he is likely to maintain that position."