It seems these days I am getting the reputation of being an activist in the Donald Trump fan club. One friend announced today he has given up having meaningful discussions with me for this reason.

However …

As much as I believe Trump is doing more good than harm, I feel that he more than anyone else I can think off has managed to combine some fantastic qualities with some pretty crass ones.

This is no where better demonstrated in a recent press conference where he managed (imo) to respond to some searching (he might have regarded it as hostile) questioning in true gladiatorial style and come off better and yet his lack of grace, defensiveness and down right rudeness had much to be desired.

This is nowhere better evidenced by a question posed to him by a young Jewish journalist, Jake Turx, about his approach to tackling anti-Semitism. Unlike with some of the questions Trump is asked, this was to use Trump’s response to questions he liked a good question and even if it wasn’t this surely is a price worth paying to have a free press. His response was embarrassingly awful (see here). The redeeming feature of this whole episode was the gracious way Turx responded to Trump’s response (see here).

Mr President: “I am rooting for you; you have already showed a lot of courage and leadership; you deserve praise and I will pray for you. But as I said, your response to Mr Turx was appalling. Might I suggest you will do well to apologise for your bad manners.”