Below are some of President Obama's best lines from the 2012 White House Correspondents' Dinner:

On Romney: 'We both have degrees from Harvard. I have one. He has two. What a snob.'

On Gingrich: 'Newt, there's still time, man!'

On Jimmy Kimmel getting his start on 'The Man Show': 'In Washington, that’s what we call a congressional hearing on contraception.'

On Palin: 'What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? A pit bull is delicious.'

On dogs: 'My step-father always told me it is a boy-eat-dog world out there.'

On the Huffington Post's Pulitzer Prize: 'There is no one out there linking to the kind of hard hitting journalism Huff Post is linking to everyday.'

On his heritage: 'My mother was born in Kansas. My father was born in Kenya. And I was born,  of course, in Hawaii. (Wink)

On the Secret Service scandal: 'I have to get the Secret Service home in time for their new curfew.'

On last year's White House Correspondents' dinner: 'We gather during a historic anniversary. Last year at this time, in fact on this very weekend, we finally delivered justice to one of the world’s most notorious individuals.' (Photo of Donald Trump flashes on screen.)

Below is the video:

Donald ‪Trump accused President Obama of making a secret deal with Saudi leaders in order to lower gasoline prices ahead of the 2012 presidential election. ‬

"Even though gasoline and oil prices are going through the roof, I have no doubt in my mind that President Obama made a deal with the Saudis to flood the markets with oil before the election, so he can at least keep it down a little bit," said Trump in his Web series "From the Desk of Donald Trump," which was uploaded to YouTube Wednesday.

"After the election it's going to be a mess. You're going to see numbers like you've never seen if he wins. Let's hope he doesn't win," he said.

Trump, who has endorsed GOP front-runner Mitt Romney, offered no evidence for his claim. The real estate mogul has been a harsh critic of Obama, repeatedly slamming the president's policies and leadership in his Web series and interviews. ‬

"Remember I said it — if he [Obama] wins, oil and gasoline through the roof like never before. I believe a deal was made. It's a sinister deal, but let's see whether or not I was right," Trump added.

Trump told Fox News' Neil Cavuto:

"Wind is destroying the environment in many, many places. People are going crazy over the horrible, noisy, disgusting windmills. And they are horrible and a horrible intrusion, ruining communities, and solar is weak and has not been effective and is very, very expensive."

Trump's position on wind energy being "disgusting" more likely has to do with his battle in Scotland to prevent wind turbines from obstructing the view on his planned golf resort.

Millions of college students could be in for a shock this summer when the interest rate on a popular federally subsidized student loan doubles unless Congress acts.

College students on Tuesday delivered more than 130,000 letters to congressional leaders asking them to stop rates from increasing from 3.4 to 6.8 percent. The rate hike affects new subsidized Stafford loans, which are issued to low and middle income undergraduates. They hope to raise enough awareness to get Congress to stop it.

"I will be put back into buying a house and saving up for my expenses later on in life, and life as we know, is very unexpected. Adding that variable definitely limits my ability to be successful," said Tyler Dowden, 18, a freshman at Northern Arizona University who spoke at a press conference outside the Capitol before the letters were delivered in boxes with "Congress: Don't Double Student-Debt Rates" printed on the outside.

Dowden said he anticipates graduating with $25,000 in debt, but if the rate increases, he expects to add about $3,500 to that tally. He's studying to be a mental health therapist.

President Barack Obama frequently tells crowds it's important for Congress to stop the hike because one of the most daunting challenges after high school graduation is affording college. His administration has said keeping the rate low would help 7.4 million borrowers save on average more than a thousand dollars over the life of the loan.

But doing so is estimated to cost billions annually at a time when Congress is gridlocked over budgetary and other issues.

With many lawmakers acting on a campaign promise, the Democrat-controlled Congress in 2007 passed legislation to progressively lower the rate to 3.4 percent this school year.

Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, has said the looming hike is the "result of a ticking time bomb set by Democrats five years ago" and that "simply calling for more of the same is a disservice to students and taxpayers."

Jennifer Allen, a spokeswoman for Kline, said in an email that we, "now face the exact predicament we expected: we must either allow interest rates to rise on student loans, or stick taxpayers with another multi-billion dollar bill."

Kline's office estimates based on a Congressional Budget Office figure that the annual cost to keep the rate low is about $6 billion annually, although some Democrats have estimated it would cost less than that.

With tuition costs at a high, students are taking on unprecedented levels of student debt. College students leave owing an average $25,000 in loans, and student loan debt now surpasses credit card debt.

Some graduates simply can't keep up with it. A report released Tuesday by the federal judiciary about the courts' caseload in the government-spending year that ended Sept. 30, showed that filings with the government as a plaintiff increased 25 percent as cases concerning defaulted student loans surged 58 percent, or by 1,588 cases.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., who spoke at the press conference, said it doesn't make sense for student loan recipients to face a higher interest rate than homeowners are getting on mortgages or that banks are able to get. The two back legislation that would keep the lower rate, but both acknowledged that in the political climate, it will be challenging to get the legislation passed by the July deadline.

The college students said they worry constantly about the debt they are taking on, and that the few thousand extra dollars they'd take on in new loans if the rate doubled would affect life decisions.

Samantha Durdock, 19, a sophomore studying government and politics at the University of Maryland, said she wants to go to graduate school after college so that she can pursue a career related to international affairs, but she thinks she won't be able to go immediately with the additional amount she'd likely owe. She said she already expects to graduate owing at least more than $20,000.

"Right now, if the loans stay how it is, it's going to be tight, but I could make it doing five years straight in school. But with the increase I'd probably have to take off," Durdock said.

_____

Associated Press writer Mark Sherman contributed to this report.

_____

Federation of State Public Interest Research Groups: http://www.uspirg.org/

Rebuild the Dream: http://rebuildthedream.com/

Donald Trump will endorse former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, according to new reports. Sources close to the Gingrich campaign confirmed on Wednesday Trump would endorse the former Speaker at a press conference the real-estate mogul is scheduled to hold Thursday afternoon.

An adviser to Trump said earlier on Wednesday that Trump planned to make major announcement in Las Vegas on Thursday at 12:30pm about the presidential race...

Meanwhile, Gingrich’s grubby marital history has caught up with him after women voters propelled Mitt Romney to a crucial victory.

Mr Romney trounced his conservative rival in the Florida election, winning 46 per cent of the vote compared with Mr Gingrich’s 32 per cent.

But the margin of victory was substantially bigger among women, 52 per cent of whom voted for the multi-millionaire mormon compared to just 28 per cent for thrice-married Mr Gingrich. Commentators suggested women may have deserted Mr Gingrich thanks to a combination of his philandering past and his combative persona in television debates...

A U.S.-wide poll of Republican women for the Wall Street Journal revealed some 57 per cent of women aged 50 and older held a negative view of Mr Gingrich, 68.

Donald Trump’s top political adviser told ABC News he’s speaking to “high-level political operatives” to explore a third-party bid for the real estate mogul, in a sign that Trump may not quite be done with the 2012 presidential race just yet.

“I can confirm that over the past two weeks I have spoken with many high-level political operatives, campaign managers, finance directors — some of whom I have spoken to in the past. Most are new people from all over the country,” said Michael Cohen, executive vice president at the Trump Organization and special counsel to the reality TV star.

“Until the time Mr. Trump decides to either endorse a candidate or run himself, I am exploring on his behalf the possibilities of ensuring Mr. Trump appears on the ballot in all states, and to develop a team of professionals who could ensure a potential victory,” Cohen added.

Reality television star and real estate mogul Donald Trump told Bob Schieffer on "Face the Nation" that if the Republican presidential candidate he endorses does not clinch the nomination, he may consider running as a third party candidate.

[CBS Video]

[CBS Article]

"I think people dislike the Republicans and the Democrats more than they ever have," he added. "So I actually think the right Independent could win, and there was a poll about a month ago, you saw it, where I was the number one Independent choice."

Even so, the businessman, who last year publicly considered a presidential bid under the Republican party before deciding against it, said he didn't want to run unless the people demanded it.

"I love my business. I love what I'm doing. I love this whole thing of what Donald Trump does," he said. "It's not something I want to do, I'd love to see a candidate come along who's going to go up but if I don't see a person that, number one, is going to win, that's tantamount, I would certainly think about doing it after the show ends."

"It's a very sad situation what's happening to the country and I do say that and I say many other things and somehow it resonates with a lot of people and that's why they, you know, would like me to run," Trump continued. "I hope I don't have to, but I may absolutely."

Within hours of the death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il, real estate mogul Donald Trump roiled the political situation in that Stalinist country by announcing that he would run for its presidency.

“Kim Jong-Il ruled North Korea as the egomaniacal leader of a personality cult,” Mr. Trump told reporters en route to Pyongyang. “I can offer continuity of leadership.”

"It's gonna be awesome," Trump said in a recent news conference. "It's gonna be like 'Dancing with the Stars' but without the dancing and without the stars. But we're gonna pack plenty of Christmas magic into this very, very special special."

Called "Christmas with the Candidates," the two-hour program will air on NBC, replacing the traditional Christmas Eve broadcast of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

"I say 'bah humbug' to that old ghost story," Trump explained. "It doesn't even take place in America."

As an alternative to Dickens and conventional debating, each of the candidates will appear live from a special holiday location.

 “You know who I’m very disappointed in? Michele Bachmann. She’s come up to see me four times. Four times. She’d call me, she’d ask me for advice, she said I should be her vice presidential, you know, if she wins, she’d like to think about me for the vice presidency, all of these things. And then after all of that, she announced she’s not going to do the debate. It’s unbelievable. You know, it’s called loyalty. It’s actually called loyalty. How do you do that? I mean, it’s amazing to me."

Late on Thursday, Michele Bachmann confirmed that she would not participate in Donald Trump’s proposed GOP debate. This followed fast on the footsteps of Rick Perry, who earlier in the day “respectfully” declined the offer.

That means Trump’s “debate” is down to two participants — Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum — with the noted businessman and celebrity birther activist Trump as moderator.

...Santorum, one of the few candidates yet to have experienced a “boomlet,” leaped to Trump’s defense...

SANTORUM COMMENTS ON TRUMP/NEWSMAX DEBATE

Verona, PA - Early this week, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich both agreed to participate in the NewsMax debate this December to be moderated by Donald Trump. Many in the media, political pundits and even some Republican Presidential Candidates have mocked the very idea - while some of the candidates are still weighing options.

Santorum issued the following statement about the upcoming NewsMax Donald Trump debate:

“Many of my opponents jockeyed to be the first to fly up to New York and use Donald Trump for a photo op and no doubt try and secure an endorsement. But when Donald wants to moderate a debate - they refuse to attend. That’s what’s so wrong with politics today - hypocrisy. At this critical time in our nation’s history, just weeks before Iowan’s cast this important vote - many of the other candidates want to hide behind TV ads and mail pieces. We plan to be there front and center in person to debate Newt directly, and if it’s just the two of us, we’re fine with it.

There’s no doubt that any of us are better than Barack Obama - however, we can’t afford to put up a person who can’t clearly articulate a vision or has a glass jaw or a unprincipled past. Donald Trump knows business and knows global markets - and we all know he’ll be able to bring in a broad audience. And let’s be honest, at least Donald Trump will have more in common with the candidates than with the vast majority of past moderators.”

Perry Campaign ‘Respectfully’ Declines Trump Debate - TPM: Rick Perry has turned down the invitation to the NewsMax debate on December 27 — which will be hosted by Donald Trump, the businessman, media personality and, most controversially, prominent birther activist.

Bachmann Won’t Participate In Trump’s Debat - TPM: That leaves Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich as the sole debate participants.

Reince Priebus on Trump debate: 'Malpractice' not to think there’s problems - Politico:

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus spoke out Thursday against an upcoming GOP presidential debate to be moderated by Donald Trump, saying it would be “malpractice” for him as the leader of the party not to think the debate was problematic.

“We appreciate what Mr. Trump has done, but if you’re still talking about potentially running as an independent candidate, I think that’s a problem,” Priebus said on Fox News. “I think that would be malpractice for me as an RNC chairman to not believe that that is an issue.”

on On The Record last night (12/6/11), Greta Van Susteren asked if Trump had ever met Obama.

Trump answered, “I’ve never met him… Me or others, you would almost think, 'Hey, call up the guy (meaning himself)! You could see he’s getting a little angry with the way you’re running the country. Call up Trump!' I mean, I have a big voice. Call up Trump, invite him to the White House. Get him on your side. Get him – you know, people listen to me and people listen to others… No calls. Not that it matters. But it does matter in terms of the country.”

Let’s be clear: birther Trump was saying that a meeting between himself and the president wouldn’t matter to him but to the country.

Mr Romney joins former Utah governor Jon Huntsman and Texas Congressman Ron Paul in rejecting the invitation, although he did not use their scornful language and said he had called Mr Trump personally.

"I’m not participating, he told Fox News. "I spoke with Donald Trump earlier today and indicated that we just can’t make this debate and we'll focus the other two [debates] we’ve got and some campaigning."

Newt Gingrich, the current frontrunner in the Republican field, is so far the only candidate to confirm their attendance at the debate, which is scheduled to take place in Iowa on December 27.

...

Aides to Congresswoman Michele Bachmann said they had not decided whether to attend the debate.

Donald Trump, it seems, is the GOP's televangelist for 2012. In the past, Republican presidential hopefuls have kissed the rings of the nation's most high-profile televangelists, groveling for votes from their television studios to their megachurches, the fruits of their insidious demands for their congregants' money with a promise that God will make them rich in return. Trump, like the televangelists, is a publicity hog with an empathy problem: I'm rich, and you could be too if you weren't such a loser (or, in the case of the televangelists, a non-believer).

He's meeting with Newt in New York, moderating a GOP debate — and, of course, hawking a book.

David A. Graham on The Donald's strange hold over the GOP field:

At the moment, his might be the most coveted endorsement in the Republican race.

No, not Herman Cain — he’s damaged goods. Not George W. Bush — also damaged goods, although for different reasons. Not elder statesmen George H.W. Bush, John McCain, or Bob Dole — too moderate, too heterodox, and too far removed from the spotlight, respectively.

It’s the Donald.

Five months after the reality TV star and real-estate icon dropped out of the Republican race — derided for his birtherism and his grasp of the issues, tenuous at best — Donald Trump is back and wielding power like never before. Late this month, he’ll host a GOP presidential debate, and he’s promised to endorse soon after that. Monday morning, he met with Newt Gingrich, an old friend and member of Trump’s exclusive golf club.

The two men had a good chat, and even hatched a plan for a youth version of Trump’s television show, The Apprentice. In line with Gingrich’s suggestion that teenagers be put to work — originally proposed as a way to save money and improve schools, the former House speaker now says it’s a way to introduce a culture of work to “urban areas” — the two men hatched a plan for “apprenti” pulled from the ranks of ambitious poor New York youths.

Trump says he’s excited. “This  would be very interesting,” he says. “It’s something we’re looking at seriously. There are a lot of very smart kids in the city.”

And he’s got more praise for Gingrich. “I’ve known him for a long time, and he’s a great guy,” Trump gushes. “He’s got a vision for the country and a lot of people are liking it. He’s done amazingly well in the polls, and quickly.”

So why not just endorse the Georgian now and get it over with? Trump says he’s waiting until after the Dec. 27 debate to decide.

Photo of Donald Trump by Gage Skidmore, Flickr.

In announcing that their candidate would not attend the Newsmax debate set to be moderated by Donald Trump in Iowa later this month, the Ron Paul campaign wrote, “The selection of a reality television personality to host a presidential debate that voters nationwide will be watching is beneath the office of the Presidency and flies in the face of that office’s history and dignity.”

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is ready to participate in what he calls, “Apprentice: The Presidency” with Donald Trump.

Donald Trump will moderate a debate hosted by conservative magazine Newsmax in Des Moines, Iowa on Dec. 27. Gingrich is the only candidate to officially announce his participation so far, both Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman declined.

“How could you turn down the Donald?” Gingrich said.

Gingrich said while he enjoys debating, for him it’s about the entertainment.

“I would want to go just for the entertainment value..."

ABC News’ Michael Falcone, Elizabeth Hartfield and Jen Wlach report:

Mark your calendar. On Dec. 27 Donald Trump moderate a debate with the GOP candidates in Des Moines, just six days before the Jan. 3 caucuses.

The debate will be produced by the conservative news website Newsmax.com and broadcast on the cable network, Ion TV. A source close to Trump confirmed to ABC News the real estate mogul’s role as a moderator of the event.

In an interview Steve Coz, editorial director of Newsmax, said he was “trying to figure out a way to make the Newsmax debate very powerful,” which is how the idea of involving Trump originated.

In his new book, “Time to Get Tough,” Donald Trump lashes into President Barack Obama and threatens to run against him next year if the Republicans don’t nominate a strong candidate.

Beating the drum even louder, Mr. Trump details his net worth—which he puts at $7 billion—and says he’s prepared to pour a large chunk of his $270 million in liquid assets into a presidential bid. (Mr. Trump values the Trump brand alone at $3 billion.)

“He’s prepared to finance an independent run for president if he’s not satisfied with the Republican nominee,” says the real estate mogul’s right-hand man, Michael Cohen.

John Harwood - Twitter

In @cnbc intvw, Perry tells me why he kept Obama birther issue alive: "It's a good issue to keep alive. It's fun to poke at him."

Perry on Obama: It's Fun to Poke Fun at Him - CNN

Tuesday morning, hours before Perry was set to unveil his economic plan, the controversy was injected with new life, thanks to an interview Perry gave to CNBC top political reporter John Harwood.

"Look I haven't seen his, I haven't seen his grades. My grades ended up on the front page of the newspaper, so let's you know, if we're going to show stuff, let's show stuff, but look that's all a distraction, I mean I get it. I'm really not worried about the president's birth certificate. It's fun to poke at him a little bit and say 'Hey, how about let's see your grades and your birth certificate," said Perry, in his interview with Harwood.

As for Trump, his spokesman late Monday night released a statement from the real estate mogul saying "despite releasing what is alleged to be his birth certificate, serious questions remain…is it authentic? I don't know."

In a bid to bask in the reflected glow of Trump’s spotlight, [Michele] Bachmann held a tele-town hall billed as an exclusive opportunity for fans to hear a real-estate mogul turned reality-TV star — whose signature phrase is “You’re fired” — hold forth on how to create jobs. “We’re extremely excited to have Mr. Trump,” Bachmann said, during an effusive introduction in which she thanked him no fewer than four times. “He’s on the call because he’s admired, he’s respected, he’s known all over the world as a man who knows the economy.”

Never mind that the forum was news to Trump. (“I didn’t even know I was doing it until you just told me,” Trump told Fox & Friends a few hours before the conference call.) The invitation, extended by Bachmann during a breakfast meeting last week, underscores the degree to which a confab with the Donald has become an obligatory pit stop on the path to the Republican nomination. Since abandoning the successful publicity gambit of pretending to seek the presidency, Trump has gobbled pizza with Sarah Palin, talked shop at tony Jean-Georges with Rick Perry, and hosted Mitt Romney and Herman Cain on the 25th floor of Trump Tower. Neither Trump’s slim political resume nor his regrettable fling with the birther movement has dissuaded these presidential aspirants from seeking his counsel.

“He’s the godfather of politics. Everybody comes to kiss the ring,” boasts Michael Cohen, a Trump executive and confidante who has steered the mogul’s quest for political clout. “Right now in the GOP there are four recognized kingmakers. Number one, there’s Donald Trump. Number two, there’s Chris Christie. Mike Huckabee. And the fourth – is it Senator or Governor DeMint?”

Beyond the bluster, there’s a kernel of truth to this. Trump’s political platform consists mostly of gassy pronouncements about America’s declining might and the need to assert its dominance over its rivals, but it has struck a chord with a fearful electorate. “I have to give you very high marks,” Barry from Pennsylvania told Trump on the call, “because you were the first and a very profound voice to call out OPEC.”

“They suck the blood out of you every time the economy starts getting good,” Trump agreed.

While Trump’s call for tightening the screws on China may be gaining currency — the Senate passed a bill last week that would punish the Chinese for manipulating theirs — that isn’t why the Republican field is taking turns making the pilgrimage to his Fifth Avenue skyscraper. Trump has a pair of assets far more valuable than any scraps of policy wisdom he might dispense: a thick Rolodex and a significant soapbox.

Two of the loudest voices in the presidential race met today -- but in as quiet a fashion as possible.

Donald Trump and Mitt Romney huddled for about an hour in midtown. Romney slipped out a side door, however, avoiding reporters and his campaign left it to the Trump camp to characterize the conversation.

In an exclusive interview with The Brody File backstage at the Faith and Freedom Coalition in Washington DC Friday night, Donald Trump told me he’s still leaving the door open for a presidential run saying, “The door would be open if the Republicans do a terrible job as they have been doing in choosing the wrong person. The door would absolutely be open.” Trump says he would have to still fulfill his 11-month contract with his NBC show, “The Apprentice” but says there would still be time to run.

Hat tip to Alan Colmes.

According to CNN, Donald Trump Will Not Seek Nomination To Run For President of the United States in 2012.

In light of recent polls, this comes as no surprise to many, but it goes beg the question of whether or not he was ever serious. A lot of folks have speculated that all the hoopla surrounding Trump's possible candidacy was nothing more than cheap publicity for his reality show.

In my view, he won't be taken serious the next time he cries wolf. 

Donald Trump: Welfare Baby

If Donald Trump's candidacy wasn't already dead in the water, this great Los Angeles Times story would seriously do his campaign some damage:

Trump has thrived with government's generosity

Donald Trump, the developer and would-be presidential candidate, portrays himself as a swashbuckling entrepreneur, shrewder and tougher than any politician, who would use his billionaire's skills to restore discipline to the federal government.

In his disdain of big government, however, Trump glances over an expensive irony: He built his empire in part through government largesse and connections.

From his first high-profile project in New York City in the 1970s to his recent campaigns to reduce taxes on property he owns around the country, Trump has displayed a consistent pattern. He courted public officials, sought their backing for government tax breaks under extraordinarily beneficial terms and fought any resistance to deals he negotiated.

He has boasted of manipulating government agencies, misleading officials in one case into believing he had an exclusive agreement to develop a property and then retroactively changing the development's accounting practices to shrink his tax bill. In New York, Trump was the first developer to receive a public subsidy for commercial projects under programs initially reserved for improving slum neighborhoods. Such incentives have now become the norm in the powerful New York real estate community.

Karen Burstein, a former auditor general of New York City, reviewed a major Trump project in the 1980s and concluded he had "cheated" the city out of nearly $2.9 million. Decades later, Burstein said she was still appalled at the way Trump operated.

One month ago, a handful of surveys showed Trump trouncing the GOP field, leading all comers by as much as a nine-point margin. But now, after a month of bruising press coverage, the latest PPP poll shows that Trump's support has quickly dried up, as he's dropped back to a tie for fifth place.

both the late-night comedy routine and dispatching bin Laden were symbolic victories for Obama and a blow to the rightwing nuts who want to destroy him. Taking out Osama bin Laden and Donald Trump in one weekend was quite a feat.

OBAMA: "But all kidding aside, obviously, we all know about your credentials and breadth of experience. (Laughter.) For example -- no, seriously, just recently, in an episode of Celebrity Apprentice -- (laughter) -- at the steakhouse, the men's cooking team cooking did not impress the judges from Omaha Steaks. And there was a lot of blame to go around. But you, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership. And so ultimately, you didn't blame Lil' Jon or Meat Loaf. (Laughter.) You fired Gary Busey. (Laughter.) And these are the kind of decisions that would keep me up at night. (Laughter and applause.) Well handled, sir. (Laughter.) Well handled. "

That was already a cutting and sardonic appraisal. Given the weight that Obama was carrying that night, it now appears in retrospect to be flatly devastating.

PART 1 - MENTAL ILLNESS, EVIDENCE OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS:

"The megalomaniac differs from the narcissist by the fact that he wishes to be powerful rather than charming, and seeks to be feared rather than loved. To this type belong many lunatics and most of the great men of history." ~Bertrand Russell

Let me begin by saying that I am not a doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist, by any means or stretch of the imagination, but I would like to think that I'm intelligent person that, through a combination of reading, avid learning, a natural thirst for knowledge and new information, almost two decades of experience related to public relations, and almost ten years in my independent role as a freelance journalist and writer, I have come to know and recognize some of the proverbial red flags when it comes to the behavior of people. I make this statement because there are those who will read this commentary, that also may be Donald Trump supporters, and ask me about my 'credentials' with respect to making the assertions that I do herein. Let's remember, intelligent people can disagree and, for those of you that disagree with my sentiments, please know that I respect your opinions too.

On with my short, but serious nonetheless, commentary.

I'm willing to wager that most, not all, but most people who have listened to Donald Trump talk, and probably scores of psychologists and psychiatrists (sans Dr. Phil), might come to the conclusion that, strictly and clinically speaking, he's a narcissist and quite clearly an unscrupulous megalomaniac that would sell his soul to the highest bidder (perhaps he already has, you never know).

Let's review the definitions of both of those assertions;

Megalomaniac:

A mental illness characterized by delusions of grandeur, power, wealth, affluence and a lust or craving for power.

Narcissist:

An inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.

Erotic gratification derived from admiration of one's own physical or mental attributes, being a normal condition at the infantile level of personality development.

I don't know about everyone else, per say, but I absolutely believe that both of these terms apply to Donald Trump, without a doubt in my mind, and, to be sure, both conditions are also characterized as psychopathological.

Mental illness, in and of itself, doesn't disqualify a person from running for office or even being elected (as history clearly demonstrates that, in some people's views, ten former presidents suffered from one form of mental illness or another). However, in 'the Donald's' case, and considering that his particular afflictions (among others) were also shared by other historical psychopaths and petty tyrants like Hitler, Alexander The Great, Darth Vader, Joseph Stalin, and Napoleon Bonaparte, [once again, among many others too] his mental illness must be considered by those who would vote for this very damaged man.

I know the Hitler analogy will rile some folks, so if you're among those offended by this comparison please consider that according to WiseGEEK.com:

"One of the most well known examples of megalomania in modern history was Adolf Hitler. A street waif, Hitler wasn't content rising through the ranks to become the military leader of Germany. His megalomania drove him to aspire to conquer the entire world. Being born into a "superior race" also wasn't enough for the mentally ill Hitler. Instead, he wanted to wipe out all other races. This need to destroy everything outside of what he perceived as an extension of himself is a classic though horrifically illustrated example of megalomania. Paradoxically, a person who exhibits such tremendous ego and self-confidence in reality has such low self-esteem and such a fragile ego that he cannot abide any expression other than his own, for fear of annihilation of the self. Therefore everything that is not under his control is perceived as a threat.

1. Trump's megalomania drives him to aspire to conquer the entire nation.
2. Trump believes he's better than most and, as such, conceivably thinks he was born into a 'superior race'. Let's face it folks, Trump's made some pretty racially charged comments of late and he positioned himself as the de facto leader of the racist 'birther' movement. To those that disagree that the 'birther' movement was racist, consider that there wasn't one non-Caucasian out there, anywhere, that jumped on that damaged, wrong-from-the-start bandwagon. I'm not going to debate this assertion on this thread because that's only a minor element of this commentary and, like it or not, more people agree with my point of view than not.
3. In my view, Mr. Trump does demonstrate a need to destroy everything outside of what he perceived as an extension of himself and, as the above quote says, this propensity is a classic though horrifically illustrated example of megalomania. Sure, he's not advocating genocide or murder, but he's quick to verbally and publicly attack anyone who crosses him. In fact, his ill temper is another abhorrent, very clear example that this man isn't running on all cylinders. Can anyone say 'loose cannon'? Make no mistake, America is better than what this jerk represents or has to offer.
4. Paradoxically, Donald Trump is a person who exhibits such tremendous ego and self-confidence but in reality has such low self-esteem and such a fragile ego that he cannot abide any expression other than his own, for fear of annihilation of the self. Therefore everything that is not under his control is perceived as a threat. This could not be more true when talking about this piece of cheese.

This, so far in its entirety, is my argument against taking this man serious, in any semblance of the word, due to his clear and obvious mental illness, shared by other historically significant madmen, and, accordingly, the notion of electing this psychopath President of the United States is akin to electing the likes of Sarah Palin, Charlie Sheen, or Alex Jones.

PART 2 - SCORES OF SKELETONS IN HIS CLOSETS

"Him, who incessantly laughs in the street, you may commonly hear grumbling in his closet." ~Johann Kaspar Lavater

Aside from having severe psychological challenges that makes it impossible for him to do business in good faith or without a personal agenda that's poisonous to America, this is a man who accentuates and personifies the aforesaid quote.

The Donald sure does one thing well and that's public relations. Most consider Donald Trump a world-class business success and he loves to tell us that. But nothing can be further from the truth and his PR team sure does make it hard to find Trump's failures.

Let's look at some of his skeletons that might suggest he wouldn't make a good leader of the free world:

Trump Plaza Hotel bankruptcy. On Nov 2, 1992, Trump's Plaza Hotel was forced to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after being unable to make its debt payments. Under the plan, Trump agreed to give up a 49% stake in this luxury hotel to Citibank and five other lenders.

Trump Shuttle closure. The Trump Shuttle became no more when it merged with Shuttle Inc, operating as USAir Shuttle in 1992.

Donald Trump personal bankruptcy. By 1994, Trump slashed a large portion of his $900 million personal debt and washed away  $3.5 billion in his portfolio's business debt.

Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts' bankruptcy. On November 21, 2004 Trump's company filed for bankruptcy. Trump said the filing was "really just a technical thing" as the best way to implement a restructuring plan.

Donald Trump personal bankruptcy (again). Once again, Trump filed for personal bankruptcy protection and restructured his debt in 2004.

Taj Mahal bankruptcy. On November 22, 2006 Donald J. Trump’s casino empire filed for bankruptcy protection after months of negotiations with bondholders over restructuring a crushing debt.

GoTrump.com. Donald Trump's online travel search engine was launched in 2006. Just a year later it folded.

Trump 29 Casino. Now known as Spotlight 29 Casino because Donald Trump's ownership/management involvement ended in 2006.

Donald Trump Ocean Resort Baja. This Mexican resort was never built and investor's deposits (up to $500,000.00) have not been returned. Trump claims these buyers are “lucky” because they would have lost more money in a tanking market had the projects been actually built.

Trump Towers Tampa. Trump is being sued right now in Tampa, Florida for taking deposits on a 52-story condo tower that he never built. None of the buyers got their $45,000 deposits back. And in an ironic twist, initial sales of this condo were so successful that all deposits were returned to charge a higher price.

Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago. Trump built the second tallest building in Chicago… he also defaulted on a $40 million loan. Rather than having to pay the bank loan, Trump demanded the same bank should pay him $3 billion for "undermining the project and damaging his reputation."

Trump Magazine. Trump's private-labeled publication (which was aimed at affluent readers in major US markets) suffered from sagging ad sales. It folded on May 19, 2009. This was Trump's third failed attempt at offering a magazine bearing his name.

Trump International Hotel & Tower New Orleans. If constructed, this Trump Tower would become the tallest building in the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana at 70 stories high. But the project was put on hold in February of 2009.

Trump Entertainment Resort Holdings bankruptcy. On February 17, 2009 casino operator Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection (with a debt ratio of $50 million in assets to his $500 million in debt).

Donald Trump SoHo Hotel Condominium. Donald Trump was sued for fraud over his New York SoHo condo offering in 2010. The lawsuit by 15 plaintiffs alleged that during the first 18 months of marketing, Trump advertised that the building was "30, 40, 50, 60 percent or more sold" when in fact just 16% of the units were sold.

Trump Ocean Resort Baja Mexico. Instead of a 525-unit luxury vacation home complex with pools and tennis courts, this project is shaping up to be a legal battle with a big hole in the ground. Dozens of angry buyers sued Trump for failing to complete the project. Trump claims he only lent his name to the project (and it was the developers who allowed the project to fail).

Trump International Hotel & Tower Fort Lauderdale. Construction was to be completed by the end of 2009 featuring 298 hotel condominium units. Having defaulted on a $139 million loan, Donald Trump announced in November of 2010 he was no longer affiliated with the project.

Trump International Hotel & Tower Las Vegas. Through the end of February 2010, the 1,282-unit condominium hotel had only closed on 302 units. That equates to a 23.6% vacancy rate. It was forced into renting out the building as apartments.

Trump International Hotel & Tower in Dubai. This 62-story mixed-used building on the Palm Jumeirah’s Golden Mile was first announced in 2005. Construction was never started and the $2.9 billion project had been canceled and replaced with a shopping mall.

When you run the math, that's 19 failures in less than 17 years… that averages one new failed business every 11 months. Even worse, a lot of people were financially ruined because of this single "successful" business guru.

PART 3 - CONCLUSION

Considering all the facts, including his evident mental instability, his insatiable propensity to attacks others, his infamous bad temper, his narcissism, his megalomania, his similarities to some of histories worst, most vile despots, his apparent racism, (the list could go on and on)... Do you really want this man representing America as President or, for that matter, having any real influence whatsoever in a nation that's already too politically polarized to properly function?

Donald Trump is an embarrassment to himself and the nation. I say we purge and fire him from the national narrative altogether. Donald Trump, "Your Fired."

Trump says jokes about him by Obama, Meyers were 'inappropriate'

Real estate mogul Donald Trump called jokes made about him at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner "inappropriate in certain respects." Speaking on Fox & Friends on the Sunday morning after the dinner, Trump responded to jokes directed at him from President Obama and comedian Seth Myers.

Donald Trump: White House Correspondents' Dinner 'Inappropriate' (VIDEO)

In a twist of irony, Trump told ABC News upon arriving to the White House Correspondents' Dinner that he didn't anticipate the president would address him in his speech.

And if you haven't seen the President's or Seth Meyer's presentations, here is a link to videos of both, along with partial transcripts: Roast Trump And Grilled Fox With Birther Sauce Served Up At White House Correspondents Dinner.

Hypocrite of the Week: Donald Trump

I'm sure you've noticed that Donald Trump has been taking a lot of time out from his busy schedule of grooming that animal that lives on his head and making a fool of himself over Obama's birth certificate to bash China and declare that our purchase of so many products made there is destroying America.

Donald Trump goes F-Bomb City in Las Vegas - with video

Among his F-bombs was this, directed towards China:

"Listen you mother f***ers we're going to tax you 25 percent."

Dear Mr Trump: Have you gone mad? Your behavior lately is very disturbing. It seems as though your brain has crossed a very critical line between common decency and insanity. And it's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between you and Charlie Sheen. You're the Manic Episode Twins.

Everything we really need to know about the character of Donald Trump was revealed when the wannabe president frivolously accused Barack Obama's late grandparents of committing fraud with his birth announcement. Trump told CNN that they had placed the Aug. 13, 1961, announcement in the Honolulu Advertiser because they wanted to get "welfare" and other benefits. But this casual falsehood revealed only the tiniest hint of the truth about Trump that Americans will discover if he actually runs for the White House.