Road to debate: Trump built image as he built business
In the same article, the 30-year-old real estate developer talks up his millions, showcases his penthouse apartment and Cadillac, and allows a reporter to tag along as he visits job sites and lunches at the "21" club before hopping an evening flight to California for more deal-making.
Along the way, he honed the communications skills that would benefit him at the negotiating table, turn him into a reality TV star and launch a presidential campaign.
Trump, who'd never participated in a debate before the presidential primaries, is keeping his preparations for Monday's leadoff general-election debate low key — no mock face-offs or the like.
Long before NBC's "The Apprentice" turned Trump into a reality TV star in 2004, he was advancing his biz-whiz image in TV and movie cameos, chatting up Howard Stern on the radio and filming ads for Pizza Hut, McDonald's and more.
A big question heading into Monday's leadoff debate in Hempstead, New York, is which Trump will turn up on stage — the bombastic name-caller who dominated stages for most of the primary season or the more disciplined candidate of late who marveled during the final Republican debate, "I can't believe how civil it's been up here."
Kall says that because a key question for voters is whether Trump has the right temperament to be president, the Republican nominee needs to put the bluster on hold and offer a measured, thoughtful debate performance in which he shows a command of policy detail.
At one point he appeared unfamiliar with the concept of the nuclear triad, which includes intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched missiles and strategic bombers.
Ruth Sherman, a public speaking coach, says the public has grown so accustomed to Trump over the decades that people give him a pass on what she says is a poor speaking voice.
Dan Schnur, director of the University of Southern California's political institute and a veteran of John McCain's 2000 presidential campaign, says of Trump: "For all his bombast, he must know that 90 minutes toe-to-toe with Hillary Clinton doesn't leave him much margin for error."