Is Trump truly presidential?

To the editor:

Donald Trump's status as the presidential front-runner, between both parties, reveals the deep-seated distrust the American people have for their government. People welcome Trump's bluntness, even if they find it offensive, because one knows instantly what Trump - the presidential candidate - stands for.

There is no political rhetoric, no evasive language, and much of what Trump says people agree with. The trouble is that Trump gets away with projecting a blunt image because of his celebrity. A lesser known man, speaking the same words, would be dismissed by the media and the people as a fringe candidate. How can the same words spoken by two sets of lips provoke two separate reactions? Because people follow those they are familiar with more readily than those they are unfamiliar with.

Trump is a familiar presence on television, in the media, and in the public's mind is the personification of flashy unapologetic success. There is no reason to believe that Trump the president would preside any differently over our government than he has over his enterprises. We are familiar with Trump. I ask everyone to apply a simple test to Trump: would you entrust our nation's nuclear arsenal to this man? If you find the question absurd, it reveals that your attitude about Trump is more important to you than your attitude about the presidency.

David Sheets

Marion