Much of what drives the strong feelings about Donald Trump — fanatical support among his base and fear and loathing among his adversaries– is the prism through which he views the world (e.g., you’re either an enemy or supporter, nothing in between), and the way he expresses those views (you’re either stupid and a loser (opponents) or very intelligent and a wonderful person (supporters), with immediate and disproportionate attacks on anyone perceived to be the former.  Imagine a world where Trump had essentially the same accomplishments and setbacks, but viewed them as a normal person would; where he did not lash out at those who asked questions about his actions, beliefs, or business practices, but instead used the opportunity for some introspection that led to thoughtful answers.  In essence, if his campaign manager could actually “tame” Trump.  Here’s how an interview with such a Trump might go:

LA Star: You’ve had a lot of success in real estate development —

Trump: Well, I certainly wouldn’t want to take all of the credit for those successes. As you well know, it takes a great team to accomplish what we have done, and I would not want to hog the spotlight, at the expense of others who deserve enormous credit for their contributions.

LA Star: Nonetheless, it is your name up there on all those buildings.

Trump: Well, my marketing folks say it is important to “build the brand,” to have consistent name recognition, so that people can know the quality and style that they are buying no matter where they are.  Having the same name on everything helps facilitate that.

LA Star:  How do you feel about that?

Trump:  Well, I understand the marketing theory, but it’s a little embarrassing to have my name on everything.  It could just be Excellent Enterprises and have consistent branding.  Frankly, I think it’s getting a little out of hand.

LA Star:  How so?

Trump:  Well, on hotels and buildings, it’s probably OK.  That’s our core business, where I made my name, so to speak.  But on water . . . steaks . . . a “university” — what’s that all about?  It’s pretty far afield from my expertise. I mean who would even think that I had any experience expertise in these areas?  So I don’t really think having my name — as opposed to some other name — on them has any impact.

LA Star:  A lot of people I’ve talked to say you are one of the best natural marketers in the country, and that you are very intelligent, as well.

Trump:  That’s very kind of them.  It really is.

LA Star:  Do you think that’s an accurate assessment?

Trump:  Well, I don’t know.  I hold my own.  But you know, my experience has been that those who are always telling you how smart they are — and how high their IQ’s are probably don’t act that smart in the real world.  If they did, they wouldn’t have to tell everyone how intelligent they are.  It would be pretty obvious, don’t you think?

LA Star: I imagine so.

Trump: I mean, Einstein didn’t have to tell everybody that he was a genius — everybody could just tell, right?

LA Star: True.

Trump:  So I’m a little leery of people who are constantly say they’re so intelligent — and I don’t want to fall into that trap myself.

LA Star:  Getting back to the branding issue, a lot of people think you got into this campaign only to build your brand.

Trump:  Absolutely!  What do I know about the presidency?  There were 16 Republican candidates for God’s sakes.  How on earth was I going to escape from that pack?  That’s where some of the more extreme positions came from.  How was I going to distinguish myself from the rest of the group? Then it sort of spiraled out of control, and I didn’t really see how I could step away gracefully.

LA Star:  So you tossed your hat into the ring to enhance your business interests, rather than any real desire to be president.

Trump: Yes.  I know it seems crazy now, but at the time, it seemed like a natural extension of what I had done — going from being a developer and owner of a football team to a reality TV personality with The Apprentice.  I mean, what gets more free press coverage than a presidential campaign.

LA Star: But how did it go from being a novel marketing campaign to a bona fide political campaign?

Trump:  Well, I have to tell you, it is pretty intoxicating to speak in front of roaring crowds of 10,000 or 20,000 or 30,000 people every day, day in and day out.  It’s an adrenaline rush, and you can become addicted to it pretty quickly.

LA Star: So it was hard to just step away?

Trump:  It was.  If I’m being honest with myself, I have to admit that it was.  I thought I’d have some fun with it.  Just promise people what they want to hear.  I’d even make some bets with my friends.  “I bet I can say X” and they’ll believe it.

LA Star:  What types of things?

Trump:  It could be anything.  “I will build a wall on the Mexican border.”  And then embellishing it more and more.  “It will be a magnificent wall, very tall, and we will build it.”  And the capper, of course, was saying “And Mexico will pay for it!”  I mean, how ridiculous is that?  That was a side bet I had with Icahn.  He said no way you can make your supporters believe that.  But I did.  It’s funny and sad at the same time.

LA Star:  What are your other favorites?

Trump:  How about “I alone can fix the broken system in this country.”  Seriously?  How could anyone believe that.  I mean, I am comfortable with my talents, but I am not such a raging egomaniac to think that I have all of the answers — much less that I’m the only one who does!

LA Star: Many pundits have said that you have really changed the game in politics — that the normal rules of political physics do not seem to apply to you, and that traditional campaign tactics are not necessarily effective against you.

Trump: Well, that’s very kind of them. I’m not so sure about that, but OK.

LA Star:  So do you have any marketing or political heroes or anyone you’ve modeled yourself after, or are you truly an American original?

Trump:  Well, of course, I’ve heard the comparisons to P.T. Barnum and H.L. Mencken, which are not so flattering.  You know, “There’s a sucker born every minute,” and “You can never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”

LA Star:  So I take it those two are not your role models?

Trump:  Not really.

LA Star: Are there any others?

Trump: You know, there is a guy.  He’s from the totally opposite end of the political spectrum, so no one has made this comparison yet.

LA Star:  Who is that?

Trump:  Well, this one may surprise you, but do you remember Abbie Hoffman?

LA Star:  The Yippie from the 60’s?

Trump:  That’s the guy!

LA Star:  But you’re always quoting Nixon and dredging up his old tactics –“Silent Majority,” the “Law & Order” candidate, exploiting white folks’ fears.

Trump:  Yes, and my platform is more like Nixon’s — except for China, free trade, EPA, etc.  Remember, I said Hoffman was at the other end of the spectrum regarding policy.  But in terms of marketing political messages and exploiting the press, the man was a genius — an utter genius.

LA Star:  In what way?

Trump:   In every way.  They should study his tactics in political science departments around the country.  I could teach a class on him!

LA Star:  What are some of your favorite examples of his exploits?

Trump: First of all, he wore American Flags on his clothes before it became fashionable — literally.  He took a lot of grief for that, because people thought he was being disrespectful to the flag.  But now, a lot of the people complaining most about Kaepernick sitting or kneeling during the national anthem are wearing flag clothes.  The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs even wore a flag shirt to a Memorial Day commemoration!   I’m telling you, Hoffman was ahead of his time.  Way ahead.

LA Star: What else did he do that you admire?

Trump:  He wanted to run a pig for President.  Remember that — outside the Chicago Convention?

LA Star:  Vaguely.  What was the pig’s name?

Trump: Pigasus.

LA Star: That’s pretty funny.

Trump:  It was more than funny, it’s ingenious.  You can look it up.  It was a very clever play on words, conjuring up Pegasus, the winged horse and also “When pigs fly” that people say when something never going to happen.  Even Wikipedia has recognized how clever it was.  hat a brilliant satirical commentary on our primary, convention, and electoral processes.

LA Star: But you haven’t done anything like that.

Trump: No, but people have claimed that the Republicans have nominated a pig for president based on some of the things I’ve said about women.

LA Star: Do you regret saying them?

Trump:  Yes, of course I do. That type of name calling and stereotyping does not really advance the cause of reasoned discourse, does it?

LA Star:  No, but I’m a little surprised that you acknowledge this.  After all, you ripped into Megyn Kelly pretty hard for bringing that up.

Trump:  Well, I probably overreacted, that’s for sure.  It was early in the first debate, the first question to me, and I was nervous, and right out of the blocks, she hits me with that.   It was disconcerting to say the least.

LA Star: But you didn’t react so violently at the debate, it was in the ensuing days and weeks and months.

Trump: I know, I know.  I tend to hold grudges and fan the flames and make things worse.  It’s something I’ve gotta work on.

LA Star: And the name-calling, and the lashing out at anyone who has the temerity to criticize you in the slightest way.

Trump: I know.  You’re right.  My wife gives me grief about it all the time.  Ivanka, too.  Sometimes the tactics that work in business don’t work so well in politics.

LA Star: You have called your opponents throughout the primaries, and Secretary Clinton very unflattering things.

Trump: Indeed.  I wish I could have those things back.  You know, in the heat of the campaign, you say things that you know are bad as soon as they come out of your mouth.

LA Star: So you do regret them?

Trump:  Of course — anyone with any sense of decency would.

LA Star: So how does it keep on happening?

Trump:  Well, as I said, in the heat of the moment, things come out of my mouth.  It’s not an excuse, because it is really inexcusable.  It is no sort of example to set for my kids or for my followers.  And I regret it and I will certainly try harder in the future to avoid saying things like that.

LA Star:  But no promises?

Trump:  I wish I could, but I have to be realistic.  There was only one perfect man who ever walked the earth, and it’s not me — not by a long shot.  So as much as I would like to be able to make that promise, in good faith I cannot do it.  I don’t believe it is appropriate to promise things you can’t deliver.

LA Star: But isn’t that what your whole campaign is based on?

Trump:  Well, to a certain extent, but no one takes that seriously.  It’s all a game — give people what they want to hear, or what will make the biggest splash in the media.

LA Star: Like Abbie Hoffman.

Trump:  I’m telling you, the man was a genius. If I could have one tenth of his marketing creativity, I would be happy.

LA Star:  Do you ever consciously try to emulate him?

Trump: I do, in fact, I did so quite recently.

LA Star: Really, when was that?

Trump:  Well, let me set the stage a bit, if I may?

LA Star:  Certainly.

Trump:  Hoffman’s coup de grace — the thing that was just so amazing was when he claimed he was going to levitate the Pentagon — the biggest office building in the world! And he got tons of press to show up, and people were actually expecting something to happen.

LA Star: How does that relate to you?

Trump:  It was the inspiration for my birther “press conference” at my new hotel in DC.  But instead of the building being the ostensible reason for the event, my “big announcement” was.

LA Star: But your hotel wound up being the focus of the event.

Trump:  Exactly, and my so-called “announcement” — my words — meant nothing.

LA Star:  Whereas for Hoffman–

Trump:  –The building was the lure, and his words were the real event!

LA Star:  So you . . .

Trump:  Pulled a reverse Hoffman!  Exactly!  And no one from the press saw it coming!  I have a feeling that Hoffman would have been proud.  At least I hope so.  His tactics are still alive!

LA Star:  Though his policies were somewhat snuffed out when Bernie Sanders lost to Clinton.

Trump:  That’s why you and all the Bernie supporters should vote for me.  Defeat Clinton, who took the nomination from Sanders with her conniving with the DNC!

LA Star: I see what you just did there.   Very clever!

Trump:  Would you call it–

LA Star:  Hoffmanesque?  Yes I would.

Trump:  You just made my day.  Being compared to the master is all the praise I need.  Thank you very much.