Deliver us from America’s huckster-in-chief
“May I be honest; may I be decent; may I be unaffected by the technique of hucksters,” John Steinbeck once wrote in a letter to a friend. “May I for a little while, only for a little while, see with the inflamed eyes of a God.”
With the possibility of a huckster returning to the White House and subordinating public service to personal interests, Steinbeck’s prayer seems urgently relevant.
Evidence of Donald Trump’s grifts — great and grotesque — is difficult to miss.
In February, amidst widespread discussion of Alexei Navalny’s death, a looming government shutdown and battlefield losses by Ukraine while a military assistance package is stalled in the House, Trump hawked sneakers at a convention in Philadelphia.
At a price of $399 a pair, the limited edition of 1,000 “Never Surrender High Top” sneakers feature a large “T” on the side and a U.S. flag on the collar. At least 10 autographed pairs were offered to “go-getters who don’t know the word quit … true Patriots.” The sneakers’ website, which also sells Trump-branded shoes, cologne and perfume, claims that the product has “nothing to do with any political campaign.”
In December 2023, customers who shelled out $4,600 received a small piece of the suit Trump wore for his mugshot in Fulton County, Georgia. Digital trading cards in a “Mugshot Edition,” with pop art depictions of Trump, cost $99 apiece; baseball caps, $50; mugshot-themed wrapping paper, $35; socks, $25 a pair. In just........
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