What's Trump all about, really? A Phoenix editorial

If Trump were to do something truly bold, such as name Charlie Sheen as his running mate, then former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney might as well surrender any hope of sitting in the Oval Office.

The CNN poll was bad news for Romney; he dropped seven points. Romney now enjoys only 11-percent support among Republican voters. That's the same as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, the chronic adulterer running as a family-values candidate.

Despite waning enthusiasm for Sarah Palin, the Sage of Wasilla and former half-term Alaska governor nevertheless nosed out Gingrich and Romney by a point. Tough cheese, boys. Glenn Beck may be having second thoughts about Palin, but she's still more popular than either of you.

Still, the Trump candidacy is baffling.

In the scheme of things, Trump's running makes a certain amount of sense. He is an egomaniacal blowhard. And that has rarely been a handicap in politics.

What is hard to fathom, however, is the ease with which Trump navigated the transition from public curiosity to public figure.

If Trump sticks with it, will the electorate demand full disclosure of his numerous bankruptcies and assorted wheelings and dealings?

For Trump, the art of the deal often rests on filing for bankruptcy. Viewed from this angle, his run may be a perfect metaphor: not only for the state of the Republican Party, but also for the condition of the American political system.

Trump's presidential fantasies may be a bad joke, but talk of this guy as a serious candidate validates the old saying, "You will never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."

This, of course, is the mantra of the corporately owned media, the promoters of this farce. Sleep tight, America.