Conrad Black says that his āold friendā Donald Trump is not anti-Muslim, despite a proposal for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States,ā and that a President Trump would avoid the pitfalls of George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Black, the Canadian-born media baron and presidential biographer, heaped praise on Trump during an interview on CTV Power Play, calling him āa delightful raconteur, a gentleman, a suave character with a beautiful and charming wife.ā
Black stopped short, however, of endorsing the Republican front-runner, clarifying, āI like him but heās not my candidate.ā
Black elaborated on an entitled āTrump Is the Good Guy.ā In the piece, he wrote that U.S. politics is funded by sources like the āsleazy and opinionated philistines in the entertainment industryā and ācorrupt and vulgar and virtually all Americans know it.ā
Black argued that Trump supporters are reacting to 20 years of bad government. āIt is little wonder that the country is looking elsewhere than the ranks of its elected officials to find a possible president,ā he wrote.
The Lord Black of Crossharbour, as heās also known, was asked to explain Trumpās proposal to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. and he said Trump āshouldnāt have said it the way he said it.ā
Black said he believes Trump is merely proposing the same as FBI Director James B. Comey.
āComey said you canāt screen these people adequately if you bring them in quickly, and Donald is not saying we canāt ever have Muslim immigrants,ā Black explained. āHeās saying we canāt let them in right now without proper screening.ā
āHe does, at least, unlike most of the candidates, acknowledge that the United States is partly responsible for the huge numbers of refugees,ā Black added. āIf the U.S. hadnāt invaded (Iraq)ā¦ we wouldnāt have millions of refugees.ā
Black also stressed that he believes Trumpās campaign is not focused on opposing minority groups like Muslims, but instead is aiming at American people who are āmad as hell at the last 20 years of misgovernment by administrations and Congresses of both parties.ā
Trump, Black predicted, would āsettle it downā if he ever won the Oval Office.
āHe would actually define national interest, not over-extend like George W., not retreat like Obama, not have self-erasing red lines and he would stop the deficits.ā
After Blackās essay was published online Tuesday, Trump tweeted: "What an honor to read your piece. As one of the truly great intellects & my friend, I won't forget!!"
