Patton: Who's Right - Romney Or Trump?

Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, attacked Donald Trump's business acumen in a widely-covered speech. "Whatever happened to Trump Airlines? How about Trump University? And then there's Trump magazine and Trump Vodka and Trump Steaks and Trump Mortgage. A business genius he's not."

Trump was not about to let Romney's criticism go unanswered. His brand is based on winning, wealth and success. That's how Trump attracts supporters. So if he let Romney's description of him go unchallenged, doubt might develop amongst his backers, and he would lose votes. "Mr. Trump turned to Job 1: defending his brand. 'I have built a great, great company,' Mr. Trump said. 'You have the water You have the steaks.' He added, 'You have the wines and all of that.'" (James Poniewozik. New York Times, 3/9/2016).

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Following three more caucus and primary victories on March 8, Trump held a press conference in which he put on display visual evidence that his businesses had not failed.

"I have very successful companies," the New York billionaire told reporters at the event at Trump National Golf Club Jupiter, in Jupiter, Fla. , as raw steaks, bottles of wine and vodka, and magazines stood near the man himself." (NPR, 3/9/2016).

So, let's evaluate point by point the criticisms Romney raised to see if they are true.

Trump Airlines. "Trump dumped $365 million to buy the tiny Eastern Air Shuttle in 1989 . . . The airline never made a profit and The Donald had to default on his loans to square the debt. The company flew away for good in 1992." (Jason Silverstein, New York Daily News, 2/10/2016).

Trump University. "The campus-less institute opened in 2005 and allegedly swindled some students for up to $35,000 with grand promises of top-notch business lessons." (Jason Silverstein, New York Daily News, 2/10/2016).

"New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is also suing and claiming that Trump and his associates defrauded students of a collective $40 million. The now-renamed Trump Entrepreneur Initiative is mostly dormant." (NPR, 3/9/2016).

Trump Magazine. "Some version of a Trump magazine was in limited circulation from the late 1990s until 2009 - whether it was the free Trump Style found in his Atlantic City hotels and properties or Trump World which also never caught on. The last iteration of the luxury lifestyle mag reached a circulation of 100,000 and sold for $5.95 before it flopped." (Laura Bult, New York Daily News (2/11/2016).

Trump Vodka. "Trump tried turning the branded bottled water sold at his casino into a home product throughout the mid-2000s. It fizzled . . .Trump Vodka also drowned around the same time, disproving its tagline, 'Success Distilled.'" (Jason Silverstein, New York Daily News, 2/10/2016).
Trump Steaks. "Trump did have an eponymous steak line, sold via Sharper Image. The company's website notes, however: 'Unfortunately, Trump Steaks are no longer available, but their legacy endures." (Brett Neely, NPR, 3/9/2016).

Trump Mortgage. "The real estate mogul failed to make any splash with the company, as the housing market collapse neared. . . The company lasted less than two years." (Jason Silverstein, New York Daily News, 2/10/2016).

So, what are we to believe - Donald Trump's claims or Mitt Romney's facts? Perhaps, three quotes by the famous circus showman P.T. Barnum can give us some guidance.

"Without promotion, something terrible happens . . . nothing.

"Every crowd has a silver lining."

"There's a sucker born every minute."

Gary Patton is the author of two books, "Selling Mt. Washington," a political satire about New Hampshire politics, and "Outtastatahs: Newcomers' Adventures in New Hampshire, " a humorous account of the struggles of newcomers to this state. Both books are now available in Portsmouth at the River Run Bookstore , Discover Portsmouth, and Tugboat Alley. In Exeter, these books can be obtained at The Water Street Bookstore and the Country Store at RiverWoods. In Hampton, look for them at the Galley Hatch gift shop. In North Hampton, both are available at "The Book Outlet." In Concord, these books can be found at Gibson's Bookstore. They are also available on-line at Amazon.com.