So Donald Trump imagines he can influence the presidential election by requesting college and passport records from Obama (and THIS is what he told us would be a major scoop?). Seems he is less than willing to provide his own records, at least according to The Guardian’s story today. The paper asked him for his equivalent records and the request was declined – but only after further bluffing when the records were offered in a direct swap with the journalist’s own records. Well, same Guardian reporter agreed to do just that…..only then for Trump spokesman to declare the request ‘stupid’. Well, at least one part of that exchange was correct. One has to feel sympathy with journalists — imagine drawing this story as your beat on the election trail. ‘Farce’ is too limiting a descriptor but who would imagine such information would ever be such a focus of public attention?
V.M Daniel Regents Professor of Information