Title: A Face in the Crowd: President Donald J. Trump: A Personal View
Author: Barry Spencer
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 9781984583031
Pages: 158
Genre: Political Science
Reviewed by: Barbara Bamberger Scott
Pacific Book Review
Author Barry Spencer has constructed a portrait of President Donald J. Trump, examining the large body of criticism that has been leveled against him and shedding new light on his accomplishments and pragmatic character.
Spencer, a lawyer by profession, has taken pains to present a balanced view of Trump, whom he believes may be remembered as a great leader. He reminds the reader that Trump “rose from the ashes” from more than one business failure without losing his self- confidence. This in itself is a leadership indicator. Poring through the biographical information about the President available on Wikipedia, he finds it to be biased, as is, he asserts, much of what is written about Trump in the media. Examples are cited, such as single phrases lifted out of Trump’s statement after the events in Charlottesville to make him appear to be racist, while if the total text were included, it would be clear that Trump condemns racism despite his detractors’ insistence to the contrary.
Spencer points out that there has been no personal scandal arising during Trump’s administration in spite of many efforts to raise that specter publicly, while reminding us of former leaders such as JFK, whose sexual misconduct was widely known but never mentioned in the press.
The author offers his opinions as “a personal view” underpinned by what is evidently a serious determination to ferret out facts which have often been ignored and suppressed about the current President. His book is well organized, and his writing clear, succinct, with touches of humor, expressing a genuine wish to present an evenhanded perspective. He believes that Trump, who is neither introspective nor intellectual, can handle problems directly, saying what he means and getting results which are evident in such matters as dealings with China, Iran, and North Korea, and evoking a vibrant economy before the Covid shutdown.
In short, Spencer concludes, Trump has “the vision, the fortitude…the potential for greatness.” A Face in the Crowd: President Donald J. Trump: A Personal View should be read by those of any political persuasion who wish to approach the events of this election year and to look back on recent history with an open mind.
