“Let me tell you, I’m a really smart guy. I was a really good student at the best school in the country. The reason I have a little doubt, just a little, is because he grew up and nobody knew him.”
–Donald Trump, on why he thought President Obama wasn’t born in the United States.

By Bria Nicole Richardson

There are many quotes from Donald Trump, Republican candidate for president, that make you laugh, shake your head or stop and listen. Whether you agree or disagree with him, you’re listening.
People tend to forget that Trump is a reality TV star. His money doesn’t come from reality TV, but the reason he is so known to ordinary people is because of the once popular reality TV show “The Apprentice.”
Trump is the first reality TV star political candidate, and his poll numbers are staggering. He has held a double-digit lead over his competitors for most of the past several months.
Some people think the things he says are unbelievable. But it depends on how you look at it. Perhaps those who identify with Trump — rich, Republican, conservative – think he is onto something, and his numbers don’t lie. But if you’re looking at it through a middle class, minority, liberal lens you might be  shivering over the fact that this man just might be our next president.
Trump is a businessman, and a good one at that, so it is no surprise that he is comfortable in the political world. Politics is like a big business, and Trump knows exactly what he is doing.
He has that “go-getter,” no-filter type of personality, and the public is taking notice. It seems every time he says something shocking, he comes back with an even more shocking statement, and it is working for his campaign.
Trump once tweeted, “Sorry Clinton, but my ancestors didn’t make their way to this great country to have immigrants come in and take their jobs!!!” Of course, Trump’s ancestors were once immigrants, too. He’s even gone as far as saying that his strict immigration policy would have prevented 9/11. Trump has said he would force the people of Mexico to build a border wall to keep immigrants out of the United States, although there are many questions about the feasibility of such a project.
We know how he feels about Mexicans, but what about gay people?
Trump told the New York Times this about why he opposes gay marriage:
“It’s like in golf. A lot of people — I don’t want this to sound trivial — but a lot of people are switching to these really long putters, very unattractive. It’s weird. You see these great players with these really long putters, because they can’t sink three-footers anymore. And, I hate it. I am a traditionalist. I have so many fabulous friends who happen to be gay, but I am a traditionalist.”
He has tons of supporters, some who show their allegiance in prickly ways. At a Trump rally in Richmond, Va., Black Lives Matter and Latino protesters were kicked out after supporters of Trump began to scream “white power” at them and told them to “shut the hell up” when they tried to speak.
So whether you can’t stand Donald Trump or you think he’s a genius, he has America’s attention.