Inspiring The Donald (If that’s at all possible…I think it is).

It is the day that we celebrate Martin Luther King’s Birthday in America. “That we the people through the instrument of our democracy can form a more perfect union.” This is not an MLK quote. It’s Barack Obama a few nights ago in his final speech at Chicago.

For many right now, there has not been such a divided United States in a very long time.

Either major presidential candidate, Trump or Clinton, would have been met with the idea that their presidency is illegitimate…the day after election day.

There is a kind of foaming at the mouth “get him” hatred emanating form Liberal America, the same Liberal America that yelled “Anyone but Hillary Clinton” without seeming to understand what the word “anyone” meant.

These guys apparently now want Mike Pence to be president.

They have an argument: Who attacks Meryl Streep on Twitter. (They may have other arguments…but this one is big).

Trump, who arguably supports gay marriage, insurance for all, working on improving the inner cities and providing more opportunity for people of color…keeps relying on his own strategy.

The underlying idea of that strategy, beyond pure instinct, was exposed in Michael Wolf’s interview with Steve Bannon…if we grow this economy at 6 or 7 percent…even Meryl Streep will be ok with us.

Fine. But the Donald can do more.

I was 10 feet from the candidate when he won in New Hampshire. In his speech he used the world “love” a whole bunch. Earlier that night when Bernie spoke, Bernie did not use that word at all. A lot of the hatred IS springing from American Liberalism right now, much of it in a fit of self-promotional strident righteousness.

Still, you can energize the economy without bumming out more than 50 percent of the nation.

Trump borrowed phrases from Reagan and Nixon to win this thing. Reagan was pretty good at not bumming out the nation. Nixon was not.

Trump actually opened Palm Beach clubs to people Palm Beach clubs were never opened to. He definitely thinks of himself as not racist though a non-racist very committed to merit, and merit that takes place at the very high end of things. He also has an actual feeling for energizing the bottom of the spectrum. Those ideas get lost in attacking Meryl Streep and John Lewis. It’s the ferocity of the attack back…that Trump may be underestimating…and if you’re not underestimating it…you’re still bumming out a growing number of people.

Trump is a show business guy, who, so far, has lost show business people. A New Yorker who, so far, has lost New Yorkers. Maybe he is sure in time that will change. Be great if he could change that earlier than later. Stepping up for women and against racial hatred at the inauguration? It’s never too early to step away from the white supremacist part of your base.