Donald Trump, in a telephone interview with the New York Times, claims a mandate to continue, as the Times headline puts it, to be provocative. That’s more polite than this article’s headline. Politico was even more polite, describing the so-called mandate as “let Trump be Trump.” No matter how polite we care to be about it, the point is that Trump is going to continue to campaign as he has in the primary.

“You win the pennant and now you’re in the World Series — you gonna change?” Mr. Trump said. “People like the way I’m doing.”

He argued that he stood a better chance of inspiring voters in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania if he was his authentic self, rather than shifting from populist outsider to political insider to please a relative handful of Republican elites who are part of the establishment he has railed against for months. He said his huge rallies, where outbursts of violence and racist taunts have vexed many Republican leaders, and his attacks against adversaries on Twitter and in television interviews would continue because he believes Americans admire his aggressive, take-charge style. “I think I have a mandate from the people,” Mr. Trump continued, referring to his victories in 29 states, including Nebraska and West Virginia on Tuesday night. “The people are tired of incompetent leadership at the highest level. They’re tired of trade deals that are ripping our jobs apart and taking their wages.”

What I like least about Trump’s analogy is that I was taught that you play like you practice. Even though Trump says President Trump would be different that candidate Trump, I fear there won’t be a difference. Practice like an a**hole, play like an a**hole. Campaign like an a**hole, Preside as an a**hole.