How “Nixonian” is Donald Trump really?

“An 11 [on a scale of 1-10]” joked historian and “Nixonland” author Rick Perlstein. But, in all seriousness, based on their similar distrust and contempt of the press, petty and vindictive personalities and obsession with control Perlstein is increasingly concerned for America’s future.

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Meanwhile there are some clear differences between former president Richard Nixon and the President-elect.

“Nixon was very shrewd and tactical, sedulous, careful… he wouldn’t have been tweeting… he would have been saying, ‘Let’s take away the Washington Post’s broadcast licenses that they rely on for their revenue,’ which, you know, Trump may be doing soon when he is granted the power of the executive office,” Perlstein told MSNBC host Chris Hayes.

“Nixon would not have taken to the podium and said, ‘I don’t like this person, this person and Dan Rather’; he was self-controlled enough to channel that!” Chris Hayes added.

Perlstein also pointed out that Trump’s temperament, in this regard, may change once he takes office.

“William Binney, the whistleblower of the NSA, has called [it] basically the spying apparatus that a president has at his disposal… created by Bush but continued by Obama’s turnkey totalitarianism,” Perlstein said.

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“So, basically once Trump can find out anything enemies are up to and find out where their vulnerabilities are, maybe find embarrassing things about them… leak them to Breitbart and soon it’s, you know, on CNN, God forbid MSNBC, then we’re talking about a different ballgame,” he explained.

A very scary ballgame.

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