By The Sunny Isles Beach Reporter – Sharon Elster, Editor
From the moment Donald Trump announced he was running for President, politicians on both sides of the aisle, along with the media and powerful special interest groups began a vicious campaign to vilify and destroy him. Newspapers and network/cable news deliver a steady stream of innuendos, intentional misquotes and unfair criticism aimed directly at Mr. Trump. Yet while his detractors pound away at Trump the Billionaire and his at times politically incorrect rhetoric, Trump’s poll numbers continue to soar. Deeply frustrated and angry with the state of our union, Trump’s steadfast supporters applaud his gutsy and honest assessment of our nation’s problems. He says exactly what they feel. That people believe in Donald Trump is evident by the massive crowds (including an estimated 20% of Democrat crossover voters) who attend each of his rallies. His recent stunning victories in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada have the opposition reeling. Donald Trump is undeniably the dominant force in this race – unstoppable, unsinkable and invincible.
I recently had the opportunity to interview Eric Sacher who worked for The Trump Organization in New York for eighteen years, serving the last ten as Assistant Controller. In his book, Trump: Think Like A Billionaire, Donald Trump referred to Eric Sacher as “A financial guru within my organization.” What follows is a question and answer session that provides a fascinating peek into the man who may well become the 45th President of the United States.
SIB Reporter: What most impresses you about Donald Trump – his most important character traits?
Eric Sacher: Mr. Trump is a natural born leader who has combined street smarts with a first-class education and a keen knowledge gained from running one of the great real estate organizations for forty years. His strongest character trait is his natural ability to size up people and situations and make the right decisions quickly, based on what has been presented to him and his gut feel about the presenter.
SIB Reporter: What is the most special memory you have of Donald Trump?
Eric Sacher: I observed his amazing leadership keeping our company employees calm on September 11, 2001. We spent the day together watching events unfold and we actually witnessed the collapse of the second tower coming down from Mr. Trump’s office. He addressed all of us instilling a feeling that our country would get through this and we would all be alright. It was his steadiness and strength that helped us stay calm and get through a truly tough day.
SIB Reporter: More than 90% of Sunny Isles Beach residents live in condominiums. Mismanagement and fraud are serious problems that directly affect homeowners. You were on the Board of several of Trump’s buildings in NYC. What steps did he take to prevent this?
Eric Sacher: Mr. Trump owned several apartments in a building where there were ongoing disputes with the Board including impending litigation causing much concern to residents. We mounted a campaign to remove the entire Board. This included hiring professional ballot counters to ensure an accurate vote. We held the necessary meeting and stayed well past midnight until every vote was counted. Mr, Trump won and we were able to remove the entire Board. The next morning I had the pleasure to spend a few minutes with Mr. Trump who thanked me for my contribution in this effort. It always made me feel good to have pleased him. He can inspire you to go that extra mile for him because you know he is always fighting for what he believes in and you just want to do the same. Mr. Trump saw to it that his buildings were run in a first-class manner and to the highest standard.
SIB Reporter: Did Donald Trump treat his female employees fairly and did he provide ample opportunities for women to rise up the corporate ladder?
Eric Sacher: When I started my position with Trump back in 1990, women already held key positions in the company. One was corporate counsel. A group were involved in Residential Sales, another was working on a large development in Los Angeles. As time went on we always had women in key positions. In Mr. Trump’s eyes, it was his judgment of who could best get the job done, not the gender of the person doing the job.
SIB Reporter: Does Donald Trump relate well with his employees and how does he bring out the best in people?
Eric Sacher: Mr. Trump relates well with all his employees and he brings out the best in people by the example he sets. He will challenge you to go as far as your ability will take you and then encourages you to go even further to achieve greater and greater goals. At the end of the day you try as hard as possible because you are doing it for him as well as yourself.
SIB Reporter: Do you think Donald Trump has strong family values?
Eric Sacher: As you can see from the campaign, all of Mr. Trump’s children are there working alongside him to get to the presidency. He has unusually strong family ties with his immediate family as well as his siblings and he was extremely devoted to both his parents.
SIB Reporter: Who do you think would be a better friend/ally to Israel – Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton?
Eric Sacher: Donald Trump has always been a solid supporter of Israel. His daughter Ivanka is a converted Orthodox Jew. Who do you think would be a better friend to Israel?
The policies of the current administration were implemented during the first four years when Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State. Those policies were some of the most blatantly anti-Israel in many years. There is no question that Mr. Trump understands what a reliable stable ally Israel is and how important they are to an ever-volatile Middle East. There is no doubt that Donald Trump will be a great friend to Israel, in the tradition of past Republican presidents.
SIB Reporter: Do you think Donald Trump would be a great President and who would you like to see as his running mate?
Eric Sacher: I’ll take the last part of the question first. I would like to see Mr. Trump run with Chris Christie. They are both cut from the same cloth and would make a great team. However from a political viewpoint, the best choice to ensure a victory in those states needed to win the electoral college would be John Kasich.
I believe our country has been through a very scary seven years. It is now time to right the ship of state because we simply cannot afford to continue along the same path of the current administration. Mr. Trump will be more than just a president; having him in office will make him the CEO of the United States, something this country truly needs. Under Obama, domestic and international economic policies have become a mess. There is no one more capable and qualified than Donald Trump. He has already addressed his feelings on immigration which is a crucial aspect of our nation’s security that has been virtually ignored by weak ineffective career politicians. It is time to build a wall, to be in control of our own destiny and, as Mr. Trump promises make America great again.