This is a translation of a blog post on my personal webpage. It's about a French Businessperson and Politician who died. I'm surprised that the comparisons to Trump are few and far between. But, ublike Trump, Tapie has received respect:
I wore an OM (Olympique de Marseille) cap today. More by chance than by intention, it was the perfect cap for today. I didn't know he was dead until I heard he was dead on the radio right now. Yes, I had read the headline that he was dead, but I didn't make the connection until now. I'm more French than I thought and more by chance than design!
Yes, I wore a L'OM cap in tribute to Bernard Tapie despite his reputation. Is it fair to compare Bernard Tapie to Donald Trump? What do they have in common? In the opinion of former footballer Basile Boli: "With Tapie, lying is a way of life." Both Trump and Tapie have dubious beginnings and shady deals. Unlike Trump, Tapie has been convicted of criminal activity. Unlike Trump, Tapie presents himself as a socialist-type leftist. Tapie's socialism ran counter to his predatory capitalism. Barnard Tapie has said that "In the fifteen years of building my route, I've stepped on the yellow line 200 times. Given where I come from, I have extenuating circumstances."
In contrast, Trump has not admitted to his transgressions. Both Trump and Tapie are creatures of entertainment in sports and business. Trump is a member of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Tapie was the president of Olympique de Marseille from 1986 to 1994 as well as a promoter of other sports (e.g. cycling). Perhaps if Trump had stayed in the entertainment business and not entered politics, things would have been different. Yet Tapie also had a political career, but not on the scale of Trump.
The interesting comparison is the way Tapie's death is perceived by the media. Tapie's scandals are mentioned, but he is honoured for his achievements. Even if those accomplishments were shady.
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