Former media mogul Conrad Black says Donald Trump鈥檚 rise in the U.S. from political neophyte to Republican presidential nominee is an 鈥渁mazing achievement.鈥�
Speaking on CTV News Channel on Friday, Black said no one 鈥渉as ever run a campaign like this,鈥� referring to Trump鈥檚 rise from businessman and reality TV star to a serious candidate who could be elected U.S. president in November.
鈥淲hatever the outcome, what Donald鈥檚 done, it鈥檚 an amazing achievement,鈥� Black said.
Black says he is not a 鈥渟taunch supporter of Trump鈥� but a 鈥渄efender against excessive denigration鈥� of the Republican presidential nominee.
Trump was 鈥渃ompletely reviled and ridiculed by virtually everyone as a candidate who had no chance,鈥� Black said.
Now, as the U.S. campaign enters its final three-month stretch, Trump is viewed as a serious threat to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton鈥檚 bid for the White House.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e running even in the polls, there is no split in the Republican party and the Democrats opened their convention by firing their party chairman,鈥� Black said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a ding-dong battle, this election.鈥�
Black shrugged off former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg鈥檚 criticism of Trump鈥檚 business acumen in a speech at the Democratic National Convention earlier this week. In it, Bloomberg called Trump鈥檚 business plan a 鈥渄isaster in the making.鈥�
Black wouldn鈥檛 鈥渁ttach much credence鈥� to Bloomberg鈥檚 assertion that Trump will 鈥渨reck鈥� the U.S., he said. He says that if elected, Trump will produce 鈥渕ore sensible economic policy鈥� than what the U.S. has seen over the past decade.
Though he finds some of Trump鈥檚 鈥渞eflections garish and tasteless,鈥� Black says the presidential candidate is a 鈥渘ice guy.鈥�
鈥淚 will say this, that in the problems I had, he was absolutely loyal, he volunteered to come and give evidence for me, he sent me encouraging letters at every stage,鈥� Black said. 鈥淲e all go through difficult times and we remember the people who were helpful.鈥�
However, Black said that he doesn鈥檛 鈥渋dentify鈥� with some of Trump鈥檚 comments and 鈥渄emonstrations of ill-temperance.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 not a person I recognize, knowing him as I do, he鈥檚 not like that in person,鈥� Black said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a very nice guy, and a charming man.鈥�
