He’s going to be hard to beat. He will be seen as lucid and persuasive by those who do not know the arguments for the other side. He was surprisingly glib after his halting performances in the campaign. He appears to have the capacity to grow into the job.

His confidence comes from being totally unaware of how wrong he is. The press is still either cowed, or more likely still in his pocket. A probing airing of issues on reversals in foreign policy since his inauguration would have produced quite a different press conference tonight.

He has two weaknesses. One is his arrogance which does not allow for contrary opinions to be spoken in his presence. His fatal flaw, however, will probably turn out to be something from his past which has not yet caught up with him.