The Unexpected Journey Into Politics
Trump announced his campaign for president in June 2015.
His entry into presidential politics transformed the way the public viewed virtually everything associated with him.
His business career became politically relevant.
His television persona became politically relevant.
His public statements became political material.
Even old photographs could acquire new significance.
This is something that happens repeatedly with historical figures.
Once someone becomes important, people become interested in their origins.
Where did they grow up?
What was their family like?
What schools did they attend?
What experiences shaped them?
What did they look like as children?
The questions are understandable.
But photographs alone cannot answer all of them.
A picture can show us what someone looked like at a particular moment.
It cannot reliably tell us what that person was thinking.
It cannot predict future political beliefs.
And it cannot prove that a childhood moment explains everything about an adult life.
