Trump's popularity baffles Stephen Hawking

WASHINGTON: He can explain black holes, space-time continuum, quantum mechanics, and other such esoteric matters in the universe. But Donald Trump and his popularity baffle him.

Stephen Hawking, the physicist who once famously conceded "women are a complete mystery to me," puts the Republican presidential candidate’s approval by Americans in the same bracket. Asked if his knowledge of the universe meant he could explain the popular appeal of the billionaire tycoon, the Britain-born cosmologist told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "I can't... He is a demagogue, who seems to appeal to the lowest common denominator."

Whether it is true or not, the appeal has carried Trump to within two points of Hillary Clinton in nationwide polls even as many political operatives and poll pundits share Hawking’s views -- and mystification. "We're having this struggle very publicly in America right now where a vulgar, demented, pig demon named Donald Trump is trying to make the United States a more closed society," former Clinton aide Alex Ross was quoted saying at another event. "We'll be saying, no more brown people, no more Muslims, let's get women back in the kitchen. Let's make America great again."

Such attacks notwithstanding, Trump is on a roll, gathering testimonials and media coverage that seems to favor him with its constant critiques about Hillary Clinton and her shortcomings. Even Trump’s backing down from a proposed debate in California with Bernie Sanders, a disavowal that generated the hashtag #chickentrump and provoked Sanders into taunting him about his machismo, has failed to dent Trump’s appeal among Republicans.

On Tuesday, fresh controversy broke over Trump’s purported wealth (which he claims is over $10 billion) and his assets, with question over whether his business interests – including a new hotel within couple blocks off the White House – could be on collision course with his business empire. One thing is certain though: If Trump is elected, just about anyone can stay at a Trump hotel round the corner from the White House, if the Presidential mansion's 135 rooms are not available.

Questions also swirled about Trump’s donations to war veterans, his business practices, and indeed, his whole approach to public life. But like with everything else about him, they seem to disappear into a black hole as Donald Trump took a quantum leap to the White House with the claim that he is the smartest candidate for the job.

"People who boast about their IQ are losers," Stephen Hawking once said. If it is true, Donald Trump will never enter the White House. Or Stephen Hawking is wrong.