Esquire's new cover story on Donald Trump—great cover and cover line—is preceded by a letter from the EIC, who thinks Trump is just playing a game:

It was business as usual inside Trump Tower, and he broke off the interview right in the middle to give me a call.

After he bragged that he had "destroyed" Ben Carson ("I had to do it"), he was off on a conversation very much like the one I wrote about in my editor's letter two months ago. Here's how it ended this time:

"Yeah. So good to talk to you, man. So good. Hey, call me, like, in Florida or something; we'll play. You know, I have Doral, I have Palm Beach, so whenever you're down there, call me and we'll play, okay? Or you'll play with some friends. But call me, okay? You take care of yourself, David. Have a good time, thanks."

This is not a man who is planning to occupy the White House. This is not the man who personifies the rage that is rippling through our culture. When you talk with Donald, you get the distinct impression that he's enjoying this other person, this fellow named Donald Trump, out there tuning up the rubes.

I think this outlook is dangerous because Trump could very well win the nomination and the presidency. It is not out of the question. And if he does, it will not matter if he was just having fun and ginning people up—he will be the most powerful dude on Earth, for real.