Trump the Short-Fingered Vulgarian

How Donald Trump Became “the Short-Fingered Vulgarian”
Graydon Carter and Kurt Andersen reflect on the origin story of a cultural and political phenomenon.

By Jon Kelly
March 7, 2016
Donald Trump’s Short Fingers: A Historical Analysis
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By Justin Lane/EPA/Corbis.
“O.K., you, in the third row… Yes, you… I’m calling on you… Yes, that’s why I’m pointing… I’m pointing with my finger… My FINGER. This one… Why would you think I’m holding up a cocktail frank?”
Perhaps no publication so masterfully articulated the cultural semiotics of the 1980s—the greed, the excess, the wanton vulgarity—with the wit and aplomb of Spy. Founded by Graydon Carter, now the long-tenured editor of Vanity Fair, and Kurt Andersen, the novelist and radio host, Spy was (as its logo proclaimed) fun, funny, and fearless. In the magazine's pages, former Secretary of State and notable gadfly Henry Kissinger was reduced to, hysterically, a “socialite war criminal.” Arthur Sulzberger Jr., then the successor to his father as chairman of The New York Times, was dubbed “the soft, anxious heir to the throne.” But no epithet was more infamous, or oft-repeated as that of “the short-fingered vulgarian,” Donald Trump. Nor was any as enduring. At last week’s Republican presidential debate, Trump, the party’s improbable frontrunner, asked the audience, “Look at those hands. Are those small hands?”
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In a humorous and revealing conversation with NPR reporter David Folkenflik that aired Monday morning, Carter and Andersen reflect on the origins of Trump’s tagline (“Queens-born casino operator,” for one didn’t quite stick) and the history of their relationship to the digit-challenged businessman. They reveal the very formation of some of Trump’s most primal and absurd habits. So what happens if Trump wins? “Graydon and I would share a bunk in the internment camp,” Andersen notes. Carter, however, thinks it won’t get to that. Nevertheless, he notes, “I’m sure he wants to kill me—with those little hands.”
Elke Schlegelmilch<schlegelmilche@googlemail.com>
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You
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Der deutsche Begriff "herumfingern" passt hier!

"Herumfingern"

ist eine deutsche Redewendung, die sich aus den Wortteilen "herum" und "fingern" zusammensetzt. "Herum" ist eine Adverbialpartikel, die eine Bewegung oder T;tigkeit im Raum angibt, w;hrend "fingern" bedeutet, etwas mit den Fingern ber;hren, spielen oder damit herumt;fteln. Die Verbindung der beiden W;rter ergibt "herumfingern", was so viel bedeutet wie "mit den Fingern herumspielen", "herumt;fteln" oder "herumwerkeln".

Die Partikel "herum" ist von "hera" (aus) und "um" abgeleitet und gibt eine Bewegung oder T;tigkeit im Raum an.
"Fingern":
Das Verb "fingern" ist von "Finger" abgeleitet und bedeutet, etwas mit den Fingern ber;hren oder daran spielen.

"Herumfingern":
Die Kombination von "herum" und "fingern" beschreibt eine unkontrollierte, oft ungeschickte oder ungenaue T;tigkeit, bei der jemand mit den Fingern an etwas herumt;ftelt oder herumspielt.

Beispiele f;r den Gebrauch von "herumfingern":
"Er fingert ungeduldig an seinen Haustieren herum."
"Die Kinder herumfingern in den Sand."
"Er fingert an seinem Kn;pfen herum."

Die Redewendung "herumfingern" kann auch in einem negativen Kontext verwendet werden, zum Beispiel wenn jemand ungeduldig oder ungeschickt an etwas herumt;ftelt oder herumspielt.
herumfingern - Wiktionary
[1] sich mit den Fingern an etwas zu schaffen machen.
[2] sich mit sexueller Absicht mit den Fingern an jemandem zu schaffen machen.

Yury Slobodenuk <yuryslobo@yahoo.com> schrieb am Sa., 31. Mai 2025, 02:02:
How Donald Trump Became “the Short-Fingered Vulgarian”
Graydon Carter and Kurt Andersen reflect on the origin story of a cultural and political phenomenon.

By Jon Kelly
March 7, 2016
Donald Trump’s Short Fingers: A Historical Analysis
Image may contain Human Person Audience Crowd Clothing Apparel Sleeve and Speech
Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Human Person Crowd Audience Coat Suit Clothing Overcoat and Apparel
This image may contain Human Person Clothing Apparel Crowd Accessories Tie and Accessory
Image may contain Human Person Audience Crowd Coat Clothing Overcoat Apparel Suit Face and Miroslav Vitou;
This image may contain Finger Human and Person
Image may contain Human Person Snowman Winter Snow Outdoors and Nature
This image may contain Donald Trump Human Crowd Audience Person Suit Coat Clothing Overcoat Apparel Speech and Tie
Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Suit Coat Clothing Overcoat Apparel Human Person and Donald Trump
This image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Face Human Person Frown and Finger
Image may contain Human Person Sunglasses Accessories Accessory Finger Hat Clothing Apparel Burger and Food
Image may contain Megan Mullally Clothing Apparel Pants Donald Trump Human Person Sleeve Jeans Denim and Female
Image may contain Clothing Apparel Marla Maples Human Person Coat Jacket Tie Accessories Accessory and Overcoat
This image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Audience Human Crowd Person Coat Suit Clothing and Overcoat
This image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person People Sport Sports Hat Wristwatch Helmet Team Sport and Team
This image may contain Human Person Tie Accessories Accessory Coat Clothing Overcoat Apparel Suit and Sitting
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1 / 17
By Justin Lane/EPA/Corbis.
“O.K., you, in the third row… Yes, you… I’m calling on you… Yes, that’s why I’m pointing… I’m pointing with my finger… My FINGER. This one… Why would you think I’m holding up a cocktail frank?”
Perhaps no publication so masterfully articulated the cultural semiotics of the 1980s—the greed, the excess, the wanton vulgarity—with the wit and aplomb of Spy. Founded by Graydon Carter, now the long-tenured editor of Vanity Fair, and Kurt Andersen, the novelist and radio host, Spy was (as its logo proclaimed) fun, funny, and fearless. In the magazine's pages, former Secretary of State and notable gadfly Henry Kissinger was reduced to, hysterically, a “socialite war criminal.” Arthur Sulzberger Jr., then the successor to his father as chairman of The New York Times, was dubbed “the soft, anxious heir to the throne.” But no epithet was more infamous, or oft-repeated as that of “the short-fingered vulgarian,” Donald Trump. Nor was any as enduring. At last week’s Republican presidential debate, Trump, the party’s improbable frontrunner, asked the audience, “Look at those hands. Are those small hands?”
$2.50 $1 per month for 1 year + a free tote.
Subscribe Now
In a humorous and revealing conversation with NPR reporter David Folkenflik that aired Monday morning, Carter and Andersen reflect on the origins of Trump’s tagline (“Queens-born casino operator,” for one didn’t quite stick) and the history of their relationship to the digit-challenged businessman. They reveal the very formation of some of Trump’s most primal and absurd habits. So what happens if Trump wins? “Graydon and I would share a bunk in the internment camp,” Andersen notes. Carter, however, thinks it won’t get to that. Nevertheless, he notes, “I’m sure he wants to kill me—with those little hands.”





vulgarian
noun
vul·;gar·;i·;an ;v;l-;ger-;-;n
Synonyms of vulgarian
: a vulgar person

Examples of vulgarian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Screenwriters, who were treated by the front office as the disposable help, got a measure of revenge by portraying their employers as idiots or vulgarians whose sole role in filmmaking was to write the checks and gum up the works.
—Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2025
The result is the worst of both worlds: Washington is still pursuing a misguided grand strategy, but now with an incompetent vulgarian in the White House.
—Stephen M. Walt, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2019

Word History
First Known Use
1804, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vulgarian was in 1804
See more words from the same year
noun
vul·;gar·;i·;an ;v;l-;ger-;-;n
Synonyms of vulgarian
: a vulgar person

Examples of vulgarian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Screenwriters, who were treated by the front office as the disposable help, got a measure of revenge by portraying their employers as idiots or vulgarians whose sole role in filmmaking was to write the checks and gum up the works.
—Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2025
The result is the worst of both worlds: Washington is still pursuing a misguided grand strategy, but now with an incompetent vulgarian in the White House.
—Stephen M. Walt, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2019

Word History
First Known Use
1804, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vulgarian was in 1804
See more words from the same year