(CNN) Buried in the middle of a richly reported and incredibly detailed New York Times profile of Rupert Murdoch, his family and the vast media empire he oversees is a remarkable anecdote about Donald Trump from the 2016 campaign that illuminates just how desperate the then-candidate was to prove that he was worthy of running for president.
"After the Fox contributor and Weekly Standard editor Stephen F. Hayes called Trump 'a clown,' Trump faxed [Fox News anchor Bret] Baier a copy of his résumé, with a note scrawled across it in black marker: 'Tell Hayes no clown could have done all this!'"
Pretty amazing -- and revealing -- right?
A billionaire celebrity running for president faxes(!) a copy of his resume to a conservative commentator who was dismissive of him. But not just that! He adds his own personal touch, noting that "no clown could have done all this!"
Now, it's important to remember that Trump is legendary for having articles he likes (or doesn't) printed out, scrawling a note of praise or contempt on them and then having the article faxed to its author. (Virtually every political journalist I know, including me, has been on the receiving end of one of Trump's faxed missives.)
But still!
Imagine this in your own life. Someone criticizes you on social media. You print out your resume, write "no clown could have done all this!" and send it to him or her. You wouldn't do that. Even if you really, really wanted to. And you wouldn't do it for a few reasons but the big one being: You would know how desperately insecure -- and thin-skinned -- you would come off.
Sending your resume to someone who criticizes you is right up there with comparing SAT scores or high school athletic accolades. It's just not done. Not by grown adults at least.
Which brings us back to Trump. He sent his resume to Hayes when he was around 70 years old. He was a multi-billionaire. The head of a global company. A (reality) TV star. A celebrity for going on four decades.
And yet, he could not let a slight from what he assumed was his home cable TV network roll off his back. He had to show Steve Hayes that he was no clown. He was Donald Trump! Rich, powerful, accomplished and well-educated.
Rich people who are secure in their wealth don't spend a lot of time telling you how rich they are. Smart people who are secure in their intellect don't need to tell you how smart they are. Accomplished people who are secure don't need to send their resume to every person who attacks them.
You get the idea. Donald Trump, well, doesn't.