Trump loses in the Iowa caucus, but is not fired (yet)

Washington

HE is the ultimate Alpha Male, given to calling anyone who fails to make their first million by age 30 a "loser". He also holds the status of global celebrity, thanks - among other things - to the use of his stock phrase "You're fired!" as he eliminates candidates from his television reality show, The Apprentice.

There is thus little doubt that coming in second in the opening competition of the 2016 Republican presidential race has put a huge dent in Donald Trump's huge - or yuge as he would say it - ego; it is also a big blow to his plan to transform the White House in Washington, DC, into the Trump House.

At the minimum, failing to emerge the winner in the Republican caucuses in Iowa on Monday night probably tarnishes the aura of invincibility that has dominated his presidential campaign. The New York zillionaire has been proclaiming to voters in the rural Midwestern state: "I am winning", "I am leading in the polls" and "They all love me", even as he called his main rival in the race, Senator Ted Cruz from Texas, a "nasty guy" and "total hypocrite", and one who "nobody likes him anywhere once th…