Although Barnum was also an author , publisher , and for a while a politician , he said of himself , `` I am a showman by profession . '' Although Barnum was also an author , publisher , philanthropist , and for some time a politician , he said of himself , `` I am a showman by profession ... and all the gilding shall make nothing else of me , '' and his personal aims were `` to put money in his own coffers . ''