The American Prospect's Paul Waldman looks at the way the #NeverTrump cohort has shed their principles and shame and joined the cause of the neo-fascist vulgarian Donald "Rump" Trump. Much of it is pure Rethuglican tribalism: even a bucket of dog waste that had an "R" stenciled on the side would get an overwhelming majority of Rethug votes. Much is pure Hillaryhate and the view that they need to "take their country back," from whom they never say out loud. But it's also the fact that his opposition has folded their tents:
"Trump and Clinton are at different points in their campaign: Trump's opponents have all dropped out, meaning that supporters of Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio have already had some time to get used to the new reality, while Bernie Sanders is still fighting on (and telling his supporters that any result other than him winning is inherently illegitimate, the product of a corrupt system that needs to be dismantled). So Republicans are busy rationalizing, convincing themselves that Trump isn't just a gigantic blow-dried turd their crazy cousins left on their doorstep, but the guy they wanted (or at least should have wanted) all along." (emphasis added)We can hear former supporters of "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz, Marco "Glug Glug" Rubio, and perhaps even sad John Ellis "J.E.B. : ( " Bush, saying, "He's a turd, but he's OUR turd dammit!" and no matter how unqualified, bigoted, reckless or inconsistent he may be, they'll stick with him. They'll do that because they're the "crazy cousins" in Waldman's analogy: the angry, incoherent, and xenophobic base of the Republican / New Confederate / Stupid / Shooter's Party.
BONUS: Keep up with the lemmings joining Rump's campaign here.
(image: Lalo Alcaraz)
