Republican Party "presidential" presumptive nominee and stain on humanity Donald "Rump" Trump is taking fire from both the right and the left this morning, as well he should. Here are but a few examples.
From the right:
(Bret Stephens): This is a foul electoral season, one conservative voters (or their children) will look back on with political regret and personal remorse. Mr. Trump’s “Mexican” slur about federal judge Gonzalo Curiel is the most shameful word uttered by a major presidential candidate since Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond thundered in 1948 against the “Nigra race.” As in 1948, Mr. Trump is appealing to constituents who have stuffed themselves on a diet of bad statistics and misleading anecdotes—people who fancy themselves victims but behave like bigots. Republican leaders who think they can co-opt or tame Mr. Trump will instead find themselves stained by him.
Meanwhile, let’s state clearly what shouldn’t need saying but does: Americans are blessed to have Mexico as our neighbor and Hispanics as our citizens. On this point, disagreement is indecency.
(George Will): The Caligulan malice with which Donald Trump administered Paul Ryan’s degradation is an object lesson in the price of abject capitulation to power. This episode should be studied as a clinical case of a particular Washington myopia — the ability of career politicians to convince themselves that they and their agendas are of supreme importance.
The pornographic politics of Trump’s presidential campaign, which was preceded by decades of ignorant bile (about Barack Obama’s birth certificate and much else), have not exhausted Trump’s eagerness to plumb new depths of destructiveness. Herewith the remarkably brief timeline of the breaking of Ryan to Trump’s saddle. (Will then goes on to describe the fall of Ryan.)(Ed.: As a reward for 40 years of racist dog- whistling and destructive nihilism, you own him and his vicious politics, Republicans.)
From the left (Eugene Robinson):
Bluffing is Donald Trump’s one great talent, and he brazenly bluffed his way to the Republican nomination. Now he is showing his cards, however, and they are utter garbage: racism, ignorance, capriciousness, egomania and general unfitness for office. That should be — it must be — a losing hand.
Imagine what a disaster it would be if this man were elected president. Really think about it. Then consider your obligation, as a citizen, to prevent such a thing from happening.Unfortunately, the latter isn't a consideration most Republicans -- officeholders and voters -- are willing to make. That's why the rest of us have a solemn obligation to pull together to prevent a Rump presidency at all costs (are you listening, Bernie supporters?).
