“For everyone who cries wolf on racism — and there are a lot of them on the other side — they are now validated forever.”-- Rick Wilson, a longtime GOP operative, on Donald Trump's recent rhetoric relating to minorities and how it affects Republicans in the long run.
Although I've known for awhile that the Republican Party has a racist streak a mile wide -- and that Donald Trump has been the GOP's racist-in-chief for many years -- I must admit that I am stunned by Trump''s latest demonstrations of race hatred.
Politically speaking, there was really no need for any of it, given that he long ago secured the nomination. I get it that Trump apparently felt he needed to appeal to the racists within the GOP to wrap up the nomination, but now that he's done that, what's the point of continuing down that road? I understand that he is out of money and thus needs free media coverage to continue his attacks on Hillary, but couldn't he still say a lot of stupid shit without attacking Hispanics, Muslims, and black people in the process?
And how does the rest of the Republican Party deal with this? Last week, poor Paul Ryan had to disavow one of Trump's racist remarks the day after he endorsed him. Is this a good way for other Republicans to deal with Trump, or should the GOP simply embrace Donald's racism wholeheartedly and hope it gets a big turnout of white, racist voters in November?
I know that's a lot of questions, but we are navigating new political waters here. I still think Trump will eventually pivot and at least try to stop saying stupid shit, but that probably won't happen until after he officially accepts the nomination in six weeks.
UPDATE -- Steven Benen: "In recent years we’ve seen some Republican presidential nominees face accusations of making subtle, obliquely racist appeals, but Trump is relying on overt racism in ways Americans haven’t seen in decades."
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