Donald Trump is getting flak from all sides for not correcting a supporter who claimed President Obama is a Muslim, not an American. Both Democratic presidential frontrunners, Clinton and Sanders, criticized Trump for not pulling a “McCain” by standing up for our president. When confronted by a similar ill-informed supporter in 2008, McCain famously replied. “”No, ma’am. He’s a decent family man [and] citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that’s what this campaign’s all about. He’s not [an Arab].”
Megyn Kelly of Fox News, while addressing a group of Republican voters, affirmed Obama’s “not a Muslim,” labeling the comment “objectively ugly.” Republican presidential candidate, Chris Christie said Trump had “an obligation” to correct the questioner, and that he would have done so.
And I always thought American voters had a short memory! Apparently this affliction also applies to “news” reporters and politicians. It wasn’t long ago that Mr. Trump was a frequent guest of Ms. Kelly’s network, Fox News, questioning President Obama’s birthplace. In fact, Trump claimed he had dispatched a cadre of investigators to the alleged Obama birthplace, Hawaii, to dig out the truth (unfortunately we never quite heard the results of that investigation, which Trump, in a Fox interview, labeled “shocking”).
If Orly Taitz is the “Queen of “Birtherism,” surely Donald Trump is the king.
The fact is that Trump either believes in his own conspiracy theory about our president’s illegitimacy; that he is a Muslim born in Kenya. Or he is just a master opportunist who jumped on a crazy theory, milking it for all it’s worth. In either case, how could anyone expect Trump to correct the bigoted supporter?
If Trump played the “birther card” as a cynical way to garner attention and publicity, he succeeded big time. There would be no way in hell he’d rise to a “McCain moment.” It would be political suicide. Birthers form a large part of Trump’s base and he would never dare alienate so many low-information voters.
Megyn, here’s a suggestion. Have Mr. Trump as a guest on your show. Then hit him with this question, “Knowing what we know now, do you still think our president is a Kenyan Muslim?” It worked great when you popped a similarly worded question to old Jeb!
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AnnMelee says
Someone should ask Trump for a urine sample to see if he’s human.
John DeProspo says
Judging from his hair, which has never before been seen in the natural world, I would say the odds a 50-50.
fred says
Trump is the best thing that American electoral politics has had before it in years. I’d support him in every way until such time as he becomes the GOP nominee. Then, then I’d vote for whomever opposed him….
John DeProspo says
Yes,Fred, these are fun times thanks to The Donald. Hopefully he’ll sink the Republican Party as it currently stands!
signalfire says
Am I the only one who thinks a debate between Bernie Sanders and the t’Rump would be epic? Sell tickets and pay off the national debt!
John DeProspo says
No you’re not. Such a match up of candidates would be bliss.