Donald Trump basically lies every time his lips move. It’s who he is; he can’t help it. His fondness for coarse language is well-known; he justifies it by juxtaposing vulgarity with “political correctness.” His misogynist tendencies and his blatant infidelities are a matter of public record. His bigotry is the centerpiece of his campaign. He admires foreign strong men, advocates violating international law and the Constitution, and supports a neocolonialist foreign policy. His tax plan is a huge giveaway to rich people who are already sitting on mountains of cash. His protectionism and his deficits would lead to a sharp recession. He thinks climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese in order to take away American manufacturing jobs. And, of course, he’s the king of the birthers.
Apparently, that amazingly undistinguished record wasn’t enough to cost him the endorsement of most of the Republican leadership, but an eleven year old tape may do the trick.
I’m at a loss to explain it. To me, the only people who should logically even consider voting for the man are the truly desperate, the deluded, and white nationalists. Everyone else is gambling his life, liberty, and property for. . . what?
My wife thinks it is his use of the p-word that set this episode apart from the rest. Maybe she’s right, or maybe it was a pretext for people already planning to jump ship, or maybe it was just the final straw on the camel’s back. One thing is for sure: if the establishment truly deserts him en masse, the likelihood of a split in the GOP after November just increased dramatically.