It’s supposed to be an easy win for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Instead, the “tell it like it is” Republican presidential candidate is nipping at Clinton’s heels, and in some polls, a few points ahead. How is this happening? After all, Donald Trump represents everything America is not supposed to be. He’s irrational, a narcissist, a con artist, a racist, misogynist, and a fascist. I was under the impression America had long rid itself of many of these adjectives or at least locked them in a closet and thrown the key away. Obviously, I was wrong and should have known better.
Trump stumbles after surge in polls https://t.co/jv1kWXpt0Y pic.twitter.com/w0dzNJytaJ
— The Hill (@thehill) September 19, 2016
After all, this is a country that embraced “birtherism” in 2007, with Donald Trump leading the charge by proclaiming then-Democratic President Barack Obama wasn’t a U.S. citizen. The rumor was foolish and possibly started by a member in Clinton’s camp: Sidney Blumenthal , according to most conservative outlets. Regardless, liberals didn’t clamor for it, but Republicans craved every juicy conspiracy as fact, especially the Tea Party. Back in July of 2015, Donald Trump, according to Nick Gass of Politico still refused to admit his error about Barack Obama. Trump was a full-fledged birther , and he wasn’t apologizing either, no matter what the facts stated.
“I don’t know. I really don’t know. I don’t know why he wouldn’t release his records.”
Trump’s birtherism will b death of his White House aspirations: 4 Dems, a chance 2 remind voters of DT’s birtherism https://t.co/r5qGwLVd2y
— Maria Cardona (@MariaTCardona) September 19, 2016
Trump being a birther, for the most part, was ridiculous and whatever. Until it was affirmative: Trump announced he was running to be the 45th President of The United States of America on the Republican ticket. Americans and the media should have seen the writing on the wall as Trump descended the escalator and made way to the podium. But we didn’t. Trump’s candidacy speech was nothing short of bombastic and insulting with “Make America Great Agan.” That he was going to build a wall to keep out Mexicans, whom he believed were rapists and drugs dealers. Trump shouted his racism, and mostly the mainstream was horrified while simultaneously laughing it off. The thought being that America would bury this clown in irrelevance, but that strain of America, the good old boys of the Confederacy, it still existed. Minorities knew this well, but the elite, they refused to see.
A Star Is Born
Despite the pleas and moans from the establishment, Trump rose to the top, becoming the representative of the party. He won despite criticizing Hedi Cruz for her looks and deemed her unattractive compared to his wife. Besides, who wants an unattractive first lady? Trump won, despite his revolting and sexist comments about Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly. He won, despite his resistance to transparency about his bankruptcies, his love for debt, his affinity for Operation Wetback, and his disregard for the Geneva Conventions.
Trump has suggested not once but twice, that Second Amendment people should kill Hillary, but the media reports it as a hiccup compared to the coverage about Hillary’s health, her emails, the Clinton Foundation, and Benghazi.
He won despite his repeated retweets of white supremacists and claiming black people have killed 80 percent of white people in this country. It’s not the truth, but… facts, meh.
Trump refused to rent to blacks, and he declined to accept the reality of the Central Park 5 Settlement because Trump only still only sees black men as criminals. Still, he believes he will capture most of the black vote, “95 percent” by 2020, because, “ What the hell do you have to lose ?”
Worship Trump
No matter the implausibility of Trump’s wall or the racism in Trump’s maturity leave plan, that doesn’t include paternity leave, adoptive parent, or gay couples. Trump is loved.
It doesn’t bother people that Trump thinks 49ers backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick should exit the country for protesting the anthem over police brutality, a Constitutional right by the way. Trump is loved.
Trump loves Putin, a nationalist maniac who violates human rights and kills opposing voices. Still, Trump thinks Putin is a great leader — yet President Obama is contemptible — even though Obama respects the human rights of others. It just doesn’t matter. Trump is loved.
Trump is a liar (esp. Iraq War ), but his supporters don’t care because “Hillary lies too.”
Trump for months banned many in the press, like the New York Times , from covering his speeches. So much for a free press.
Trump loves the violence at his rallies. So do his supporters.
Can’t you see: Trump is above the rules. Once decency was required of all presidential candidates, but now those days are gone.
Trump can advertise hate into the mainstream and not release his taxes or medical records. Who cares? There’s no accountability for Trump.
There’s no taming this beast. Why? America loves Trump.
God help us all.
[Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images]