Donald Holmes: Transparent Trump
Regarding the Aug. 13 column “The counterfeit Republican”: George Will’s analysis of Donald Trump’s candidacy is excessive, even for him. Consider just three of Will’s whoppers:
One: The tea party doesn’t like Trump? Oh, come on. Scapegoating immigrants and bashing poor people is a founding principle of climate deniers and birthers.
Two: This year’s Republican candidates are “the most impressive since 1980” or possibly 1856? Does Will mean the surgeon who compared Obama to Hitler, or the Fox News gasbag who likens the Iran treaty to the Holocaust? Or was Will thinking of the failed CEO, or the senator from “Green Eggs and Ham,” or the guy who wants to resume his brother’s disastrous war in Iraq?
And three: Will proclaims that today’s “Trumpites” are not really Republicans. Well, what are they, Democrats? The polls show Republicans prefer Trump.
Will’s objection to Trump is that he’s “coarse,” “vulgar” and “squalid.” And yet for years, Republicans, including Will, have appealed to these very same non-Country Club people who love Trump’s unvarnished opinions.
Trump’s direct style leapfrogs the hypocritical decorum of Republican leaders who believe everything Trump says but are afraid to come out and say it.
Donald Holmes
Chapel Hill
This story was originally published August 21, 2015 at 12:19 PM with the headline "Donald Holmes: Transparent Trump."