At home and among his family--Trump may seem like a non-racist. But put him out among the people his racism becomes apparent.
5
Even if you accept trump's claim to be the least racist person, it doesn't matter. He's clearly fanning the flames of racism to further his own interest. What we need is not just someone who isn't racist, but someone for whom the idea of using hatred as a way of achieving personal success is repugnant. Clearly, that person is not donald trump.
6
I thought Mr. Trump's tweet was suggesting that the four congresspersons might return to their native countries and try to solve problems there, rather than preach to us how to run the country. I did not think he was using racist terms or suggesting they get out of the country and are not wanted here, as the rhetorical uproar seems to have it. I realize three are native born so suggesting they return to their country is a stretch, but it is a tweet, after all, not a term paper.
1
Trump's history as reported in this story portends the manipulative nature of the man today. Well known people who defend him now or have defended over the years had something in common, they were or still are interested, like Trump, in promoting themselves in the public eye. Recognizing a burning desire for mutual self-promotion has always been Trump's way to befriend other so called "celebrities."
Like so many people, Trump always made sure he was out of their earshot of these celebrity friends when he denigrated various racial and ethnic groups.
His sense of self importance has reached a peak now that he has become President. Those who still defend his racist rants are still looking out for their own interests. whether monetary, political or personal fame, with little regard for the erosion of civility that is becoming so much a part of our society.
3
Perhaps, Mr. Trump's sense of humor is magnified by his choice of tie.
2
Now: Tell *Donald Trump* to “go back* where *he* came from.
In 2020: *make* Donald Trump go back where he came from.
6
"Isn't jumping on every opportunity to advance your goals what makes a Trump a Trump?"
1
Question, NYT:
Why did you sit on this throughout 2016 and why, today, have you not released the full conversation?
"I think that it would be handled very beautifully by me, because, as you know, I'm very diplomatic," he told Stern, adding that while there would be a mix of light-skinned and dark-skinned black contestants, the white team would consist solely of people with blond hair.
I’d like to hear it in further context.
1
Putin and Russia wanting the West to have race wars and Trumps secret pictures from Russia might have something to do with it too.
3
I still find it amazing how people support this person. He comes across as a person who has no idea that what he says or does is offensive, but I have come to believe that he is very cunning in what he does.
He is putting different factions of people against each other and for better or worse will continue to do this until he is out of office, and probably even past that time since he has found that everyone has an opinion about what he says.
I think this is a dangerous time in this country but I have confidence that this too will pass, hopefully the next presidential election. In the mean time, we should be aware of the damage that he is doing to our country and its reputation around the world.
5
Much is said here about Trump's alleged racism. Democrats have been playing the race based politics by pitting groups against each other as a matter of policy. Hillary's campaign specifically ignored the blue collar middle class as expendable deplorables. Obama called them bitter clingers. Both engaged in the politics of division. "Send her back"was half the statement. The other half "and show us to how to fix real problems in their homelands" is left out. Voters hopefully will see though this race based politics of division Democrats have chosen. They have no other issues than promising free and phantom racism to run on.
2
Trump was right fifteen years ago: pitting an all-black team against an all-white team would make for serious ratings. But his idea in no way makes him racist, any more than it would have made black viewers and white viewers racist for watching.
"Mr. Trump sought to pit Americans against one another along racial lines."
WRONG
Substitute the word "ideological" for "racism" .
There is a huge difference - and you know it!
Stop calling it racism. You debase the meaning of racism.
2
@99percent Trump would not know the meaning of ideoligacal. If he can find a way to make money out of something controversial, he will use it.
3
Quantify that please.
Thanks for publishing a nicely balanced take from both sides on this story!
Trump isn't merely your run-of-the-mill racist; he's an equal opportunity racist.
You likely will never hear Trump use a slur or epithet in public (who knows what goes on behind closed doors).
But, his actions (denying blacks from renting his apartments; pitting a black team against a white team on "The Apprentice;" and his "birther" rants about Obama; to assassinating the characters of "the Squad," and his "big, beautiful wall" demonstrate the one would have to be that stupid, or that like-minded, not to say he's racist.
But, Trump is not just a plain, garden variety racist; he's an equal opportunity racist. His rallies alone should now be evidence enough.
5
Race is used by Democrats all the time! Do you have anything that is new?
1
Donald Trump is a racist no matter what he says - "There's not a racist bone in my body".......
What is surprising is the large percentage of our population that is racist also, especially the so-called Chjristians - although they are loathe to admit it......
But, if the shoe fits........
6
trump defines the word demagogue. A classic demagogue in the same vein as Hitler, Mussolini, Father Coughlin and Joe Mc Carthy. Stirring up the passions and prejudices of the most base and lowest instincts. To divide and separate.
Why do people refuse to study history and see exactly the harm demagogues have caused throughout history? Are we really destined to repeat that which we should have learned our lesson from?
6
Shirley Chisholm writes, “Racism is so universal in this country, so widespread and deep-seated, that it is invisible because it is so normal.”
How about changing the title of your piece to “Trump is a racist.” Stop being wish washy.
Charles Blow’s piece is brilliant.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/21/opinion/trump-racism.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
3
Sorry New York Times writers and headline writers, you are all too careless with that word "race"
The president uses racism for gain. He is a multi-reason racist and rarely, if ever, does he state that person x is to be looked down upon because person x is a member of - here some census bureau "race" names - black, white, Asian, Hispanic.
Instead he looks down on them because they come from the wrong country, because they practice the wrong religion, or because of any designation he can apply on any given day.
In the video he apparently speaks of people only in terms of skin color, at least according to the printed text.
To all Times writers: Race is not a synonym for racism.
Only-NeverINSweden.blogspot.com
3
A friend sent me an interesting thought yesterday. If you don't think what Trump is saying is racist, try using some of his statements at your workplace and see how long it takes for you to be unemployed.
15
This shows again how dangerous Trump is.
Trump is extremely good at making the most for hiself under given circumstances. That he does not shy away from violating standards of decency is actually of minor importance. The problem is that as a POTUS you are not only a player of a game that you cannot opt out of, but also responsible for the playing field.
He visbly cannot cope with this complexity. With his thinking and speaking in terms of final-moves he makes believe that participation is voluntary and for a country it is very much not. A country is in its nature a collective (and in this role a participant of cooperation between countries) We have words for withdrawing from these social agreements: revolution or war.
Donald Trump is what used to be called a "free-rider" in mid school economics class. You need those people test the fabric of your society, and if people like this become too succesfull re-weave your society.
But freeriders should not run, build or shape anything that is not purely in their self interest, they literally don"t care. They'll tear it.
5
Everyone knew this guy was nothing but trouble. 'The Daily Drama' continues, he's gotta have drama.
6
It's not race, it's bigotry they are capitalizing on. Difference is subtle, but pervasive and it's harder to fight. Takes many different shapes beyond skin color: Jewish, Irish, Pol, Italian, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Armenia, Tutsi, Bonsiak, Kurd, Catholic, Muslim, and Christian. And a hundred more over the centuries. But for some semblance of the law in this country, Trump's ilk is not able (yet) to treat segments of the country like Egypt treats Coptic Christians.
6
If Trump had pitched a show to Howard along the lines of a team of whites running against a team of blacks, only we give the whites a ten yard lead, everyone hear would yell, hooray! Affirmative action! Do we all realize how stupid we all sound debating this after all American history has taught us?
18
Some of us do, yes.
Trumpists, well, not so much.
Pity, really. Some nice country out here.
5
How does one avoid race when stating an obvious fact regards the Socialist 4 Congress persons? If they were, say, first generation Albanians and Croats who badmouthed the USA and denigrated this country like the Social 4 do, and Trump gave them the same advice nothing would be said...Nothing!
11
"For the fourth season of 'The Apprentice,' Donald J. Trump searched for a gimmick to bolster ratings. His idea was simple if explosive — pit an all-white team against an all-black team."
Trump was looking for a way to make more money. That doesn't make him a racist.
A quote from Ben Carson:
“We have purveyors of hatred who take every single incident between people of two races and try to make a race war out of it, and drive wedges into people. This does not need to be done.”
5
@BobC What's makes it crystal clear that he's a racist is his continued insistence on the guilt of the Central Park 5, even after the rapist was caught dead-to-rights. There are dozens of other perfectly documented statements on his part that are every bit as blatant, both before and after his election; but his followers refuse to acknowledge he's a racist because that would mean that they'd be acknowledging that they support a racist in the highest office in the land. They can't acknowledge it.
13
As one of many many examples, this absolutely is of concern to many law abiding Americans:
publicly available statistic:
“Although only 13% of the US population, African Americans commit 90% of crimes”
The concern is not racism. It’s actual.
12
That really is an incredible number. That is what the F.B.I. collects national crime statistics from local law enforcement reports?
2
Well, he eventually did get his ugly racist reality show...and sadly we are living through it now in reality..he constantly provokes a race war and divides the country.
8
Don't panic!
Donald Trump isn't the president, at least according to the NYT reporting from four years ago...
No theoretical chance!
1
You can argue that "actions speak louder than words." but when racist words are spoken by a US president in a widely distributed forum, they are actions. I won't touch whether the attributed "positive" actions represent sincere and significant attempts to be non-racist.
2
Race for gain; interesting. A saying attributed to Talleyrand goes something like this: "reprehensible, but even worse it's dirt stupid."
Let's now see how many Democrats file copyright infringement suits.
1
Here's what Democrats need to do to defeat Trump and his Neanderthal cohorts, ladies and gentlemen: they need to NOT alienate Caucasians (as the squad attempted to do in their attacks against Nancy Pelosi), they need to REAFFIRM their commitment to guaranteeing the rights of ALL races EQUALLY, they need to NOT attempt to take away private health care, NOT to open the borders to any and all, and they need to STAY AWAY from the subject of slave reparations. MOST IMPORTANTLY, they need to repeat how many times Republicans and Trump tried to take away universal health care under Obamacare and cancel coverage for pre-existing conditions AND remind voters that this was saved by ONE VOTE (John McCain) and that every vote for a Republican puts at risk the right of everyone to have access to affordable and "on demand" health care. THAT is the basic strategy and for good measure, they can talk about the environment, increasing the minimum wage and so forth but stay focused on the main issues and remain progressive WITHOUT losing their minds. Am I right, ladies and gentlemen?
4
So interesting to see “Progressive” Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all),
These words of Trump I can agree with: 3/4 of these women did indeed come from a country whose government is presently a "complete and total catastrophe," "corrupt and inept." The country, of course, is ours, the USA, and it's a real question whether it "even has a functioning government at all."
But we're still in a position to return to having a functioning government. The 2020 election may be our last chance, or at least our last chance in a long time, to return to who we are.
I sincerely believe that Trump's fundamental concern is that people who don't look like him (or like me, for that matter, since I'm also an old white guy) are now the majority in the United States.
My concern, on the other hand, is that all the nation's money is in the hands of a tiny group of people, and these people don't have the best interest of anyone but themselves in mind.
This expresses itself right down to the fact that we live shorter, less happy and less healthy lives than 42 other nations.
The population of the USA, black, white, yellow, red, or whatever, is becoming what we used to call a 3rd world nation. Those of you who are white and not rich--which is the majority of whites, wake up. Don't be Trump's suckers.
10
George Wallace also claimed later in life that his racism was an act, some believe it: anyone with a level of decency said nope George Wallace was racist.
5
Trump's bigotry is sadly a reflection of his supporters. Their racism is and has been ingrained in them for generations. They either can't see it or don't want to admit it. It's cyclical. They will continue to pass it on to their children. Trump is merely he conman using their animus to his advantage.
7
Afro Americans of a certain age have seen this play before many many times this is not unusual many politicians will use race as a defining factor around election time using code words and innuendo we all know their meaning and many people rejoice in that what did Faulkner say about the past
2
myself, i couldn't be more outraged and disgusted by our racist president, one who sees no need to apologize for his racist remarks in the face of video proof of his lying. why is it we have to resort to another 15 months of this deceitful creep, when we have proof positive of his divisiveness? how can a republican not vote to impeach this lying creepo when it is so evident of his constant and continuous lies? do these congresspersons not have a shred of integrity? god, i don't think i can stomach any more of this.
6
Before we 'send her home' for suggesting that Israel held an inordinate influence in Washington, and that it's about the Benjamins ( money ) shouldn't we research to see if it's true.
After all, Netanyahu did appear before a joint session of congress urging for an American action against Iran...which he got. And it should be possible to investigate who exactly are the biggest political donors and what their agendas are.
After all, Trump did cut all funding to the Palestinians while increasing aid to Israel and 'gave' them the Golan, he moved the American embassy to Jerusalem, and offered a 'peace plan' that's not much more than a leveraged buyout.
6
I prefer to not listen to what politicians in office “say.” Talk is cheap. Easy. I prefer to watch what they actually “do.” Quite often the actions have little relation to the promises.
It is like dating...saying you love me is not as convincing as behaving like you love me.
Plus, by focusing on actions frees up the voter to live her life thoughtfully and with a purpose which begins when your mind isn’t cluttered with politician’s blah blah blah.
4
President Trump’s relatively mild criticism of the Squad pales compared to his blunt remarks that silenced white luminaries like Jeb Bush, Hillary Clinton, Scott Walker, John Sununu, Megyn Kelly (remember her?) and Rosie O’Donnell. He has criticized and disarmed more white people than non-whites.
Why didn’t anyone point out those criticisms as racist?
Trump pointed out the quisling tendencies that he detected in the quarrelsome Squad. To condemn this as racist is redefining the meaning of racism.
And, politicians should have the necessary skin thickness to weather deserved and undeserved criticisms. To shed crocodile tears before cameras shows the shallowness of the individual and their convictions. “If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen,” so said a famous Democrat from yesteryears.
However, I believe that the President made a tactical mistake by engaging the Squad. Had these left-wing lightweights altogether been left to rant and rave on their own, they would have been neutered by the saner segments within the Democratic Party. By publicly attacking them, the President elevated their significance and with the help of repeated misquotes from media, indirectly united the Democrats, albeit temporarily.
3
Democrats invented the politics of race. Trump lets them "eat what they have sown."
4
@obee from here
Is that quote from the same source as “let them reap cake!.”?
6
I think Trump will eat what he has sown - in 2020. Too bad we have to wait that long.
trump is like a broken record, he says/tweets something offensive or ignorant and creates a distraction. Meanwhile he is behind the curtain stealing all of the marbles. The Europeans are smart, they have learned to ignore him except for the occasional British Ambassador. Have you noticed that trump has stopped tweeting about Europe? He can't get a rise out of them so he stopped. There is a good lesson there.
7
It is with a heavy heart that I have to ask this. How can Kamala Harris or Cory Booker deal with this new ugly Trump race card which he will play out and exploit until the election to incite ugly divisions in this country.
3
At this point the NY Times and other respectable media outlets need to stop referring Donald Trump as Mr. Trump or President Trump to instead any number of expletives. You need to stop enabling Trump. The time has come.
4
@George agree. he is NOT my president. your newspaper only enables him to continue his lies.
1
Words are one thing deeds are another. Joe Biden, not only opposed busing but he fought and fought against it. Treating Anita Hill so badly. Calling then Senator Obama "clean." Democrats can do better.
7
Both sides,Republican and Democrat do it. The Democrats do the same thing with white America,specifically white males. Hypocrites
2
@Charles Taylor
Oh the false equivalency trap. Liberals criticize white males who demonstrate entitlement, discrimination and bigotry. Some deserve being called out for that. Racism is and ugly thing and is wrong. What’s your point anyway?
8
The African slaves built the south and kept it viable by their slave labor,but the price that was paid for this slave period was huge and it is still being paid today by all Americans. This price allowed someone like Trump to become elected and it continues to allow this very flawed human being to play his public and stay viable with racist taunts. Racism is ingrained in the US. The captive slaves are now getting some revenge because the racism slave labor and forced slave obedience generated was deep, ugly and pernicious and it is still alive today, despite all efforts to eradicate it. Slavery is still making America a backward country.
When Trump uses his racist language to immediate cheers and chants in his rally, remember that this language and this need to feel white and superior goes straight back to the slave heritage. It has a very ugly origin. It is a very ugly trait. It has very ugly offspring.
4
National Emergency! Somebody out there help US!
3
So Trump's a racist? That's not news. But the 50-odd percent of the country that supports him and are racists as well--well, that's news.
6
Many European-Americans long ago bought into the myth that America had entered a post-racial era.
Obama's election seemed a powerful reaffirmation.
But we dark-skinned Americans with "foreign" sounding names were never fooled.
Race in America today matters as much as ever. The difference between now and 60 years ago is that there no segregation de jure, but segegation de facto is alive and well.
So are attitudes about race.
Those of us who were born and raised outside of mainstream America have lived in an essentially foreign land.
3
Dig deep enough and you’ll find few politicians that are free of self serving and financially beneficial activities.
Racism is an overused catchall used to deflect truth from friction because it’s the trendy thing to do. No one is challenged when using the word in any context which is bizarre. But that’s where we’re all headed given the nature of our emerging national movement, hopefully smarter minds will prevail.....
2
I think we have to sideline Trump and stop giving him the attention he craves. Why do we continually jump at every outrageous thing he says and does? He's playing with us all the time and looking for ways to get a rise out of us. Aren't we all tired of this pattern? It's so predictable that it's become boring to everyone including Trump to the point that he has to keep raising the ante. Let's simply stop reacting to every foolish thing he says. Does anyone really care what he thinks?
2
What shocks me the most is that the Faith Leaders of this country turn a total blind eye to Trump's blatant immoral and inhumane behaviors.
Trump is the antithesis of every fundamental value...honesty, love, compassion, honor, dignity, integrity, trust, kindness....that not only religious leaders but every decent human being holds dear.
What have we done to our children and children's children who must witness the divisive, hateful comments and egregious behaviors by this repulsive man acting as President of the United States of America.
8
The tactic is "old" because the gop has been racist to the core for decades. Anyone pretending to be oblivious to that is just contributing to the problem.
2
might as well. The dems have been playing that race game for years
5
Racism is only part of Trump's attack on the Squad, and emphasizing it plays into his hands. Beyond racism, the attack says that concern for social and economic justice is an alien import from people who are not true Americans, who by definition are satisfied with the way things are run now and only seek individual success within that way.
Jews, Italians, Slavs, and Irish used to be told that they should go back where they came from. They were particularly likely to hear this when they held political opinions that criticized the rule of tycoon types. Many of them brought these opinions from their experiences in Europe, where attempt after attempt to get economic and political rights were turned back.
Being told to go back where you came from was often more political than ethnic, but the political could hide as ethnic and the ethnic would serve the political. The cry to go back served different groups in different ways. White workers faced competition from immigrants and would want the immigrants to go back. Whites who hired immigrants would not want all immigrants to return, but only those who made trouble by organizing and educating, thereby giving native workers ideas about challenging existing social and economic structures and relations. Dividing native-born and immigrants was like dividing white and black workers in the South, and sidetracked threats to the establishment in the same way.
The GOP establishment thus uses Trump to preserve its power.
5
Trump isn't the first racist that voters elected president.
Wasn't the first racist president the slave owner George Washington?
The voters elected other slave owning White Supremacists such as Jefferson, Madison and Jackson. The government continues to glorify them -- naming schools, monuments, cities, libraries, etc. after them.
After the bloody Civil War, voters elected racists such as Wilson and Trump.
For those who understand that racism is illegitimate, democracy is problematic. The question this raises is whether a political scientist could create a new form of democracy where a racist electorate cannot elect racists, bigots or White Supremacists.
For if political scientists can't, why should anyone accept democracy as legitimate, especially its potential victims?
4
Since the 4 women have been repeated referred to as the "women of colour", could I assume that the rest of the females in the House are "colourless". Colourless is defined in the dictionary as: “lacking distinctive character or interest; dull”. So, my question: are these the only NON-DULL members of the House?
3
It is painfully obvious that not only is Donald Trump racist he is an opportunistic bully who uses the technique of divide and conquer. He latches on to people's fears of others in an oftentimes successful technique to control.
This can be seen on a smaller level among his staff whose backstabbing and machinations have been well documented and on a larger scale to our citizen and those seeking citizenship most especially with less ability to fight back. This is not by chance -- a person like him, determined to control will use underhanded Machiavellian techniques to make sure that groups do not align together and so his staff fight and bicker and our nation shows its dark underside exposed by the minority who align with his motives and goals.
As Aesop famously said, "United we stand, divided we fall".
4
Interesting that the headline characterizes the use of race as an old tactic as if it’s just any other old political tactic. It’s much more than that. It’s a destructive tactic. How long have we as a country been trying to overcome racial prejudice? If racism, which is what this is, helps improve Trump’s political standing, then the country loses as a whole. Report on Trump’s use of race as a serious problem, not just a way to gain political support.
5
@Jeremy Matthews
Actually, it's the Democrats who have been using race as a political tactic. HRC has used identitarianism as the bedrock of her electoral strategy, and it worked pretty well (except in FL, OH, PA and WI). Now the Democrats are upping the ante.... with every criticism of "POCs" immediately criticized as racism. "The squad" has called Trump every denigrating word in the dictionary... when he fires back, well it's the end of the world.
1
Trump tells more about his supporters than himself.
5
trump is the worst of us. he represents the worst of america. he appeals to the worst instincts in us.
10
As stupid and racist as this president's remarks were and continued to be, it is not worth 8 days of being the top of the news. When will the cable news networks realize that Rick Gates is still cooperating, documents from Cohen's legal issues revealed complicity from the WH, Epstein/Trump partying video and Mueller is before congress this week. All things the president doesn't want them to spend much time on. And sure enough, they didn't. Does anyone think he wasn't made aware in advance about these news stories? Who is the fool here?
8
As a Canadian I find American views on race very confusing. I see people who are very light like Beyonce referred to as "coloured". I see Latinos referred to as a race. To me Latinos are just people that come from the Spanish speaking areas of the Americas and look white. Mexican is a nationality not a race. I have never understood the American preoccupation with race.
There is no such thing as an African-Canadian. The colour of your skin is no more important than the colour of your hair. People may prefix their Canadianism with the country of origin such as Italian-Canadian, Polish-Canadian or Somali-Canadian, but nowhere do we prefix it with a race designation.
9
America was built on racism. It is in our nature. We’re from Europe for the most part. To be true, Canada had their own history of discrimination against indigenous people as well as taking them away from their families and sending them elsewhere to make them more socially acceptable. That’s the problem of living in Glass House. It hurts, and it should.
2
So...getting along great with that Native American pop, are we?
I fail to understand the concern of many commentators. Yes, Trump’s statements have certainly diminished the small amount of support he would have received from minorities. The commentators would never have voted for Trump no matter what he did or said so nothing changed there. Why is losing minority voters bad? Liberals should be cheering that Trump made comments that the squad of four, who have brown or black skin, hate the USA. They have said that many times. Trump’s vote totals from minorities will drop as a consequence of what he said about them and their mainstream Democrat views.
4
Trump has been playing the race-card since he was a boy at his Daddy's knee.
Racism, sexism - and ignorance, have to be taught.
It is all that Trumpie has ever learned.
It is all that Old Fred taught.
Old Fred is dead - but there are plenty of other creepy men out there that are willing to back trump up.
Racist men.
Sexist men.
Ignorant men.
Together, they have dragged down this country in any institution you can name.
Racists......
Revolting.....
Republicans....
They all start with "R".
6
Donald Trump is not a racist. He just plays one on TV.
5
And the democrats don’t do the same, use race for political gain?? Geez, they mastered the art of identity politics.
12
Every sane person knows that he is a racist - among other things, such as corrupt, and immoral.
But enough of that.
Let's begin discussing pragmatic actions to help win the election. This means all of us actually contributing, either money, canvasing, letter and postcard writing - all of us joining a group that works for the good of our country.
As someone said a couple of days ago - if we don't win in 2020, there may not be an election in 2024.
10
In comment after comment, NY Times readers and commenters are basically preaching to the choir. How does one reach the majority of Americans who actually will vote for Trump again in 2020?
Democratic Party: talk about the issues, not what Trump wants you to.
7
@KS the majority didn't vote for him in 2016 and won't do it in 2020 either
3
"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you." -- Lyndon B. Johnson
14
"Trump Employs an Old Tactic: Using Race for Gain"
This strategy has been employed by the Democrats (and the NYT) nearly every day. Race focus has come to dominate the entire conversation.
(Try to find a NYT article that doesn't mention or even highlight race).
So, yes, race is indeed an old tactic.
9
@Ami
The question is — but are the charges of racism true? In the case of the latest Trump tweet, at least one Black Trump supporter saw his tweets as racist and was so deeply disturbed by the North Carolina chants “Send her back” that he has begun to seriously question his support for Trump. The only two Black Republican congressmen both from Texas strongly condemned his tweets as racist.
Race card?
5
@Garry
Would you rather walk across 125th in Harlem or Main Street in greenwich CT?
Many Trump supporters choose Greenwich.
2
A lot of it is culture war stuff. Resentment as ethnic Europeans or 'whites' at having to feel shame for slavery, something practised generations ago. Feeling they can't be proud of anything Europeans have done. Most recently a fear that they'll be outnumbered by 'people of colour'.
2
@Antipodean
For many centuries, White European did not have examine the ugly racist side of colonialism. It was invisible to them. Being the dominate racial group, all that ugly racist past could easily be dismissed. Now, a greater racial diversity challenges the white majority and permits that ugly past to surface — and many Whites feel guilty and ashamed by that ugly side. Good. We need to repent of that past and work to ensure any vestiges of racism are rooted out. People of color experience the impact of White favoritism in their daily life. Maybe this an opportunity to talk? Knowing our past could help us walk together in a new relationship built upon equality of opportunity, mutual collaboration and a new paradigm that views racial diversity as a good thing.
3
@Garry
Making people feel ashamed of a past that wasn't of their making will create a backlash. Nobody is responsible for the sins of their forebears.
2
So Trump is using race and ethnicity for political gain? Shocker. I seem to recall:
President Obama putting DACA in place to provide pseudo-legal status to illegal aliens brought to the U.S. as minors, promising them that they wouldn't be deported and providing them with work authorizations and access to SS and other government benefits. All to help turn out the Hispanic vote and help his re-election in 2012.
The 2020 Dem candidate crop agreeing with providing health insurance to illegal immigrants. While decriminalizing illegal immigration. And in many cases, providing free college for non-citizens (while many Americans can't afford to send their own kids to private colleges).
This party that forced us to buy private insurance under Obama now wants to force us OFF our private insurance policies.
For anyone who thinks whites supporting Trump are racist, think again. The Democratic party has always used race under the guise of leveling the playing field, which really means I have to pay so they can buy votes from their constituents.
I am East coast, college educated, lean right, female. I am socially liberal, and loathe Trump. His tax cut program cost my family, but I do believe in using tax dollars to support programs that help our CITIZENS - many of whom are in need. I don't want to pay to support illegal immigrants too.
I'm tired of being demonized by the Squad, the media and the left in general. And I know many, many more like me.
7
@hopeforchange
Do you find it strange that there is a such racial divide when it comes to acknowledging racism? Why is it Whites see racism as almost nonexistent whike people of color often see it as very real and present? Why is it that people of color are viewed by Whites as radical and extremely threatening when they criticize our government’s policies and institutions but someone like rich white male like Trump —who regularly attacks our government’s policies and institutions — is a proclaimed by Whites as a hero?
6
In many respects Trump is worse than Hitler:-
1. Hitler was not concerned with increasing his personal wealth.
2. Hitler was able to recruit reasonably competent lieutenants.
3. Hitler was not a draft dodger.
4. Hitler was a reasonably competent writer.
5. Hitler was a better painter than Winston Churchill.
6. Hitler was not a sexual predator.
4
You have got to be kidding me! This has got to be the worst case of projection to come down the pike in a long time. Ha! Ha! Ha! "Lordy," as James Comey would say; you can't make this stuff up. Trump is getting called out by the NYT for race-baiting the race-baiters.
6
@Batazoid
Apparently his own followers felt Trump’s tweets were racists. Two Black Republican Congressmen strongly condemned Trump recent tweets as racist and well as the crowd cheering “send her back.” Is it race baiting to report race baiting?
5
Yes. To white supremacists, pointing out the their racism is race baiting. Race baiting is talking about race in a manner than doesn't help them and their identity politics.
4
As so sufficiently stated in a recent New Yorker article by Masha Gessen. 'This is what happens first: a political force seizes the power to define themselves as insiders and certain others as intruders. This is done in the name of protection of the motherland, which the newly marginalized are said to hate. Everything else follows.' In his article, 'everything else' was a recounting of how citizens in Germany were lulled into inaction as their Jewish neighbors were murdered, and how he had to leave Russia because his opposition to Putin put his safety at risk. He recounts how, when asked to declare his ethnicity for a Russian internal passport, he declared himself as 'Russian', which confounded bureaucrats. In no uncertain terms, America is on the cusp of 'everything else follows' under the cloud of Trumps ethnic cleansing crusade, while those who speak out against Trump are slandered and targeted at his raucous rallies.
7
The point is not whether or not Donald Trump is a racist. The point is that the Republican Party, thanks to Lee Atwater (now deceased after apologizing for his sins), Paul Manifort, and Roger Stone (and there are more, including one Ralph Reed) an incredibly successful political strategy by doing everything they could (and still can) to favor white people over blacks, minorities and Native Americans in elections. So we have gerrymandering, false charges of voter fraud, highly targeted limitations on voting. Those things work incredibly well. Trump just follows George Wallace and Orval Faubus by bringing it all out into the open, since he knows it works in America. Check with your local Evangelical "Christian" and see how well it works.
8
@Donald E. Voth
A HUGE truth: Trump and Republicans use the race baiting card to woo White voters because it has always worked. Trump just made it blatantly obvious — and THAT might be his downfall.
1
All well and good to call out Trump on this issue. However, the article cites to several incidents in New York in the 1980s and 1990s, including the Tawana Brawley hoax, and later refers to Al Sharpton as a "civil rights leader", without mentioning Rev. Al's participation in that hoax and destroying the life of Steve Pagones, the prosecutor Sharpton accused of raping Ms. Brawley. Also left out was Sharpton's flaming the fires of the riots in Crown Heights using terms such as "white interlopers" and "diamond merchants" against the Jewish community. Of course, Sharpton has been "rehabilitated" by MSNBC and candidates falling over themselves to gain his endorsement.
Guess some racists are more worthy of being called out than others.
9
@Seatant
I'd like to make three points:
1) Al Sharpton isn't President and this article isn't about him
2) It's perfectly possible for many of us to despise both Sharpton and Trump
3) If this were a complimentary article about Trump would you be complaining that they didn't make a point of also saying good things about some other random person?
10
The 2020 election will not depend on whether or not voters consider Trump to be a racist.
The election will depend on voters deciding which party will help them economically.
HRC lost in 2016 [especially in PA, MICH, WISC, OH] because she made fun of displaced workers calling them deplorables.
She had no program to help displaced workers regain lost economic status.
She told laid off miners to become call center operators at a fraction of their previous wage.
There are programs [that do not involve reviving coal or destroying the environment] that would help restore lost income.
But HRC did not support them.
To win the Dem candidate must propose and support such programs.
4
@David
We have never had a major party candidate who was viewed by a wide majority to be racist. Trump is just about there for most voters. So the question is:?”Will I vote for a racist?” Misogyny, homophobia, sexual assaults, xenophobia, corruption hasn’t put a dent but will open racism get a pass? We shall see.
1
Were George Wallace or Strom Thurmond major party presidential candidates.
1
Donald Trump is a self-promoter like Phineas T. Barnum who said, “There is no such thing as bad publicity.” Trump knows that winning the 2020 election requires grabbing the news headlines every day. Racism does that.
All media (left to right) has rolled over and accommodated him. Trump knows he must shock, frighten, astonish or thrill. So he does things that are dangerous (threaten war) or unprecedented (ignore presidential protocol) or controversial (praise racists and tyrants).
Every day, our Carnie-In-Chief tricks the media into dropping other news stories and the coverage of Dem candidates.
It’s sad that ALL of us have been corralled into following Trump as if we were chained to his side.
Even sadder is how Trump eclipses other news: climate collapse, natural disasters, the loss of good jobs, dwindling U.S. influence, and the reality that Trump policies are undermining our lives.
Trump supporters reassure themselves that the stock market is good and unemployment is low, but these are illusions. The mounting deficit is pushing the economy into dangerous territory. The confidence of financial institutions exists because finance leaders are predominately Republican and have an irrational confidence in Republican policy. The new jobs are unstable, starvation wage gig work.
We need to break our chains. Kill the coverage! Slam the scam! Freeze the fraud! Vote him out! And if there’s evidence that the Scammer-in-Chief belongs in the slammer, then lock him up!
6
Racism and bigotry has really been the one area where Trump has delivered for his rank-and-file base. His promise of a "better-than-Obamacare" alternative has amounted to nothing. The tax cut has rendered lopsided benefits to corporations and the super rich. North Korea still has not denuclearized. US forces remain engaged in the Middle East and Afghanistan (and perhaps soon Iran?) Despite his claim of "trade wars are good and easy to win," the trade war with China and most of the rest of the world drags on. He talks big, but never delivers.
But despite that, you can always count on Trump to lock migrant kids up in cages and tweet out a steady stream of racist, xenophobic remarks. Maybe that's all his base really wants.
12
The fact remains that Ethnic bashing is a profitable business tactic and Election Strategy. The fact also remains that the US electorate voted for two terms, Obama, the son of an African immigrant --- to solve the greatest economic 'collapse' since the Great Depression.
GOP Congress denied Obama 'fiscal stimuli' to combat the Deflation and a healthy 'Public Option' to Obama Care. The recovery was weak. Ms. Hillary Clinton, the best suited candidate, appeared more interested in 'social issues' . Mr. Trump championed Labor and "Single Payer" (Medicare for All) system! He also spiced it with anti- immigrant tirade and 'white nationalism'.
This is why an electorate which voted Obama elected (by the Electoral College not Popular Vote) Mr. Trump! He has backtracked on Health Care and 'wounded' Obama Care. He gave the Trillion dollars Tax Cut to the 1%!
"Fascism (fool's Socialism", won the contest in Europe when the system denied Democratic Socialism! FDR's New Deal (socialism by another name) made U.S. emerge as the "largest-ever" economy and the 'arsenal of democracy'!
4
It truly is mind blowing as to how people who support Trump can justify his comments. Watching Liz Cheney on CBS's "Face the Nation" this morning spin and spin and spin would have been laughable if these weren't such a serious situation. However, as others have mentioned I too have close family and friends who voted for Trump and continue to support him. Some are probably racist to some extent. Others support him because they do agree with his Administration's policies on abortion and feel like they are making a lot of money, so they just overlook his antics. Other hate liberalism - they have become convinced that "socialists" are going to take over the country and we will end up like...well Cuba or Venezuela I guess. The are incapable of examining many of the "socialist" proposals which are common place in most European nations, such as universal healthcare, and realize this isn't going to turn us into Cuba. I honestly don't think you will EVER convince the majority of Trump supporters that he is a racist. lying, bigot. They have given their heart and soul to this guy, and abandoning him would illustrate they made a mistake. They aren't willing to do that. As far as the political class - they are merely craven opportunists, willing to sacrifice their ethics and morality for winning another election.
8
The democrats have been using race for their political advantage for decades.
8
As have the Republicans. That's why we have Trump, no? If the Republicans hadn't appealed to lowlife, bigoted, backwater hicks who resented the Civil Rights victories, we wouldn't be where we are now.
2
@Muldoon
This is nonsensical. By your logic, have Democrats also been “using sex” to their advantage by advocating for equal rights for women and “using disabilities” in ensuring equal building access to handicapped people?
1
Sounds like the same thing the Dems use whenever it is convenient. What goes around comes around.
6
Israel refuses to become Multi-Cultural.
The NYT must focus on its politics at Home.
Not America.
Don't fall for Jewish Dominated medias.
The right does discourage racism, so they could care less if you call Trump racist. That does not bother them. Call him un-American. That will take control of the message.
3
Trump is a racist. Pelosi is a racist. Biden is a racist. He is a racist. She is a racist. They are racists. You are a racist. I am a racist. We are racists. Everybody is a racist. Nobody is a racist.
6
Sounds like a song from Avenue Q...Everyone Is Little Bit Racist.
DJT finds weak areas and he exploits them. He knows that many of his base are misogynist and racist so he uses this to his advantage. He doesn't have Hillary to pick on anymore, so he picks on the Democratic non-white women. Sadly his base loves this. They think it's just reality tv. It doesn't hurt them so why should they care?
I don't doubt for a minute that one day Trump will turn on his base and he will blame them for everything he did.
4
So, in his earlier tweets, did Donald Trump mention anyone by name, or did the Congreswomen jump up and said, "He's talking about me!" and went with that?
4
Perhaps I am unrealistically clouded by nostalgia, but it seems like America at least had more honest racists once. The racists at least used to own their racism. In the era of Trump, if you call the KKK racists while they are in the middle of lynching somebody, they would say they are lynching the person for reasons totally unrelated to race and want you to apologize for your hurtful words.
8
I think it's better for Dem candidates to ignore him, his racism, and his tweets entirely. Just stop.
Travel the states (especially the red states) and continually get in front of people, and be specific about your plans. Don't talk about Trump at all. Talk about real things that affect everyone. Be bold and and unapologetic.
3
What is sad but not surprising is that Trump’s approval actually went up this week among Republicans.
Trump is a symptom of a far greater problem in this country. That problem being the GOP.
5
This should surprise no one.
These tactics have been nothing but successful for him his entire life. He has been Teflon coated, and nothing negative has ever stuck to him up to and including right now.
Donald Trump is the luckiest man on the planet. There’s an Italian proverb that says: what doesn’t happen in the year, happens in a day.
I keep waiting for that day of reckoning to hit Donald Trump.
6
Another article in your newspaper yesterday "White Anxiety and A President Ready to Address It" informed us that people with a college education were more likely to be against Trump's idea of "Go Back To Where You Came From"
Those Americans without a college degree are more likely to agree with Trump's idea that the four young black congresswomen should "Go Back"
A recent census indicates that nearly two out of three Americans do not have college degrees which apparently means that "most" Americans believe that the group of four in congress should go "back home"
Obviously. there are many exceptions to this but what does this tell us about Donald Trump and his many followers.
Of all the candidates who are currently running for the presidency in 2020, The odds currently favor Donald Trump.
What does this tell us about the real "White Anxiety" in America today.
You must first know what is really happening before you can begin to change it. That is my purpose here. To make a beginning--- a change.
America must rid itself of Trump, once and for all and more young people should obtain a college education if that is what it really takes to get rid of him.
1
Yes he’s a slime, but he’s just one person, even if he is the president. Pretending it all goes one way is utterly dishonest. You don’t build up trust between people by constantly calling the other side racist and trading on racial identity politics, then feigning outrage when the opposition does the same.
Good will is good will, period. We are locked in a sleazy, never-ending wrestling match because we want to be. Obama was a unifier. George W. probably was. B. Clinton was. Many if not most in the current progressive wing of the Democratic Party are not. The first condition of their worldview is accepting their wholly aggressive view of identity politics.
People are just sick of it.
We need to start over and level set and take things back to basics: equality, good dialogue, respectfulness and genuinely looking for a path forward.
The hyper aggressive guilt trip is not going to work anymore.
4
Nothing in this piece is news. And nothing is going to change the current occupant's ongoing arson to American society until he is in prison where he belongs...and then, not until the leaders of his racist followers get a change of soul and start preaching decency.
Any bets on which will happen first, if ever?
3
It is the republicans who are using race as they have since Nixon's southern strategy. djt is only the most recent parasite to pick up the mantle.
You should be reporting the very real policy proposals of the Democrats rather than giving a racist, divorced, bankrupt political party a distraction.
Shame on the NYT's.
4
Donald Trump isn't a racist.
He just won't rent or sell property to black people. He spent years trying to convince everyone that Obama wasn't an American. He thinks he's superior to anyone of color because his skin happens to be white. He constantly denigrates people who aren't white. He consistently supports racists and neo-Nazi's because "they're good people". He plays to the ideas of white-supremacists at everyone of his rallies. He has a decades long history of making racist comments. And he hates people that aren't white.
But, Donald Trump is not a racist.
And his buddy Mitch McConnell thinks "he's on to something". Well, he certainly is "on to something" Mitch. Like you, he's on to the power that being and selling racism can generate. And he's on his way to dividing this country into "real Americans" and "fake Americans". The "real Americans" being any white person that supports him.
No, Donald Trump is not a racist. He just play's one on TV...
10
Worked last time, worked for Mussolini, worked for Hitler, works for Asaad, works for Erdogan, works for Netanyahu. Why mess with a winning formula? It's clear that most Americans are uneducated, frightened, racist cowards. So they want a leader like them.
6
Republicans have been using race and homophobia to divide and "conquer" for decades. Even before their evil "genius" Lee Atwater and the Willie Horton ad campaign amongst many other examples. Funding from Koch's and Mercer's helped establish the republican "long game" of gaining control of state legislatures who can and do gerrymander in their favor as well as other voter suppression activities. Republicans can't win truly fair elections and CHEAT to retain power.
Only a massive and overwhelming turnout by democrats which hands trump and republicans a landslide defeat in 2020 will begin to turn their racist tide.
Every squabbling democrat be they for or against the squad or way left or centrist better recognize that reality and start figuring out how to accomplish this landslide victory. NO real change is going to occur with out democrats controlling the senate, presidency and house.
I urge the Obama's to take a leadership position in helping make this landslide victory happen for democrats. Forget about remaining above the fray. Our democracy depends on a democrats taking control.
Lastly, do NOT waste votes on useless third party candidates. Hillary would be president without Jill Stein's voters throwing theirs away on her. And for what?
10
Trump knows exactly what he's doing and it has nothing per see to do with race. it's the same define and divide the opposition strategy, using the news media (which always gobbles up any hint if controversy, real or not). this is tried and true Repu lican dirty strategy going back to Nixon's law and order campaign, Lee Atwater and Bush 1's Willie Horton ads, Karen Hughes' and Bush 2's swift boat campaign, and Hillary's 30,000 emails.
Pelosi must publicly call out Trump not for race baiting (though it is), but for his tactic of blatantly sowing division and then denying it. That is Roy Cohn redux. Call Trump out loudly and clearly as the two-faced lying strategist that he is.
4
Race is a "kitchen table issue" for Trump. This term has been reserved for the economic issues that unite those families that make less than $100K of all races. Paying income taxes on 22% credit card debt payments may be an issue. But, Trump and the financers want groups to hate, divided by tribe. Who started this race baiting? Sen. Harris used incendiary attacks to divide the Dems and provide Trump with a winning issue. And, she's not finished her smear. Without any understanding and her single issue of reparations lacking support, she will attack again this week. Bury her in the Dem primaries if we want Trump out!
1
Just when you think Trump, Pence, McConnell, Conway, Miller and the rest of that stinking, seething, putrid swamp can go no lower, they do. I honestly thought I knew where the bottom was, but now I see I wasn’t even close.
6
Stephen Miller got it spot on right today. The democrats and the left are using “racism” as a weapon against anything they disagree with. I think the backlash against this will truly do damage to the country and set back race relations, which the media loves because it sells and makes money.
Shame on the NYT’s for stooping to this level.
14
Nah. I’m quite capable of separating my disgust at that racist chant from my anger at those bogus tax cuts that shipped going in for two trillion buckadingdongs to the wealthiest and to corporations, many of whom aren’t even in this country.
One’s disgust with racism; the other’s anger at sticking it to the poor, the working class, and the middle class.
See? Easy-peasey.
5
@John Gilday The NYT is just keeping it real. Trump is a racist.
For those who aren't black or brown, racism is a weapon to throw around.
For those of us who are, racism has been and continues to be a life or death issue.
Racism gave whites justification to buy and sell human beings, and treat them inhumanely. Racism drove whites to blow a church with four little African American girls inside. Racism is what caused a young man to go into a church and murder African American parishioners who had welcomed him. I could go on, but we know the history, don't we?
The history of this country is soaked in the blood of those who've lost their lives due to racism. And I haven't touched upon what others who are considered non-white have gone through.
My expectations are so low for this country that I expect Trump's divisive rhetoric will enable him to win again.
3
This is similar to the notion that white groups may not adopt the same racial enclaving and glorification of in-group achievements that minorities do. For example, a Congressional White Caucus would be instantly denounced--by members of the Congressional Black Caucus. And the left would support them wholeheartedly. An appeal to whites is a dog whistle; an appeal to minorities embodies everything supposedly sacred and just.
I think Trump is merely challenging rules and perceptions adopted decades ago
And his supporters, of which I count myself a sometime member, are too.
9
@Wine Country Dude
There is nothing preventing people from forming a Congressional White Caucus, just as there is nothing preventing people from pointing out how utterly absurd that would be. It's like saying, "When are rich white people finally going to have a say in the way this country is run?" The fact is, there has always been a Congressional White Caucus, they just don't call themselves that. For 99% of this country's history, white men have been running the show. So, you can see how white people crying "whoa are we", or claiming that they need to organize in order to finally have a say in things is little ridiculous. It's like having a straight pride parade - "So that straight people will finally get some recognition for all the hatred and prejudices they have suffered over the years." It's absurd, because they haven't suffered any of that.
BTW: It is appeals to white racism that are considered dog-whistles.
5
The problem for the old school democrats is that they have been punting on race for a long time and don't have many good answers themselves.
5
@bob
Would you consider the Civil Rights Act of 1964 a "punt"? Because the GOP sure as heck didn't support it.
5
When trump first came on the scene decades ago I saw him for what he was and is, a LIAR and CON Man. I couldn't stand hearing or seeing him (and that hasn't changed). Trump's atrocious behavior and full page ads calling for the death penalty at the height of the "Central Park Five" trial and debacle only further proved the point. Year after year he's shown us how low and slimy he is, and greedy, petty.
He does NOT love America and he doesn't care for or about his supporters other than to the extent that he needs to feed their fires of resentment, racism, judicial goals, etc., in order to remain in office.
Trump's "patriotism" is as fake and phony as he is. Big "tough" commander bone spurs has spent $100 million tax dollars in security expenses in order for him to GOLF at his own courses and elsewhere. Trump has golfed way more in two years than Obama did in eight.
The verified LIE count on trump is approaching 11,000 if not higher.
IF we do not get rid of him, Pence, and the rest of trump's enablers in the chicken brigade that is the republican party... and ensure that McCONnell loses his senate re-election the damage is not going to be undone for a very long time. The partisan Supreme Court justices installed are likely to be there 25 - 30 more years! Democrats MUST regain BOTH the presidency AND Senate.
Democrats better wake up to that fact and start figuring out productive ways to ensure that an overwhelming voter turnout can trump trump's efforts!!
8
We know that Trump is a vile human being who is using racial grievances to further his own political ends. So Democrats need to stop talking about race and start talking about the issues. It's that simple. They keep biting the catnip that Trump dangles in front of them, and are falling in his trap. This is what he wants. Furthermore, the Squad is not helping matters by continuing the twitter feud with Trump. The election will be won or lost in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, at a minimum. The independent and moderate voters are not interested in racial grievances. This is how the democrats keep losing whites and independents. At the end of the day, there are simply not enough minorities in the states that count electorally for 270 votes. So stop the race nonsense and keep the eye on the prize - 2020 and keeping the House. At this point, dems can also lose the House again with all the nonsense and drama that the Squad are fomenting.
2
Half of the comments in the New York Times, of all places, aren’t buying the “Trump is a racist” trope. The Democrats are well and truly sunk. Indeed, the racist scaremongering will just wind up aggravating swing state voters and increase his margin of victory.
8
The nature of the comments in support of Trump or denying or justifying his despicable race-baiting (most from the same dozen or so groupies) indicate his message resonates with the most ignorant, embittered, bigoted tier of Americans. They’re a minority, but our catastrophically flawed electoral system has allowed them to seize the wheel and drive America off a cliff.
Yes, Trump is the enemy of all that’s good in America, but so are his supporters.
9
@Richard
It's a lot like that "Trump was convicted of not renting or selling property to black people" trope, isn't it?
3
If a person of color or ethnicity benefits him personally Trump will be very friendly. When you look at the public record, all the way back to the seventies in NYC, you find a horrible record of racisms and bigoted behavior. He is a person totally unfit for office in this country or any other.
6
What? Trump is using ‘Race for Gain?’
I stand corrected
All this time I thought he was using ‘Rogaine’
Thank you NY Times! What would I do without you?
3
So Trump is trying "an old tactic: using race for gain"?
It's a willfully hateful appeal to racism, jingoism, and the ugliest kind of nationalism that history has seen countless times...
Banish all the Jews or even deport them to concentration camps and death camps, drive the Native Americans off their lands into "reservations," agitate for lynchings of "outsiders," demonize the Bosnians and proclaim the need to "ethnically cleanse" a nation of their "stain"...
Medieval Europe, 19th century America, Europe in the 1930s or 1990s....?
Trump's evil "tactic" is an "old" one indeed... History has seen this before, and the terrible consequences... But somehow *this* is "different"?
How can anyone condone this or stand by in silence?
Hasn't the world said "never again" too many times?
8
The whole world is tired of this guy's gimmicks. Unlike other Presidents, he is truly hated by more than 50% of the American people because of what he stands for. With past Presidents more than 50% of the American people may have disagreed or disliked a President, but not hate a President with a vengeance like Trump. Trump deserves this hate because he dishes out the same to the American people in his vitriolic persona and speeches like...Go back to where you came from!
In 2020, every American who is a new American citizen, a 1st, 2nd, 3rd generation immigrant and all people of color should stand up and be counted for ..... and vote the hateful racist demigod out of office!
5
Democrats use race 24/7. That's all they got.
11
@M
It's telling that so many Republicans are saying that it's the Democrats who are using race, when it was Donald Trump and his father that were convicted of not renting or selling property to black people. It's interesting how that works.
And what's wrong with the Democrats talking about race when the current Republican President is a blatant racist?
5
"Ms. Patton, who is African-American. “I’ve traveled the country with this family, I’ve had drinks with this family,................ I’ve never heard anyone say anything bigoted or racist in my life.”
of course you haven't Ms. Patton. Would they openly express bigoted or racist views to or in front of an African American women?
7
I once had a boss who’d do that after a few drinks
He knows what he’s doing and it has nothing to do with race, ethnicity and/or “send her back”. He jerking our chains, plain and simple. He’s a comic and we’re taking him for somebody serious. He does what get’s attention. He’s even said, “I don’t care what they say about me as long as they spell my name right”. The more outrageous the better. He didn’t stop being a comic on 1/20/17. The job title didn’t change anything, it merely expanded his audience. If anybody missed Dangerfield and Rickles, they’re back. “Oh, how should we take this, he’s the president”? Really? Take it as it’s offered. Better yet, laugh at him...bullies hate that.
2
The NY Times should be ashamed of yourselves.
You're supposed to be practicing journalism.
You have constantly taken things out of context regarding what the president said vs what you write and report.
I can point to 8 or 10 times that you have done this. You may have apologized but that really doesn't matter because it's already out there and few will see your one or 2 sentence 'Opps, I'm sorry'.
I actually believe that it's reporting like you do that is biased and so far left, that you will help Trump be re-elected.
I wish your board had the back bone to shake the place up and get back to real journalism.
Journalists are supposed to be our checks and balances with government. You are acting like the propaganda arm for the Democrat Party.
When you report like you do, which is 90+% negative reporting on the president, you are why we are so divided.
Let the people make up their own minds. Stop the editorializing except on the editorial pages.
Overall, in my opinion, the NY Times has joined the Alt-Left and abandoned America.
Shame on you.
9
@Tim Dawson
Do you consider the truth to be propaganda? Is reporting the fact that Trump was convicted of not renting or selling property to black people propaganda?
What, exactly, in this article is "made up" or not accurate?
You claim that you can point to 8 or 10 times that the NYT's has taken what Trump said or did out of context, yet you cite none. And, in order to claim that something really was taken out of context, you would have to show, conclusively, that is was. You can't just say, "Well, I don't think that's what he meant". You would have to prove that it wasn't what he meant.
When someone is convicted of not renting or selling property to people because they are black, then the "context" clearly makes them look like a racist. And the onus would be on that person to prove that that judgement is inaccurate. And having that person simply say, "I'm not a racist", doesn't cut it.
Trump was convicted of red-lining. But, the "shame" should be on the NYT's, rather than Mr. Trump? It doesn't wash.
2
OK, everyone, just click your heels together three times and say: "Trump's a racist, Trump's a racist, Trump's a racist!" So, does everyone feel better now? And, even more important, superior?
9
Donald Trump has let it be known. "American patriots" are white supremacists chanting "Send her back!" and neo-Nazis chanting "Jews will not replace us".
Remember this when you vote in 2020, and refuse to be called a true Trump "patriot".
5
Trump is popular becomes he gives a platform to the insecure poor uneducated whites. who think that minorities are responsible for all their problems... As Trump himself said"........... I LOVE the UNEDUCATED.!
He knows how to play this game well!!..He makes STARS out of them at his rallies and gives them "Their fifteen minutes of fame" as they go unrecognized in the real world and they think he has given them something ... He has only given the wealthy something> the largest tax break to the top 1% that is adding Trillions$$ to our national debt... This bubble has to explode and our economy will once again sink into a major Depression..especially since he has deregulated so many regulations put in place under Obama to prevent another Depression with the wild gambling of Wall Street that brought us down in 2007 with a loss of over 700,000 jobs per month... Trump is not qualified to be a President ...He remains IGNORANT of basic facts about our Country's function and operations!!!
5
Presidents using race for gain is nothing new in America and the current outrage over Trump is perplexing. Nixon,Reagan,Bush and Clinton all used race for political gain. Trump's problem is that he uses it like a Bull in a China closet.As long as Trump and company keep us fighting amongst ourselves they can laugh all the way to the bank. Trump so loved his country that let his non existant bone spurs kept him from fighting for his country in Viet Nam? Trump knows his base has no problem putting brown children in cages at our border. Calling Trump a racist just boost his standing among his like minded followers. We need to get over the fact that almost half of the country think the way Trump does. Racist support Racist and we need to stop dancing around that fact. Trump has made it fashionable to be racist in America.
2
So in the face of an out-and-out, unabashed racist opponent, what do Democrats and the NYT decide is the best tactic? Of course...paint Joe Biden, the one most likely to beat Trump, as the same. Good luck with that.
2
"Politics make strange bedfellows" and Trump will go in any direction that will serve to get him to where he wants to be. He will tell his supporters whatever he feels they want to hear and they will embrace anything he tells them. Then he will tell the media whatever he feels the mainstrean should should now according to him, i.e. The world according to Trump.
1
You've got to feel sorry for the dude. Seriously, in his own tiny little mind, he thinks that he's God's gift. Every one else is merely someone to use and abuse.... and ultimately, cast out of his heavenly penthouse suite. The cheese stands alone.
5
Media outlets like The New York Times need to ignore Trump when it's prudent, call him a liar when he lies, and brand him a racist when he tweets and uses overtly racist language in public. There should be no more tiptoeing around this odious behavior.
1
Will America ever wake up to the reality that Trump is now a Dictator. White; Old; business people; who love money ; power; and hate. Scamming the masses of White Americans; the people who eat bacon and would rather have a heart attack than see a Liberal have a good day. Spite. Hate. Racism. 38% of America is in the toilet.
2
President Trump is a con man who uses whatever tactic he thinks will attract more followers.
One plank in his platform is the U.S. is good and citizens should either “love it or leave it”. He has no use for constructive criticism. He uses racist dog whistles so dyed-in-the-wool racists see him as an ally and those who aren’t racists believe his remarks were misunderstood.
Trump supporters who see themselves as non-racist will interpret Trump’s remarks that the progressive Congresswomen should leave the U.S. as a “love it or leave it” comment that could be directed at anyone.
Trump supporters who see themselves as being “realistic about race” (aka—racists) will interpret Trump’s remarks as reminding all Americans that we can always move to other nations, including the nations our ancestors migrated from, if we don’t like life in the U.S.—and that recent migrants who have left troubled nations should be grateful for what they have here. The racists argue that race is “coincidental” and they ignore the historical context of how threatening to send people back designates new immigrants as ‘lesser Americans’. They believe anyone who criticizes the institutions and policies of the U.S. should leave, so it’s not racism.
The firestorm that results from Trump’s comments always overshadows basic truths. It is NOT unpatriotic to point out shortcomings or disagree with U.S. policy. Ilhan Omar and other Congresswomen have every right to argue for new or changed policies.
11
Trump seems to think that everyone identifies with their racial category. He seems to find a lot of people who do. It’s the foundation for his success with audiences when his assertions are clearly associated with racial stereotyping. It’s probably why he has flip flopped about what he’s said.
But make no mistake, it’s not just white people who support Trump who are letting race affect their perceptions. A lot of Trump’s critics and critics of his supporters are using language that stereotypes white people and attributes the possible motives of some to all. Even those who protest racial biases by authorities conflate systematic racism under Jim Crow when white supremacist did control public institutions with current persistent racial disparities. Their complaints imply that white citizens councils are still controlling public institutions, in service of white people who fear losing majority rule.
If the US closed Fox for 1 week, Trump would quickly run out of anything to say.
13
Come on!
"Democrats employ old tactic: Using Race for Gain." A very true statement in the 21st century, but I've not seen anything like it until the last 10 years. Was listening to a call in show on the radio and a woman called in offended by a comment in a grocery store. She claimed it was racist, but it was clearly not. When asked why she thought it was racist, she responded that she'd learned about racist statements in a diversity training class she took 8 years ago. HMMMM. Seems that racism is being promoted by the diversity police; a means of keeping their jobs in departments that shouldn't exist.
7
If the House does not start at least a formal impeachment hearing soon, it will loss support from the coalition that brought them into power. The lesson of impeachment hearings is, they increase support as the investigation formalizes proof of impeachable offenses. The Federal courts would take the House more seriously if they would just take the steps to impeach or at least start the formalities and call it what it is. In terms of the trump support, I doubt it will increase beyond his current cult.
2
By calling out Trump as a racist, the Dems are reinforcing Trump's goal of being the champion of white America. So why are Dems helping Trump?
Why can't the Dems even try to land a blow on Trump. It's so easy to paint Trump as un-American. Make use of his taking Putin's side over the findings of American intelligence. Start asking the country when do you call someone a traitor, ask middle America what they think of Trump's comments "in Helsinki, my people tell me Russia interfered but Putin denies it and he was very strong. I believe him (in paraphrase). Have posters made of Putin and Trump side by side in Helsinki, Trump pointing to Putin with a balloon over Trump saying "I believe him." Add a prominent arrow following Trump's finger.
This week while tabling at a farmers market in Davis, Ca for Warren, a bunch of 18-20 year olds, visting from Iowa, all white and blond stopped to talk Warren and Trump. It was a serious exchange, both of us listening. I found they were not aware of the FBI documenting Russian interference. All they knew and cared about was there was "no collusion." They admitted the FBI was an American agency but couldn't believe the FBI's findings.
I see their ignorance as a sign of the Dems silence on Trump's lack of patriotism. Now that's a label middle America will not accept in any president. So get the truth out there now and don't wait for Mueller or one lone Dem candidate to do the job. Congress needs to fight aggressively for our democracy.
3
The Reality-TV-President still trying to have the best ratings on TV but too ignorant to actually sit behind the Oval and actually do his job he was sent to Washington to do. Just an ongoing farce for the World to laugh at.
8
The left has used race and charges of racism to get their base and specifically black vote out for decades. Trump is just borrowing from your playbook. His supporters love it because they see it as payback and fighting back and delicious and cathartic breaking of the PC rules.
My personal view is that true racism itself has not that much to do with it. The chair used to hit a referee over the head at WWF fight is not a real metal. You are being taken for a ride will loose this faux fight you signed up for.
7
Hearing this clip should be a wake up call that Howard Stern's new confessional memoir "Howard Stern Comes Again" is just a ploy to remake himself into a more sympathetic character -- or just a different character to keep ratings up. Trump always associates himself with slobs. How have self-respecting mid-westerners been drawn to a pinky-ring, foul-mouthed east-coast crook like Trump? My parents and grandparents (small town Ohio) would have been repulsed by him.
2
This tactic alone disqualifies him as a president of our nation.
4
Well at least people didn’t vote for Obama based upon race. Or did they? Well. As long as they vote Democrat, who cares why. It’s all about winning.
4
@Shamrock People voted for Obama because he was ethical. Maybe you missed that.
13
@Shamrock
Some people may have, but it certainly wasn't because of any campaign strategy to stir animus against particular groups like we're seeing with Trump.
3
@Rick
Unless of course you count his courting of Jeremiah Wright, and subsequently dropping him like a hot rock once the media spotlight shone on it.
Donald can not imagine what it would be like to be someone else. He is so wrapped up in his ego, which now days constantly needs stroking because he is so insecure as president (which he should be since he knows nothing about governing). This lack of caring about how his actions and words affect others makes him a terrible president. Racism is normal for this man. He could care less how anyone who disagrees with him feels. Including the majority of our country.
Just not presidential. Just not decent.
7
My father grew up in central Nebraska, but went to Yale, got a Ph.D. and returned only to visit. We visited every three years from 1955 on, then every two until I left home. I tell my friends that traveling across the USA, we almost never encountered the types that attend the Trump rallies. However, there was that one time, when in Iowa, tired from traveling from CT, and ready for bed when we saw the sign, "Management reserves the right to turn away clients from this motel." My father turned us around and we kept driving.
There was racism back then in the midwest, as there is now. But, now, our President has encouraged that, rather than doing what my father did.
11
@William Menke
How do you know the motel management was just reserving his right to turn away rowdy drunks?
Not everything is explained by racism.
2
@David S. Hodes, MD
He did not just walk away, but had a heated discussion about racism with the clerks, and how this was not to be allowed.
When Trump said his idea for a race-based version of the Apprentice would no doubt be the second most popular show on television, he was surely alluding to his contention that "The Apprentice" was the #1 show. It never was. It never rose above #28.
5
Bob Sherman: My husband and I are in the same exact place. We only spend time with those who accept the truth about Trump and his cabal. I have lost three friendships, two family members and to be completely honest, I don't miss them one bit. I have spent the better part of my adult life tip toeing around them because they have been and remain uninformed and uneducated about the world around them. Now I don't care and am better off without that pressure and stress. Anyone today who refuses to open their eyes to this racist, misogynistic, bigot and overall narcissist, cannot be a part of my life. There are no redeeming qualities in anyone who supports this man and his cabal.
14
Trump's racist actions are Machiavellian. Who knows how he really feels about minorities, aside from how he can use them to expand his power?
9
“He’s a race-baiting, xenophobic religious bigot,” said Republican Senator L. Graham of Donald Trump.
“He doesn’t represent the values that the men and women who wear the uniform are fighting for.”
18
I worked with a Trump supporter during Obama’s presidency who spent most of the day posting race-related news items on our chat and incessantly trying to provoke his coworkers into calling him racist. No one ever took the bait but he never stopped doing it. He was absolutely obsessed, as all Trump supporters are, with peddling the narrative that black people are the real racists.
Trump supporters need to feel like victims. It’s a simple as that. Their victim complex is their life support system. It’s the only thing that gets them out of bed in the morning and helps them rationalize why they’ve failed at life.
25
Trump’s xenophobic tactics are straight out of the first chapter of the racist demagogues playbook.
He appeals to the very worst in people.
Trump is about dragging people into the gutter with him. It’s the only place he knows how to live.
14
Trump is a manipulator. He’s got no leadership skills but he demagogues superbly. He does presume that the greater proportion of Americans identify racially.
Are all whites concerned about the changing demographics making them into a minority? Well no, Trump and Republicans consistently win a majority of white voters since Reagan but 60 percent is not 100 percent. Are non-whites real Americans or are they strangers who are with increasing proportions going to replace America with another kind of place? Those non-white Americans love this country enough to volunteer their lives and the rest of their lives to fight for it and have during it’s entire history, even though they were denied their rights at home. Love and devotion to America is a commonality among Americans.
We are all human beings with virtually no differences with which racial appearances are related. Race is a cultural legacy which is something made up and based upon ignorance and the human instinct to affiliate with groups and then to separate their feelings and treatment of people according to whether people are or are not in the group.
It comes down to this, if you stereotype people by racial appearances, you are being racist. It does not matter whether your affiliated race is dominant or subjected, you are a racist. If you stereotype people you are giving that stereotyping power.
Trump uses concerns and prejudices along with a weakness in people to enjoy cruelty to entertain and bound with them.
11
@Casual Observer
No leadership skills?
He built and ran a multi billion worldwide company.
I guess that pales in comparison to your leadership skills?
5
@Sports Medicine He ran a small business in real estate.
5
Having does not prove the means to having obtained it. But we have the benefit of watching his administration as President. He cannot lead.
2
“You shall know them by their fruits”. Clearly the current occupant of the White House uses racism whenever it suits him, thus making him racist. All his apologists try to cover for him but it the end it doesn’t change who he was and is today . Ask yourself, does he sow peace, love, goodwill or kindness or is he sowing discord, hate and fear. He is a amoral man, with no empathy for anyone, only for himself. And he knows all too well that fear and ignorance are his best friends if it keeps him in power and money (which by the way, is the root of all evil).
9
Indeed, he is not a race man, a person devoted to advancing his race. His primary affiliation is with himself, then his family, and then the rich who think that laws are for those who cannot operate outside of the legal system. He is racially prejudiced and he plays people against each other using race, but I don’t think he cares what happens to nearly anyone from his acts.
3
Pride is the scourge of the perceived victims. Even if you can catch them saying, doing are enjoying something racist they will try to turn it back onto you as the racist for seeing the racism. That you're the racist for pointing it out. That if just didn't see racism it wouldn't exist. Yep, that east Texas point of view is the same today as it was in my youth in the 60/70's. Nothing has changed.
10
It is way past time the United States stood up to this long-time openly bigoted creep who believes a woman’s place is to provide him with sexual service - and cannot even get his facts straight when he denounces any minority/female powerholder.
Send Him Home (no, wait, I’m a New Yorker - how about our Colony of Guam?)
13
It doesn't matter! "Donald Trump; racist or not? Discuss" keeps everybody distracted and entertained and doing nothing to stop him. We're all great at articuating his evils. We fail future generations with our superficial thinking. We love to hate him! That's why he'll win reelection.
3
IN BRED HATRED..........
we grew up in queens drinking the same water............i'd debated when he ran that he was just a clown con....not true..........there are few adjectives left to describe this cruel person who leads this country into hatred .....he might win again because he thrives on anger and he has tapped, long ago. into the script that works...........
8
It is sickening how the left and especially the media (aka NYT) will turn every statement and every incident into something racist. The Squad is a bloc of Muslim women of color not as a random result. They share anti-American and Anti-Semetic views. I am Jewish and I resent each of those women for their views, not their color. According to the NYT, the left and the mainstream media that makes me a racist. I feel the same way towards white supremacists. skinheads, Antifia, neo-Nazis and anyone else that spews hatred. The Dems could not even bring themselves to condemn OAC and Ilhan Omar by name and had to water down their resolution. How sad that they condemn the people that speak out against hatred while they are afraid to speak out against the Squad's hatred.
Without a doubt they are playing right into Trump's hands and will ensure that he is re-elected. Given the recent extreme pivot to the left by the Dems, Trump may actually end up being the only choice, while I hold my nose. While I truly find Trump to be a horrible human being, he has a tremendous track record of successes as the person filling the role of the President's Office.
Will everyone with racist-mania please get out a dictionary and read the definition of racism!!!
Personally, i would like it very much if everyone that hates this country as passionately as the Squad, would leave the US of A and find another country they prefer.
13
@Veritas128
Thank you so much for this accurate opinion! God bless.
5
"The Squad is a bloc of Muslim women of color not as a random result."
@Veritas128
Ocasio-Cortez and Pressley aren't Muslims.
1
I just want to meet the producers, editors and executives that for years gave this disgusting excuse of a human a megaphone. If I ever walk past Howard Stern on the street expect a punch in the nose, Howard.
9
Jeez...I’m sure Howard, like most sane people, never imagined Trump could be President!
I recall seeing Trump talking about birtherism...I really thought there might be something to it! I couldn’t believe a public person like Trump would intentionally act blatantly racist without justification...I was so naive...
The newspaper and party of identity politics is complaining about identity politics. Ironic.
6
Trump is the worst kind of bigot! He thinks he is not a racist because he befriends rappers and gives Tiger Woods the Medal of Freedom because he made a comeback at this year’s Masters Tournament.He thinks that absolves him of racism-it does not.He uses racism as a weapon just as he did to cast doubt on the nationality of Barrack Obama who was a respected and loved president, something that Trump is not.Now as he begins another campaign he has found four women to badger with racial,epithets to keep his base chanting and standing by him .He may not like the word “racist”- Every day in every way he demonstrates that he is a racist -we are not numb to this insult to our Democracy!
6
Trump is the worst kind of racist--an opportunistic racist.
He clearly hates all non-white citizens, but when they can be used as props to "make him look good" he is happy to exploit them. (Hello, Ben Carson! You, a distinguished surgeon, are a prop, and no more than that).
As Lindsay Graham said: Trump wouldn't have attacked Rep. Ilhan Omar "if she had been wearing a MAGA hat." That says it all. According to Graham, Trump and the Republican Party, we have bad minorities and "good" minorities who are docile and praise our own "Dear Leader." Shades of the house/field slave distinction in the pre-Civil War South!
Republicans have claimed that Democrats take these minority communities for granted. The 2018 election showed how false that accusation has become. We are electing House and Senate representatives, Governors and other officials from Democratic ranks in historic numbers, while Republicans remain lily-white Christian. This trend will continue, which is one of the reasons white supremacists are flocking to the Trump camp.
Those minorities who think that Trump cares about them or would support them in a pinch are deluding themselves. Any person who belongs to an ethnic or sexual minority who supports Trump should understand that they are harming themselves, their families, their friends, and their communities.
And American women, please wake up. Trump cares less for you than any president in recent history. Your defense of this misogynist is perverse.
15
As far as I am concerned Obama and his attorney general Eric Holder did the same to divide America. Thank you.
11
I have a family member who is in the middle stages of dementia who believes the same thing.
13
@Mexican Gray Wolf
Dementia is known to be heritable. Sorry.
1
This kind of thing is now happening in every field of endeavor. Call someone a racist and watch while they cower as their career is ruined even though no direct evidence is involved. And in this case as in many others there is NO direct evidence. . .only INFERENCE which has become the biggest all-purpose weapon outside (as well as inside) of a courtroom. The goal now is not to pick oneself up by one's own bootstraps. The goal is to claim victim-hood by accusing someone of "racism" as an excuse for their own failure.
I used to work in a school district with a policy called "Disproportionality." If a minority student performed a suspendable behavior (e. g. swearing in the teacher's face in front of the class) and was brought to the office to be sent home. . .if the percentage of the minority previously suspended was greater than the overall percentage of that minority's population at the school, the student was sent back to the classroom!! What kind of messages do you think were sent to the rest of the class about America being a meritocracy? It's REVERSE RACISM that now carries the day even though voices like mine are drowned out here.
4
What you describe is a systematic effort to hide clearly racially related disparities. Kids who act out come to school already mistrustful and disrespectful of authority. They react to their perceptions of more unfair or irresponsible authority in the classroom. Addressing that is a nothing but big trouble for administrators. It’s easier to hide from it than to address it.
1
As a teacher, that’s an interesting story. Punishment should be proportional to the offense and all factors should be taken into consideration. I don’t agree with this policy you mentioned. Trump however was raised by his KKK father to be a racist, a bigot, and a xenophobe; he has excelled at what he was taught at home. Stop making excuses for this cruel, inhumane person who has no business running the country and even worse, he is clueless about how to do the job.
5
Putting white contestants against black contestants may in itsef Not be racist, but knowing all of Trumps History of course it was. Trump has been able to hit the core of those who use racist statements.People who I know that support Trump do fill that category. Over 60 Million people Voted for this man. That speaks volumes about America!
5
“A house divided against itself, cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become lawful in all the States, old as well as new — North as well as South”...Abraham Lincoln.
No matter the issue, what is different in the year 2019 between all Americans and between the 7.7 billion humans on earth???
3
I grew up in the 60s in Crown Heights, where veryone knew Trump was a racist or, at best, catered to and profited off of white flight.
I went to multi-racial Wingate High School, and some of my junior high school friends were absent. Their parents had moved their families south to Canarsie and Brighton Beach. They feared black people. Mostly, they didn't want to live near them or deal with them.
At 14, our friend, Steve, moved to Trump Village in Brighton Beach (some call it Coney Island). His father drove a cab and owned a medallion.
The buddies used to bicycle along the path on Ocean Parkway to visit him there.
Steve told us his parents picked Trump Village because there were no black people there and there never would be because Trump didn't rent to them. The same was true of the Co-Ops (I forget there name) which were adjacent.
The Times has it right. Trump is a racist, who peddles race fear to enhance his fortune and future.
13
Those were the days, when a cabbie could afford to live in a new apartment. While we scrabble about race, the economic elites have degraded our standard of living, our dignity, Black and White.
There is nothing more elite than making you come to him on his terms than he coming to the people. Those Nuremberg rallies are hate festivals. That is what Trump does. He is not a man of the people and none of his policies benefit Main Street - ask him why. Hold him accountable.
6
This recent flurry began after a certain congress person suggested that 9/11 was just "something that happened"to some people.Well ,talk about dog whistles ,because that is the kind of reference that certain people who cheered the events of 9/11 were making at the time.So when your peers carry the ideas of terrorism and anti Americanism and you carry these ideas into congress ,yes there will be repercussions. When statements are issued in public towards the degradation of Jews ,one would think that Jews and others in Congress would be concerned ,but as it is the President is the only representative who has chosen to comment.
7
@Alan Einstoss
In context, she was saying that as a Muslim she and others are fed up with being demonised, by the actions of the Saudi terrorists, who now have become the de facto emblem of Muslims to some Americans.
“Here’s the truth. For far too long we have lived with the discomfort of being a second-class citizen and, frankly, I’m tired of it, and every single Muslim in this country should be tired of it. CAIR was founded after 9/11 because they recognized that some people did something and that all of us were starting to lose access to our civil liberties. So you can’t just say that today someone is looking at me strange and that I am trying to make myself look pleasant. You have to say that this person is looking at me strange, I am not comfortable with it, and I am going to talk to them and ask them why. Because that is the right you have.”
She is not yet a polished politician, but she has a right to state her case. Muslims did not cause 9/11, some people did.
4
@Moira
In context, if anyone had said her exact words as a comment in this paper, or as a letter to the editor, they would never have been published.
And since "context" is a big deal, maybe lend the same goodwill to somebody you adamantly abhor with, like Trump's speech after Charlottesville. Funny how the first part of that speech is never recalled in context of "both sides".
1
There are likely more malevolent, repugnant politicians (human beings?) out there than Trump -- but I don't know who they are. Trump has the grandest stage of them all. While a few high-ranking Republicans are in the ballpark, Trump is the clear leader. And no one else is as dangerous to America, not even close. Mitch has always been malevolent, dangerous, and powerful as well -- but Trump put Mitch on steroids.
What is staggering about Trump is that had I known nothing about him whatsoever -- maybe having been in a coma for a few years -- I could have seen the Greenville rally by itself and come to the conclusion above. I should note that the people chanting in the crowd helped shape that thought.
And to think Trump has engaged in this pathological behavior thousands of times in his 4 years of campaigning and presidency. And 40% of the electorate go for it. In this country, if a lot of bad things align, that can get you elected. Terrifying.
7
When the so-called 'coastal elites' in North America start referring to fellow citizens as 'people of color', the progress made in western societies towards egalitarianism is doomed and steadily edging towards a dark, medieval European societal order. The kind of 'master' and 'serf' relationship that they so miss and crave.
This sort of 1960's segregationist language revival in academic, media, public institutions by the far-left, radical feminists is causing more harm to society than anything else Mr. Trump can ever possibly say or do. If I listen to Trump's speeches, he is simply talking about illegal immigration and the need to care about American citizens first in our rotting cities and towns which is being deliberately distorted by the main stream media.
I'm not worried about the almost dead 'KKK' (the former Democrat Party's terrorism arm), what I'm really worried about is 'Antifa' (the new Democrat Party's terrorism arm).
7
Antifa hasn’t killed anyone, while the body count from right-wing violence inspired and defended by Trump and the Republicans is skyrocketing.
6
Senator Ron Johnson (Rep-WI) tried to defend the "love it or leave it" comments as non-racial by citing the 1960's. He's right; In the 1960's the phrase wasn't aimed at blacks per se. It was aimed at the youth, the blacks and the intelligentsia of America who dared to protest, to speak out against the corruption of the American government, the pervasive racism within the country and the Vietnam war. It was a pejorative, subsequently used by the "silent majority" to belittle and insult anyone who dared speak out against Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew.
Perhaps Trump isnt racist per se; because, of course, he has black "friends" (either celebrities or people with money.) But then, he is most assuredly a classist. And woe to anyone in the lower classes (the 99%) who is black, brown, Asian or Muslim. (Leaves you to wonder what he really says behind closed doors about poor whites?)
4
Imagine how the Electoral College/trump univeristy graduate reacted to his daughter Ivanka disawowing Christianity in order to marry Jared Kushner, hardly a man comparable to Trump, not evern close.
Maybe this is the event that made him so nutty.
Trump has opened the “flood gates” of hatred for whoever feels is “the other”. For his supporters be careful of what you support - another Trump-like character could decide you are the “new other”. Except Americans may be so used to this there may be no one to come to your defense.
6
All this stuff: racism accusations running rampant, assaults on the English language and the meaning of words, political correctness, the Squad, political chants, and on and on. You know what's missing here? Bob Hope. Or someone like him
(though no one could be). Rediscovery of our sense of humor. There's an awful lot going on out there that is , well, very funny at bottom. Learn to laugh again without guilt!
1
He will continue to throw fuel on the fire till the end. And when would that be? When our democracy is so changed and-damaged we no longer recognize it? His administration is taking us all down. Our educational, environmental, and health care systems are becoming unrecognizable to anything remotely working for our citizens. Who do they work for you may ask? The ones they are meant for the wealthy, the GOP, the haves. They don’t worry about their education, they don’t worry about their healthcare, they don’t worry! They don’t need to. The fire keeps getting higher.
7
I have a limited business education and marketing is not a strong point, so forgive me if I am in error.
What I see in the description of Trump's behavior is echoed in the nature of this essay. The authors have picked on Trump's divisive comments but is doing so have also become a force for division. So it seems that every involved with the piece is actually employing marketing techniques to pitch their positions.
Identify a market segment, affirm the segment and encourage the segment and so create or enforce an identity with yourself as the lead influencer. This is a marketing standard...be first and strongest, then when you get separation from the pack, maintain the separation!
Of course if you are wearing a superhero t-shirt under your outer garments, then it may be ok to believe your marketing efforts are the best because of a superior edge that exists in your mind. Maybe a better question would be to ask how your efforts are helping not just your segment but the oppositions segments also???
Sad when power in our country emerges from division; white and black power brokers in this country know it and exploit it. The temptation for shortcuts has universal appeal; much easier than the challenging, difficult work of character development. That many in our country assume the route of division is an acceptable means of advancement is a pox on Our House. Our next president needs to cheer us on to greatness, and not inflame us. Trump won't leave the White House until this groundswell takes root in Our Souls.
1
Quite simply, Trump is not a racist. The man stands for nothing except his own self promotion be it to build his ego, social standing or wealth. Trump is far more basic than that, he is a simple opportunist: he understands the xenophobia and racism of his supporters and crafts his behavior to ensure their continuing devotion. But he doesn’t stop there with his blame game. He has an endless list of others responsible for all the ailments of the nation: China, NATO, The Squad. The GOP seems to understand this game better than anyone else, they have been playing it for years. Trump is simply a natural master of it.
2
Immigrants had made contributions to this country’s greatness. Trump couldn’t even list all the great Americans without listing immigrants who actually achieved their greatness before coming to this country. Just imagine if Einstein didn’t petition our government to start a nuclear program, would we have been able to defeat the Germans and Japanese in world war 2. How much of our technological superiority has come from immigrants. Our society has managed to recruit the best and brightest because of our freedoms, and our opportunities. We then claim their accomplishments as our own. It may be said that low paid Hispanic and POC have not been responsible for the technology, but they have contributed to our abilities to feed and clothe the world and have enabled the infrastructure that we can no longer afford to replace.
1
Without immigrants, this country would not be such a great and powerful one. Imagine how the original population of the U.S. could have achieved what the country that developed with all the immigration that occurred did? Jefferson, at the start of the 1800’s that it would require 400 years to settle the Louisiana Purchase. It was settled by the end of the century by mostly immigrants.
Mark Burnett likely has tapes that would be very interesting if they would be made available which they won’t be so go fish!
1
The congresswomen of the squad have just voiced their opinions. One of our most cherished constitutional rights is freedom of expression and association which is our first amendment. This freedom is why many immigrated to America.
We have seen White nationalist and White separatist bomb a federal agency (Timothy McVeigh), stand off with federal agents over paying cattle grazing fees and take over a federal wildlife refuge. We also seen mass murder at a church in Charleston by a white separatist.
We have a whole area of the country covering several States that celebrate their attempted secession from the country.
Are we really that upset and threatened by a few congresswomen of color expressing their views?
3
If Trump is that bad, why did nearly half of the country vote for him? Why did only a few Republicans censure him? Why are his ratings not down in the single digits? The answer is not pleasant: He's what so many people want. So don't blame Trump or the Republicans. Blame the American people. Sad.
Who's financing Trump's "Exploiting Race for Gain" scam?
Can we not question Trump's financiers, or their motives?
3
Doesn't anyone remember Trump's inauguration speech where he trashed the U.S. from start to finish? Now he claims that criticizing the U.S. equates with hating it. That means to me that he started his term hating the U.S. Should we be sending him back to his ancestral Germany or Scotland?
5
I love my daughter, but I still criticise her to help her become a better person, and I do this out of love. Why are deplorables incapable of grasping the notion that criticising the obvious flaws of a country in hopes that will help correct those flaws doesn't mean you hate that country, it means you love that country and want to help make it a better country?
4
For The Prima Donald, all others exist for his benefit. Whether we are black, white, brown, male, female, young or old isn't important. How we can be used to enrich him, feed his ego, make him a winner is all that matters!
1
Yes, but the Democratic Party is doing the same. Both internally (e.g., Pelosi v AOC) and externally by reminding voters constantly that "Trump:George Wallace::Biden:(RFK?)." It's similar to how the Democratic Party tries to lead on climate change but ends up by posturing and perpetuating the problem it blames on the right.
Whiteness and racism, like oil and gas, are CURRENCIES of American politics throughout.
It's sad the Democratic Party believes it has some moral upperhand on race when it benefits from several strategies designed to engage Trump's politics of whiteness. When people of color RUN the Democratic Party and the whites become its minority, then the Democratic Party can more properly distinguish itself from the Right.
This is the end of Trumps administration from the point of view of decency and integrity.
He has chosen to use his racism to divide the country and win re-election.
He can’t stoop much lower than this.
This is the end of Trumps presidency for all Americans who believe in decency and the basic principles of America.
4
So let’s see: we now live in a country where a popular TV channel broadcasts a public service announcement titled something like “7 Ways White Men Can Be Better People,” where the words “Ziggin and Zaggin” had to be removed from a public transportation bus because someone complained that read backwards it was racist, where a sports announcer was removed from a broadcast because he shared a last name with a Confederate general, where white people are not supposed to braid their hair because it makes them guilty of “cultural appropriation.”
But, no I have no idea why white people would feel that they are being discriminated against. Must be simple racism, huh?
14
It is true that you do not “get it.”
Consider haiku or meditation.
3
Thank you for your cogent and eloquent counterargument. You sure told me!
Did you really need five reporters and 2,500 words to tell us what we already know? Two-thirds of voting Americans are white. Trump has given them license to wallow in victimhood and resentment rather make the least effort to take responsibility for their behavior. As ever, everything is somebody else's fault, especially their own ugly bigotry. Stop dancing around and just say it straight: he's a racist, a liar and a con man.
28
Yes, he's a racist, and so what? The country that kept slavery going longer than any other, stole lands and exterminated Native Americans, invaded and stole part of Mexican territory, exploited and exploits immigrants, and today separates children at the border whose families are fleeing violence and death in their home countries is also racist. Why be surprised? Also, the economy while certainly not booming, is not in recession. As Bill Clinton said, "It's the economy, stupid." Americans expect racism, tax fraud, and lies from the rich people in or owning Congress. The racism is a horrible sideshow to those not directly affected. Threaten their pocketbook, and even the pretend Christians will drop Trump and vote elsewhere. I suggest people vote for the economic and political future they would like to see, and not the unsustainable past of the slavers.
5
@Dr. Conde Brazil did not abolish slavery until 24 years after the U.S. Saudi Arabia did not abolish slavery until 1962.
Trump is a racist.
Trump has always been a racist.
The GOP is okay with racism - as long as they think it's a winning strategy. They've been dog-whistling racism all along, ever since the Southern Strategy. They have nothing else to offer at this point; none of their ideas work to do anything except make the rich richer and the rest of us poorer and more divided every day.
Lee Atwater spelled out how they pulled it off with the Southern Strategy.
https://www.thenation.com/article/exclusive-lee-atwaters-infamous-1981-interview-southern-strategy/
Trump doesn't use the N word - he doesn't need to at this point. The Republican Party is using race and other scapegoating tricks to keep their base motivated while they loot the country, rig voting districts and election rules, pack the courts with conservative judges, and use the electoral college to bypass the popular vote.
Trump IS the Republican Party; his values are their values. They are fully complicit in all of this.
22
They (Republicans) have nothing else to offer at this point; none of their ideas work to do anything except make the rich richer and the rest of us poorer and more divided every day.
Exactly right.
2
@G Pecos
Nothing to offer except a blazing economy, historically low unemployment (especially for minorities), border law enforcement and finally standing up to China and Iran.
Nothing except that.
1
A free people has the ability to CHOOSE what they believe and support. The very fact that Trump, a many-times-proven narcissistic sociopath, con artist, liar and incompetent deviant has any supporters is s sad commentary about many Americans. They should be ashamed of their choice, hate-mongering, ignorant susceptibility and fiscal irresponsibility - all given while Trump and his "good men" get richer and richer while undermining our rule of law and stealing America.
This will haunt you for generations as your children reject you for ruining their futures.
15
Trump is not only a racist, he goes much farther to devalue and use all kinds of people for his own gain. Trump only sees others for what they can do for him. He exploits everyone, turns on those loyal to him and considers women only as sexual objects. His racism is just one part of his spectrum of hate.
12
You know this whole thing started when a certain congresswoman decided to question the loyalty of Jewish American and her buddies within the party watered down the proposal to condemn her right?
It is really hard to see Dems as having the moral high ground when the AOC gang can question Jewish American loyalty and perpetuate its stereotype and the illustrious mayor of New York states his intention to reduce Asian in speciality high school by 75%
9
The divider-in-chief can only succeed if people fall for his fear tactics and his destructive racism. I just wish the Democrats would all get on the same page in responding to him. Make it clear what he is doing and that it will not happen under a new administration.
9
I think it's almost comical so many cite not having heard Trump say anything racist in front of them. Most racists wait until you leave the room.
9
It’s like walking past apt 8-H and hearing the dog bark
It happens every morning.
Should I be surprised.
Why is everyone so surprised by Trumps antics.
It’s an every day game with him.
It’s a curtain to hide his low intellect.
Don’t be surprised if a tape emerges with him
using the dreaded N word.
Everyone is encouraged to roll their eyes while,
sharpening their pitchforks.
The time for civil disobedience is upon us.
8
Drinking Trump's Racist flavored Kool-Aid is just another distraction from the production of his manure farm: Failing international negotiations with would be nuclear nations, trade wars, separation of babies from parents, Mexico not paying for a wall, no pharmaceutical price reduction, no healthcare plan and destroy the one we have, climate denial, destruction of environmental protections, filling the government with the worst swamp creatures in the country, encouraging his Republic Cult followers to slavishly follow and approve his every crime and dereliction from sanity, reason, and science. Americans have a long history of being the True Believers. He outdoes yesterday's folly every morning. Send him back...
8
Let's say it loud and clear, there is no difference between using racist language and being a racist, if you do one you are the other. Trump revels in using racist language, he is a racist.
10
Who's financing Trump?
Who's financing racism and bigotry?
6
The financial aspects would be interesting. How did Trump defeat Hillary Clinton who spent several times as much as Trump? Who provided the money for each?
1
@Richard Winchester
Also, who provided money for BOTH Trump and Clinton? And what does it mean if people are doing so?
The President of the United States stating that some Neo-Nazis and KKK protestors in Charlottesville "are very fine people" says it all.
7
The Democrat Party also has a long history of declaring every Republican candidate (or current Pres) for President a racist. Every one. Yes, even John McCain and Mitt Romney were accused of being racists, supporting a racist agenda, or having racist tendencies with policy proposals.
Have a look on Youtube at Harry Reid’s speech on illegal immigration. Today’s Democrat would declare that pure unadulterated racism. This is how far left, and how extreme the Democrat has become. Trump recognizes this, and trolls you folks. The second half of his “go back” sentence in the tweet dissolves any racism, but is completely ignored by Democrats and their media cohorts. He knew it would send you folks into a tizzy. And now the most radical and extreme elements of the Democrat Party are now it’s face. It was like waving a needle in front of an addict, and you folks went for it, hook, line, and sinker.
9
@Sports Medicine Ronald Reagan's holding the GOP leadership convention in the south for the first time in modern history was simply a mistake, not followup to anything done by Nixon? Of course not.
3
The segregated South was solidly Democratic. The Democratic members of Congress were all segregationists. Segregation kept African Americans from participating in determining who represented them. When the civil rights laws were passed, rather than accept them and finally accept African Americans to be equals, they tried to resist as they could and became Republicans. In 1972, the final exit of Southern Democrats who advocated for segregation occurred in 1972. Thus the Republican Party took as a key constituency racist Southerners. But it was not just Southerners who shifted to Republicans over race. Many former Democrats who held racist attitudes joined them. The Republicans have failed to condemn racism for the clear purpose of keeping the former Dixiecrats.
3
You mean the Democratic Party?
I’m happy that Obama never used race for gain.
5
Trump had no choice but to pander to whatever the Democrats were against in order to win the election.He knew the Republicans stood for small Government,religion, Nationalism, with an emphasis on the Military.Lastly, and most important, he had to demonstrate that he was for a White America. He purposely, brought on Brannon, a Catholic Zealot & a Supporter of White Supremest’s.It was all a Master Plan that worked beautifully.He started with Obama’s birthright, and never stopped.If it worked before it would work again & Omar dropped into his hands. She offered an opportunity to pull Jews who supported Israel over to support him. If he could bring Jewish support from 70% who support the Democrats to half that , he might just make inroads into New York & California, and make them Red States, or at least purple.
Yes,Trump is a master of racial manipulation, and it seems to be working again.
4
“A man is known by the company he keeps.”……Aesop
In the case of Trump, you can also tell a lot about him by what he tweets and the people he retweets. In another article, the Times is reporting that on Saturday, Trump retweeted Katie Hopkins, a right-wing British commentator.
The article concludes with Hopkins response to the uproar both of them have created: “Call me what you wish. Islamophobe. Bigot. Racist. Vile. It matters not,” she wrote. “What matters is the fight back for our Christian culture we desperately need to defend.”
These people need to get over it! This is the 21st century not the 12th century when my ancestors were most likely involved on both sides of the Christian-Muslim wars in what is now Portugal.
nytimes.com/2019/07/20/us/politics/trump-send-her-back.html?action=click&module=MoreInSection&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer&contentCollection=Politics
PS: I have always found both Stern and Trump nauseating. And this sentiment isn’t just about the discussions they’ve had about his daughter.
3
@M. Natália Clemente Vieira
Get over what? That genital mutilation of girls is okay, because it's just a cultural practice? That religious courts routinely pressure women into giving up their legal rights because it's just their cultural practice?
You're right, it is the 21st century, which is why 12th century cultural practices shouldn't still be practiced or defended.
1
Are Americans too ignorant to protect themselves from their own ignorance? Yes.
6
In my observation, "using race for gain" is exactly what the New York Times is doing, along with, of late, most large corporations.
Never mind the percentages or numbers; never mind the subscription base or clientele: If you can show an image of a black man or woman in a given context, do it! That appears to be the editorial credo.
8
With apologies to Victor Hugo, “Do you hear the reporters sing, singing a song of a privileged man. It is the music of a group who have sold their souls again!”
According to Baker, et.al. Trump’s racism is to be contextualized as opportunism and strategy, for a man whose attitude was shaped by the times he lived in. Not the amoral vacuity of a divisive and disturbed personality who diminishes all that he touches. The offensiveness of this article is the transparency of these reporters as they try to protect their access to Trump and his family. Through pictures and prose they washout Trump’s vile behavior in the bright light of celebrity name-dropping from beginning to end. How bad could Trump’s racial animus really be if he hobnobbed with Muhammad Ali, Don King, Charles Rangel, and the Rev. Al Sharpton? Even famous comedic celebrities like Howard Stern and Robin Quivers joke about his use of race to divide and conquer in his autocratic offensive.
Their “Dragnet” style of reporting, “just the fact’s ma’am,” is not objective journalism. It is privileged propaganda by a newspaper that has consistently abdicated its First Amendment responsibility in the political reporting of the Trump Administration. The NY Times assign 5 reporters to write about Trump’s use of race for personal gain, and not one of the five is a person of color. Enough Said!
4
A con man, a shill at a carnival. This is someone who could literally sell ice to the Eskimos. And so, all those poor gullible supporters of his believe thousands of lies. What has he done for them, just broken promises. It will only be when they wake up and realize they have been taken. Meanwhile they will mindlessly keep parroting his chants.
8
@Sari
Con men don’t, and can’t, build skyscrapers all over the work. If a con man ever owned and ran a company, it would never make it into billions upon billions of net worth. NBC would never had hired a con man to host a show. It would never had gotten to number one ratings had he been a con man.
Trump has executive experience. He hasn’t a king just if accomplishments before and after becoming President. He’s created thousands of jobs with every real estate development project he undertook, collectively creating hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Name one Democrat nominee that’s created a single job.
1
@Sports Medicine
What was, was and what is, is. If you recall he has the reputation of not having paid many of those workers.
3
I don't think that Trump thinks he is a racist. But he is. So sad. A stereotypical example of a supposedly good person who doesn't understand the hurt his ignorance bestows on people. All the while good people, like him, chant like the independent citizens they are. Or a brainwashed mob.
3
It is very shameful the Catholic Church and the evangelicals support this dirty politics . By saying nothing it speaks volume about their fake religions and they are just a cult by not speaking up. We are not in very good times now and it is sad for future young people growing up in these religions.
5
'Bout time. The most racially divided school systems are in NY, CT and MA. And southerners know this. It is the reason they think we are rank hypocrites. It is the reason Joe Biden fought busing vigorously and has never disavowed his stance on that issue.
Look in the mirror, liberals. You are Donald J. Trump.
5
The desperation of the left continues to grow.
7
The press is not up to the task, They pretend
Trump's contradictory statements mean something
and that we an't now he is a racist. or liar
or incompetent
he is a one trick pony. it's all about the pigementation
2
Would it be too much to ask the media to please stop reporting every hateful comment spewing from trump? Just stop! Concentrate on children in cages, Epstein, scientists being told to move to Colorado - there are many other things to report - and not having every trump millimeter sprayed across every media would be a pain trump would find unbearable.
6
Those who support Trump don’t care that he’s a racist. Many will say they like him for he tells it “like it is”. We have them here, in Canada. However, if you ask them what it is they like in these men and women, it seems they can’t really put their finger on it and when you suggest it may be it’s the rudeness, vulgarity and the hate he spews that draws them they take exception and call you a socialist, terrorist sympathizer apparently unappreciative that you, too, can tell it "as it is". Trump and his ilk are supported by folks who enjoy playing the role of victim and having it validated by him and his kind. Believing they are being nurtured, they are content to be exploited by the tolerant parent who only brings out and encourages the very worst in them. It’s easier to play the victim than to grow up and accept that the danger is in your own home and not out there and not with the stranger knocking at your door.
5
It's hard to know if Trump is racist. He certainly sounds like a racist, but he's primarily an opportunist and a hypocrite. He loves to create a scene, so he says things that he knows will incite people. Over the years he's done things and said things that were thoughtless and cruel, but were they intentionally racist? Trump is a boor and a lout. He's rude and awkward around people, which shows his insecurity. He's physically repugnant. He provokes outrage to compensate for his failings. And, pitting blacks and whites against one another is one way he knows will get him attention. It's difficult to judge whether he means any of what he says. Maybe it's just a tactic. But, following his actions and words through the years certainly shows a consistent use of race as a way to focus attention and conversation on him, which is always his motivation.
3
Trump just doesn't use race, he also uses religion, sex, education and of course wealth.
In other words he will use anything he can to put more bucks in his pocket, even if it means destroying this country.
4
I think campaign speaks to original Americans no matter what their color is. It favors old comer 4th generations and up on new comers 3rd generation and down.
Anyone who knows Howard’s show realizes the interview with Trump is entertainment. Come on NYT! That being said, Trump is a horrible, crass, bullying braggart unfit for the presidency. I guess the point of this piece is to prove Trump is a racist. This is difficult. However using a “bit” from the Stern Show as proof is dubious. Keep up the good fight Baker et al. Even Howard wouldn’t endorse this approach, however.
Wouldn’t you think Trump already has the racist vote pretty well sewn up?
4
Even though I don't mitigate any of Trump's hateful tactics, what to me is even sadder and more terrifying is that we have a culture where millions of people are willing not only to give him a pass, but slip so easily into mob hatred and revere him as a monarch instead of being a leader of ALL Americans. After watching this cancer grow with this campaign and then his administration, I can easily understand how the Nazi's rose to power in Germany. Are we really that so different as a body of people?
Trump has lifted regulations against poisonous weedkillers that are harmful to children; we have thousands of border agents who, tho some may not be actively participating, are involved in Facebook groups that mock the deaths of immigrants (what color?); he has lifted regulations that would have helped stem our contributing to extreme climate change which WILL affect the whole world's clean water and food sources for the future.
Where are the voices of the CHRISTIAN Right? You know, the ones who profess to stand up for family values and charity towards one's fellow man?
I am sickened that the headlines have to include him daily and sometime hourly. But I my soul is crushed that the nation that gave me pride and patriotism has been tarnished and tattered, maybe even beyond repair.
7
Yeah, we have known that all along. The real news is that now this race cancer has spread, especially to one of the two major political parties in America. What will America do now?
3
What should really worry progressive ideologues is that Trump has managed to blow a big hole in their "racist" charge. They've used it against everyone who disagrees and, until Trump, it was effective. People who give it credence despite the fact that it was weakly argued (ex., I find it offensive...).
Maybe we can get to the point where we have an honest discussion about the meaning of "racism" in the 21st Century. It has morphed into a violation of feelings and ideology. Trump is offensive, but that doesn't make him a "racist". Prison reform is but one example.
6
@AACNY Prison reform is great. One of his donors are private prisons.
1
@Moira
You are misguided if you think releasing prisoners early and reducing recidivism is a boon for private prisons.
Interesting. I am watching a Docudrama about Rome on Netflix. Three bad rulers in a row brought down a thousand year old empire, the greatest the world had ever known. The similarities to then and now are terrifying. We haven't even made it to three hundred and yet jingoist white patriarchs are beating their chest. Our reign may be over and we don't even know it.
3
I think the problem is not so much whether POTUS is racist but whether that term has been abused now for so long - it has lost its meaning of condemnation.
America loved Archie Bunker when he would go in mouthing all kinds of things that most folks would say only in a bathroom when they were alone.
No one who loved Archie Bunker was called a racist or for that matter Archie himself.
I remember a story about W when he was a POTUS.
An interviewer in the Oval office or in a news conference suggested W was a racist. Outraged because he had a black woman as his Security advisor - among many other black appointments - W asked the man to leave the room.
If folks would accept the fact that POTUS is of a generation where these types of views were standard and accepted.
I just turned 70 and worked all my life in the oil patch. As a person born in India - I was never a victim of outrightr racisms - but heard plenty of comments that folks in a polite society do not make.
I treated them as - ignorant fools but with no malice.
That he can find several persons of color who will say he is not a racist does not excuse his whole body of work.
3
Trump will do anything to win.
There is nothing he wouldn't say or do to get enough votes to be reelected.
However, he has to be a racist to go down this ugly road. He wants to win but he thinks most people are thinking what he says out loud.
Trump gets rewarded by his inflammatory comments. Nothing moves the needle when he spews out hate. After Charlottesville his numbers went down slightly but he recovered.
Trump knows as he once said, "I could stand in the middle of 5th Ave and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any votes". That was one of the rare times that our president told the truth.
6
I hope everyone realizes that wanting guys who wear yarmulkes in his accounting dept is NOT a compliment to Jewish people, but rather perpetuates an anti-semitic stereotype.
4
A person who isn't a racist would never consider making the comments that the President has made. It is that simple. No excuses.
4
He is doing exactly what Obama did..... only less eloquently.
2
There are two options.
Either Trump is a racist or you are stupid.
If the crowd chants “Balance the budget”, are they supportive of Trump or not?
If the people at the rallies for almost four years have chanted “Lock her Up”, are they supportive of the President or just remind him that he failed to fulfill his promise?
If the president told four Congresswomen “go back” and in a couple years the crowd still chants “send her back”, are they actually mocking the incumbent for his inability to fulfill the promised?
Here is what Trump actually tweeted: “..and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how....”
So, how come that you failed to comprehend that the president might have said to the Congresswomen to go back to the cities they came from to eliminate the gang violence, the street shootings, the racist voters, the drug dealers, the bullying in the schools?
What if we used the logic of those elected officials and accused them personally for the sad conditions in the cities and the states they came from?
What if we accused them as the racists for the alleged racism in America?
How come that the politicians like to take the credit for everything good and blame anything bad on somebody else?
3
"Mr. Trump is a product of his place and time, born and raised in the Queens of another era."
Many of us are white and from Queens in that same era and are _not_ racists.
3
Beyond disgusting. "The president is not a racist"--yeah Mitch, just like the tax cuts pay for themselves.
7
The receding of the white community in America will continue to incite politicians to use racism as a campaign strategy.
In twenty years whites will be in the minority in America and this fact will continue to provide ammo for racism.
When a majority group that has enjoyed white privilege sees they’re going to lose their superior status their paranoia and fear will overwhelm them.
This is the honest truth and, given human nature, there is no way to fend off this racist onslaught.
1
Ever since Trump's "go back" tweet, I have been hearing many people speak out like Geraldo Rivera and an African American young man who has been a Trump supporter all along to name a couple. These people took issue with the racist tweet and it is the FIRST TIME they've taken issue with Trump's racism. Seriously? Did these people recently awake from a coma? Not only has Trump been outrageously and blatantly racist and misogynistic in the past, but this most recent racist tweet is not even close to being the worst. The article mentions a black man that they put behind Trump at his rallies holding the "Blacks for Trump" sign. Yeah, we've seen this. I've seen the "Women for Trump" signs too. These make about as much sense as chickens holding "Chickens for KFC" signs outside the slaughterhouse. I have always maintained that Trump is less of a problem than the sick and deluded people that support him. Come on, we've had enough.
7
I am always filled with contempt when I observe these pro wrestling gatherings often called Trump rallies. I look at their faces, and can see the hatred in their eyes, and can imagine that these "fine, decent folks" would be among the crowd of 10,00 to witness the lynching of Henry Smith.
One thing I found amusing was that the bigot in chief mentioned at this rally, that one of the squad was guilty of anti-semitism.
Looking at this crowd, I know that this particular comment fell on deaf ears because this group of people have little regard for Jews as well as blacks. Blacks, Jews, Muslims, are all despised by the typical Trump supporter. They hate all people who are not like them. Trump is doing a maserful job of uniting racists.
The chillng thing is the similarities of Trump rallies, to the Nurenberg rallies of the early 1930s.
4
It’s been said a thousand times, ad infinitum, but this “person”, this “president”, is a total and utterly debased disgrace. He is the living embodiment of being a bad person. He is repulsive and he is repugnant. A pox on the house of those who continue to support him.
4
I mentioned last week that I am supportive and happy that the First Step Act, which both President Obama and Trump worked on, is now active. 3100 people have been released from federal prison early, many are black men that received harsh mandatory sentences.
I was told that by supporting Trump for anything, I’m a stupid white racist. Well, I know I’m not dumb, and my mixed race marriage suggests I’m not racist. So, I give up. On Election Day, I will compare both candidates based on their stances on issues that are important. If the Democrats have decided I’m racist simply because I’m white, I don’t need to vote with my party any more.
2
The current illegitimate Occupant of the White House, courtesy of Putin, seems to understand the mess he created, if not the solution:
To more accurately decipher his twitter babble:
Donald: "So interesting to see “Progressive” Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from (the US) whose government (is) a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly..... telling the people of the United States how our government is to be run."
[Donald's sealed elementary and high school school records clearly would show an F for civics, or incomplete.]
Donald: "....and viciously telling the people of the United States how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested (U.S.). Then come back and show us how...."
Donald doesn't understand Congress is a co-equal branch of the US government.
He doesn't understand it is the job of Congress to tell all American citizens how our government is to be run.
I don't agree with them, even though I am a Democrat.
But I would take their advice on how to run the Unites States of America over Putin's illegitimate puppet Occupant in the White House any day of the week.
Thankfully, Speaker Nancy Pelosi is the true highest duly elected leader of the United States, and she is leading the Democrats and the country past one of the bleakest times in our history.
Kudos to Speaker Pelosi!
4
Trump is a racist as his white (male supremacist) nationalism attests. But, the "clear and present danger" he presents is that he seeks to replace the "rule of law" with the "rule of Trump" and have, as so many whose cruelty litters the blood-soaked pages of history, an unfettered hand to implement the extreme racism we've seen not just in his comments, but in his treatment of immigrants on the southern border where children continue to be separated from their parents, and put in inhumane concentration camp facilities that have resulted in over a dozen deaths. Talk and tactics are one thing; an autocratic agenda to overturn the Constitution is another. That is the truly terrifying prospect we face if the Democrats continue run away from their most important elected responsibility that is to "defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic."
2
It's sure a good thing no Democrats have used race for personal gain.
4
Trump has made us sick. Daily we see and hear his ghastly antics, and they get worse and worse. And there seems to be nothing anyone is actually doing about it. The press laps it up and feeds it nonstop to us, and we get sicker. Those around him defend and excuse him, most prevaricate, some even praise him. We squabble and get enraged and outraged and depressed, but nothing changes. He gets worse and we get sicker.
My first thoughts each day are: is he still there? Is he really still in power? Can that be?
What will it take to end this nightmare?
8
Susan Jacoby's Age of American Unreason and Steve Fraser's The Age of Acquiescence suggest that Donald Trump and the size of his following can only be a surprise to an American electorate that's given up on reading.
Or is it partly because of the extent of the propaganda found in mainstream - as well as social - media? And we should look again at George Orwell to understand?
Or should we expect more knowledgeable voters in The Age of Acquiescence?
The extent of the puzzlement is puzzling. The solution obvious.
2
Teflon Don. Best conman this world has seen.
5
Trump is a reflection of the worst of our culture.
All for selfish promotion, he acts more like the obvious low-life carnival barker--publicly exploiting, hyping, misrepresenting, lying--advertising on the lowest forms of media in order to capture the lowest common denominator.
The danger: not enough or no strong push-back, regardless of party or ideology, from those of us who know better.
1
Donald Trump has dragged our once great country into the gutter.
For the first time in my life, I'm ashamed of the President of the United States.
4
If the Squad were four white guys, he would have said the same exact thing. And memo to The New York Times - the Trump is a racist canard will backfire badly in 2020. I realize it is all you have (the Russia thing was a hoax, the economy is good, and there is no war), but say hello to Trump's second term.
3
Why are too many, Democrats buying into Trump's grand strategy? He is not a racist, he is not a fascist...he doesn't believe in anything. He is a morally empty hollow shell of bottomless inadequacy. And also very clever. He knows bullying and The Big Lie work, he is living proof. He will play whatever role he feels will win him votes. Being perceived as a racist is one tactic. And the Democrats' playing into this only serve to amplify and reinforce his message to the people he wants to vote for him. In his playbook an African-American or Hispanic woman attacking him is free and positive publicity. IGNORE him. That will truly confuse and upset him.
1
Black, white, Latino, Muslim or any other creed or color, probably most know that Trump is a racist. The GOP goes with it, blessing racism.
But let us get something straight: Trump would not, consistently, use race for political gain if there was not enough racism in this country to get him elected under the racist umbrella.
4
Times readers seem unable to explain "what has happened to their society, and can only condemn this abomination that has leapt from the shadows of social media.
Perhaps there has not been nearly enough depth in the storytelling of the media, either in print or in what became known as the "idiot box", even before information sources for the masses became owned by a handful of corporations concerned primarily with the well-being of the investor.
Walter Lippmann would have told you in a flash just what has brought Public Opinion to this frightened, incoherent state. So would George Orwell. Aaron Sorkin has valiantly tried shock tactic in The Newsroom as has Naomi Klein in her Shock Doctrine and other works.
One mustn't forget the wisdom of Noam Chomsky either where public memory has been limited since the communist witch hunts in a society just brimming over with ahistorical analyses of itself throughout the Age of Acquiescence.
1
Yes, you really are supposed to present both sides. Yes, you really are supposed to keep your judgment of which party is further to its wing out of it. Yes, you really are supposed to be about just the facts, and not your opinions. Yes, you can really teach plenty of social studies without vivid color commentary on our political parties. Yes, you really are supposed to be non-biased.
Mr. Trump is "very diplomatic?"
He'll use anything for gain. It's all about getting his face into the news and the news eats it up. Can't blame the news though.
1
Although Trump may not be a mirror image of George Wallace or Bull Connor, I have little doubt he would encourage their behaviors if he thought them in his best interests.
What evidence do we have that this man has any sort of conscience...except when someone else has written something for him to read off a teleprompter, or when dealing with immediate family?
Oh, who cares anymore? Everything is “racist” to the Left. President Trump wasn’t “racist” until he ran for president. And then there all those photos showing him with a variety of other people when he was honored for his philanthropy or donations. And note here: “Hispanic” is not a race; neither is “Mexican”, nor “Guatemalan” nor “Haitian” nor “Puerto Rican”.
4
This is a very dangerous and inaccurate inference, NYT!
You imply that Trump told these women to return to their countries of origins because they were not white. But there are millions of people of various shades of black and brown and nobody told them to go anywhere based on their race. Trump told those women to go back to their countries because they kept trashing the US, the just happened to be of various ethnicity which is normal given that America is so diverse!
Because of unfair accusations like this you lost me, and Trump won my vote, and believe me that before Trump entered the race I was a die hard progressive Democrat and I found Trump the tycoon just another rich guy.
6
@European in NY
The biggest irony is that if any person had said anything even remotely similar on NYT pages - either as a comment or in a letter to the editor - those comments would have never been published, and the user likely banned if they persisted.
It is an old tactic indeed: a few decades ago, Jean-Marie Le Pen (a french far-right politician) declared that "La France, on l'aime ou on la quitte", which means "France, you love it or you leave it".
Apparently, Mr. "Dud" Trump who already copied the French "14 juillet" parade, also copied Mr. Le Pen's tricks.
Trump and his supporters are not racist, but they are so sick and tired of race being used as a political issue by the Democrats and the liberal media. There is a difference between a racist who inherently hates another human being because of the color of their skin, and Trump supporters who are resentful they are accused of being racist because of the color of their skin.
People like Van Jones and Don Lemon use race as a political tool, and it is very profitable for them and the liberal media. Race is their business. If you listen to CNN and MSNBC, half the people in the United States are racist. This accusation is pitting one half of America against the other, and will never reduce or eliminate racism, but it does create deep resentment and frustration for both halves of America.
Yes, racism exists in America, and it is evil, but there are not as many racists in America as CNN and MSNBC would have you believe. Remember that the liberal media corporations are For-Profit. Racism is a winning formula to get higher ratings, and thus more advertising dollars.
Trump and his supporters are not going to sit still and let the liberal left accuse them of being racist so people are afraid of supporting Trump. This constant accusation is actually working to his advantage because it is so obvious it is a political ploy to influence voters. It is backfiring. Every time CNN and MSNBC accuse Trump and his supporters of being racist, they lose a little more credibility. Trump will win.
7
@Samara
By their hiring choices, it seems to me that a disproportionate and large population of racists/bigots are the ones employed to be on air personalities for the outlets you mentioned.
I doubt I can find any reputable employer who simply just vile forgives comments against gay people, as Joy Reid has done with MSNBC, and Sarah Jeong at this paper.
Their strict hiring standards ensure that only certain kinds of people are allowed in, and it's not for their "diversity" of views or life experience.
1
What a guy! Three women brought him home to visit their parents (Ivana, Marla, and Melania), but many dozens more referred him to the district attorney's office.
2
One can have dogmatic deep racist beliefs and still have a few relationships with the “other” race. One does not necessarily preclude the other. So because Trump has a few persons of color who he spends time with, and who claim that he isn’t racist, does not mean that he fundamentally isn’t a racist. His pattern of behavior over the years tell the real story.
3
Trump followers, and even those who should know better, without any objective facts or evidence, claimed that race relations got worse under Obama. What they were really saying is that their own prejudices and bigotry were aroused because a man of color was elected President..
3
Trump's virulent racism is but one symptom of the larger disease of which he himself is a larger symptom: right wingism. He is a useful and self-actuated puppet for the hard right and the permission slip anyone acting in that direction to move forward full bore. Today's article on the fringe group against China moving into the mainstream underscores it. (The Chinese government are no angels, but one deals with this by negotiation, not the clearing a trade war unilaterally. Even Nixon knew that.) The hard right's approach to immigration is both racist and politically evil. The cancer of trumpism, right-wingism, and the rest of the fringe overtaking the mainstream must be excised quickly before it engulfs the host body, the United States of America, and its entire governmental structure if not the entire country, or at least those within it with whom these domestic terrorists disagree.
2
On a constant basis, Trump states that he doesn’t have a racist bone in his body. While it is incredulous that the President must deny his racism and all other “isms”, he may actually believe it to be true. After all, if his belief system puts people in “boxes” based on their physical appearances, it follows that he believes everyone thinks the same way. Classic stereotyping in its crudest form.
But who really cares if Trump is a racist or if he denies it? That is not important. It’s a red herring. The real danger is that Trump uses his position, words and behavior (allowing the “send her back” chant to continue unaddressed in real time), give tacit approval to those who wish to act upon Trump’s divisive and ugly message...reinforcing ignorant stereotypes. People have already been killed (VW). How long before there is more violence and deaths?
It’s a sad day for our country when our President is scolded by other world leaders for his potentially harmful racist and other “ists” statements.
2
Trump is a Queens stereotype who is stuck in 1970's. Honestly, who in the world could tweet that incredulous stuff?
Send him back please.
2
Maybe the NYT is giving Trump way too much credit...I don’t see a developed grand strategy nor any real value in injecting himself into the Dems internal strife.
What I do see is his complete disgust to having the USA criticized by a group of unpatriotic militants.
1
Trump is the face of the Republican Party, their poster boy, their mascot. If Trump inspires hatred America for political purpose, what does this say about the Republican leadership and their super-wealthy donors that put Trump in the White House? What does this say about members of the Republican Party who continue to support Trump? They must all be racists as well or Trump would not still be where he is with the enormous power to destroy everything this nation has fought and died for.
2
Trump's appeal to his supporters is incomprehensible to any thinking adult with a heart. Why racism is so appealing to these people puzzles me. As an older white man who demonstrated for Civil Rights when I was a teenage boy I remember the white faces that opposed equality under the law for everyone.
It's the children of those ignorant white people who opposed Civil Rights who now cheer for Trump. His promise to Make America White Again harkens back to their parents' racist ideals they grew up hearing.
In America religion and racism go hand in hand, which should make any thinking person question the morality of religion.
2
Frank Bruni nailed it in his piece, "How Democrats Defeat Donald Trump": Stop doing the work for Trump.
Charlie Warzel got it right as well referring to Rapinoe's tactics, "setting the terms of engagement, [forcing] their ideological opposition to respond and often make them look petty and weak," and to Jenny Odell's book, How to Do Nothing: "[...] neither submitting to a demand for attention nor blindly refusing it, but negating the terms of the demand" [...] “true resistance,” Odell writes, is “the ability not just to “withdraw attention but to invest it somewhere else, to enlarge and proliferate it.”
Alec Nevala-Lee notes a strategy for Dems from The Tunnel by William H. Gass: “They (fill in 'Trump supporters') tend to back their country like they back their local team: They have a fanatical desire to win; yelling is their forte; and if things go badly, they are inclined to sack the coach.”
1
As a Mississippian I grew up in the time of segregationist Governor Ross R. Barnett. He was a total, shameless demagogue, so I’ve seen all this before. That is why I have such a visceral reaction to Donald Trump who is obviously channeling Ross Barnett,
3
Who do you think writes the words he reads off the teleprompter at his rallies? Is it Steven Miller or Steve Bannon?
Perhaps it's someone we've never even heard of.
Do you all really believe that the chants that take place at those rallies are spontaneous?
Is there any chance that there are people he hires to attend the rallies and start the chants that get picked up by the flunkies and spewed out?
I'm just askin'
3
"Trump would never have told a white immigrant to go back to his country. “That’s why the comments were racist and unacceptable"" -- telling _any_ immigrant that is unacceptable in itself, regardless of target's race. So his comments may be racist on top of that, but it's not why they were unacceptable.
Good lord! When even sexist, inept, self-styled "reporters" like Geraldo Rivera can't ignore it anymore, the umbrage must be glaringly obvious! The one other time Rivera could find it in his stone heart to be offended was the last time Trump bloviated, about a Mexican who Trump assumed guilty of murder based on the fact that the man was undocumented. Funny how some, like Rivera, can't quite object to Trump's sexism/racism/self-interest until it is about me/my culture/my family in a very specific way.
1
It really doesn't matter as long as he wins in 2020!
2
The person who really jumpstarted identity politics was Obama. He noticed after that disastrous midterm that the rare democrat who had survived had done so with a strategy based on identity politics (ex., divisiveness based on identities). It was no coincidence that his "Dear Colleague" letter was issued the day he announced his re-election bid.
Obama left Americans with a strong distaste for identity politics.
5
The best way to comprehend SCUMpf's behavior is to recognize that the center frequency is narcissism with a behavioral time span measured in milliseconds. Whatever at each instant seems likely to resonate best with his need for adulation will be acted on. Since he identifies with the rich and won office thanks to purple state former Democrats longing for the white America of the 1950s, he will reflexively play to those audiences with instantaneous responses until or unless the backlash is so forceful it disrupts his gaze at himself in the mirror. That happened with the 'go back where you came from' uproar because his all too beloved daughter and others he trusts privately confronted him about it. Otherwise he would likely not have noticed.
1
The article misses one important possibility. It assumes that, because the writers care about racism, that Donald Trump does. The examples cited in this article also support the idea that Trump, limited to his narcissistic views, does really even care about race but simply see it as another tool he can successfully use to achieve his personal goals.
If you can't see it in this article, you are completely apathetic to reality. Trump will do anything , anything to get what he wants --as long as he is not thrown into prison for what he does---and will do whatever it takes to hide his malfeasance. Very little real accomplishment that will last into the future will come from this showman who is only interested in high current ratings. He will take credit for good things that were not of his making , while lying about his success. The economy was given a boost by an unfair and unsustainable tax cut whose stimulative effects must cycle to an end. At what cost was this unnecessary tax cut implemented. Consider the huge deficit to be borne by future generations. The tariff that Trump relishes has hurt many parts of our economy badly (e.g., farmers who once prospered from growing soy beans and small businesses who relied on Chinese imports). Climate change which seriously threatens human survival is being ignored and encouraged. While bad things that should be discussed and attended to---infra-structure repair, developing economic weapons to fight future recessions, such as a high federal funds rate---are forgotten and pushed aside. What Trump devotes most of his time to is exacerbating the racial divide, the migrant hordes, that only Trump and Fox News assert Democrats are welcoming, and which will overwhelm us. And the white nationalist will be thrust aside by a new colored American, unless Trump wins.
We have now seen Donald Trump and know who he is. He did not "grow into the job" as many had hoped... his laziness to study and understand the nuances of important issues, his lack of character, his failure to chose truth and integrity while embracing authoritarianism.
If Donald Trump is the best this country has to offer, then good night democracy as we know it and hello Lord of the Flies.
3
Thank you to Ava DuVernay, a brilliant female filmmaker for portraying the 1980’s portrayal of Trump as a racist in her film, “When They See Us”.
2
Focus on Trump’s racism is a complete waste of ink. To have any ethnic ideology you must have at some point thought about the ‘other’. That seems an inconceivable endeavor for Trump because he lives in the isolation bubble of ‘Me’. Whatever policies he’s entertained are strategies he’s either been told or has come to see will achieve his narcissitic goals. Who told him or did he correctly interpret human nature to know how to generate the ratings for his TV show? What must be analyzed is how the belief system of the so-called base came to be and why it seems impossible to change. So far, the gaggle of 2020 Democratic candidates don’t seem to be resonating.
But it is obvious from the efforts to save the rapper in Swedish jail that Trump doesn’t have a racist bone in his body. The poor rapper and his entourage of burly body guards were attacked by those skinny Swedish kids and he was unfairly put in jail. It is refreshing to see Donald responding to his constituents Kim and Kanye. When Kim speaks Don jumps, a pardon and now this.
10
@Rich Murphy
It's easy to believe Trump is a "racist", especially when this belief is already held about every republican. It's hard to see clearly. We hear this accusation daily. Trump's promotion and support of the First Step Act, under which 3,000 inmates are being released, is a fact that belies the "racist" claim.
Racists try to incarcerate African-Americans not free them from harsh prison sentences.
5
Today it is "race" and "go home". Tomorrow or the next day it will be something else assaultive and odious and destructive, because that's who the Trump-con is.
The PROBLEM with Speaker Pelosi just holding her nose (or lecturing like a schoolmarm) and plodding forward to 2020 elections—
Is that we are dealing with an explosively erratic, mentally deranged and malignant entity who calls himself Trump.
He's like a rogue elephant with his trunk wrapped around the main staff of the big top. Who knows what he will twist and turn, or wrest and rip.
Because of the clear and present danger—now, right now, not November 2020—the House of Representatives must do something besides subpoena and file lawsuits.
The Constitutional remedy for here and now—the house is on fire, do something!—is articles of impeachment, even if the malignant blight is not excised by a cowardly Senate.
And yes, we proceed full steam with preparations for November 2020 at the same time.
10
@srwdm
To address behaviors that are unacceptable by certain groups in the US is not always simply racist.
And We see systemic/subtle racism taking place in the NYC area daily:
1. Liberals live in coop buildings that enjoy unregulated applications process
2. Scarsdale/Great Neck have astronomical property taxes that serve as a barrier to entry for minorities.
Statistically These are all occupied by Democrats that champion equality?
1
A populist can try and gin up support by pandering to the worst impulses of his base, but it still takes a willing and bigoted audience to complete the circuit.
Noe of this ends with Trump's demise. The nightmare in America is only just beginning....
15
If people were really designed by God, there are truly irredeemable flaws in the design.
10
Clearly not up to the job of Supreme Being. It's a mess everywhere.
@NSf
Which is why I am now an atheist.
1
@jacoDid free will include the privileges to exclude others?
1
His supporters claim he is not racist. He is, above all, about winning and losing. Results versus failure. How refreshing. To think, Donald Trump is for meritocracy and is just being misunderstood by the rest of us.
Donald Trump, as many of his supporters ought to know, is for success and winning for only one person --- himself. If the path to that success involves pitting people against each other along racial lines (or throwing one of these very supporters under the bus), he is more than happy to oblige.
To debate where his overtly racist speech and actions come from --- does it come from an inner hate, or is it driven by a search for winning --- is moot. Who cares what motivates his racist speech?
Success or failure as president lies not only in achieving a humming economy or winning a war, but also in how these things are accomplished. The how matters. All presidents are stewards of a ship. They are not single-handedly driving the economy or even a war. They are setting the ship's mindset, its moral compass, its collective team spirit so that the citizens, as a whole, put their best forward to make America great. Did Abraham Lincoln or FDR win the war? Did JFK engineer the rocket to go to the moon?
Alas, we who cannot see what makes America great have elected a narcissistic con and have seen that greatness diminished. An unnecessary shot fired.... to our foot!
13
@Tough Call
If Trump's success is tied to the success of immigration and prison reforms, that's a good thing. His critics fixate on his ego. His supporters are focused on results.
2
Early in the Affirmative Action campaign, employers were using hiring of minorities as photo-ops merely to say 'see what we are doing'. Basically, these people were hired just to have their pictures taken. I see this also with Trump's tactics.
2
I've said it before and I'll say it again (if the Times will accept my comment): None of this is going to hurt him in 2020. Not with his hardcore base, not with Republicans who think of themselves as decent & thoughtful and claim to abhor his behavior but will put up with absolutely anything as long as they get what they want on their single-most-important issue (whether it be abortion, immigration, judicial appointments or what have you)... and certainly not with those whose primary loyalty is to money. He will say and do worse and worse things as time goes by, and none of it will cost him a single vote.
The only thing that can hurt him in 2020 is voter turnout.
16
@Bruce
It is exactly the same for democrats. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, and she set up a "War Room" to destroy her husband's sexual assault victims. She literally made a mockery of #MeToo.
This is how politics works. Morality isn't important as long as the policies are right. The morality bar is only hoisted up when it can be used against political opponents.
2
@AACNY - I understand that. The question in 2020, once a Democratic nominee is chosen, needs to be "Is this person going to be better than Trump?" Expecting a history of ethical purity in anyone who has held elective office is unrealistic. Are they going to be better than Trump is the only thing that matters, regarding the 2020 election.
Trump’s racist comments surely cost him some minority votes. It’s hard to see how that helps him. Is less more? Or is the problem that so few minorities would vote for any Republican that Trump’s comments express the silent views of many who are not minorities? If so, I guess that people shouldn’t vote for what they believe in unless they are minorities.
@Richard Winchester
I work with many African Americans in and around NYC hospitals. They are very religious people. Just because Omar is black, doesn’t mean they identify with it support her.
Here’s a statement that is going to floor you - they don’t support her at all.
So the mere fact that you think they do, just because she’s black, tinged in racism itself.
1
It's not Trump. It's We the People: who voted this guy into office? What are the polls showing? That's the inconvenience of democracy, New York Times. Digg deeper in this Trump phenomenon.
3
@Garry Read the Times day in and out. The name/word Trump is mentioned or appears more times than ANY other. He is keeping the Times in business as a tabloid. The NYT will never call out the general public for its ignorance, lack of interest, or its absence at the polls.
As ridicules and absurd as the Trump presidency is Congress is equally toxic and joke worthy. Which brings me back to my comment on the general public, lazy, entitled and simply along for the ride.
During the 2016 election, the press, news media and the Washington chattering class assured me me it was “economic anxiety” that was motivating Trump’s supporters and glibly dismissed the assertions from Hillary Clinton and those on the left, middle or conservative with a moral compass that it was about race. It was obvious to anyone that racism was at the core of Trump’s message; he literally started his campaign with a grand entrance down a gold plated escalator followed by racist tirade against Mexicans.
I guess my question to those in the media is this: were you really that oblivious, were you really that cowardly, or were you willing participants in Trump’s hate?
That this article is only coming out now should be a point of shame for the fourth estate; it’s not as if any of the evidence and source material of Trump’s racism wasn’t in plain sight and freely available to anyone who wanted to take the time to expose it.
The press has a lot to answer for in how they handled the 2016 election. While they were breathlessly covering the non story of Hillary Clinton’s email server, Trump was free to carry on with his racist, xenophobic and corrupt campaign virtually unchecked and unquestioned.
The fourth estate have a lot to answer and atone for.
13
"Using Race for Gain" is not limited to whites. In our current highly divided society one regularly hears politicians essentially saying "vote for me because I am _______" (fill in the blank . . . white, black, hispanic, woman, gay, etc.).
6
@THOMAS WILLIAMS
The Squad has continuously used their identity for gain. It backfired when they used it against those in their own party. (Clearly, they didn't realize it was a political tool only to be used against political opponents.)
There's an entire industry that has sprung up round race. Where would columnist, Charles Blow, be without "racism"? Ditto for the large diversity staff that now exist in colleges, who must find grievances to ensure job security.
3
Black unemployment rate:
March 2010: 16.8% (Great Recession)
January 2017: 7.6% and dropping (Obama leaves office)
Today: 6.4%
What has trump accomplished again?
He’s been trying to take credit for Obama’s work but it’s clearly not working outside his MAGA base, seeing his perpetually low approval ratings.
9
@Chris
Obama presided over the worst recovery in economic history. His economy was riddled with stagnate low growth, and declining incomes. After bouncing back from the economic crisis, The S&P rose dismal 1.4% for Obama’s last 2 years.
Are you suggesting that the business community was so enthralled with Obama’s policies, that they suddenly decided upon the election of Trump, to send the S&P into a parabolic 35% up move?
I don’t think so.
2
Americans elected Donald Trump. These Americans went through the US Education system.
Perhaps that is the problem?
4
The PROBLEM with Speaker Pelosi just holding her nose (or lecturing like a schoolmarm) and plodding forward to 2020 elections—
Is that we are dealing with an explosively erratic, mentally deranged and malignant entity who calls himself Trump.
He's like a rogue elephant with his trunk wrapped around the main staff of the big top. Who knows what he will twist and turn, or wrest and rip.
Because of the clear and present danger—now, right now, not November 2020—the House of Representatives must do something besides subpoena and file lawsuits.
The Constitutional remedy for here and now—the house is on fire, do something!—is articles of impeachment, even if the malignant blight is not excised by a cowardly Senate.
And yes, we proceed full steam with preparations for November 2020 at the same time.
2
Big failure has led to children in cages owned by republican private jails. Chants of "send them home" illustrate a domestic and international failure to expand the empire.
Children are in cages.
Our failure is missing out on taxing the vast majority of our immigrant population. We have laws and tons of private jails to "lock them up" if they are not doing the right thing. Does this administration have no faith in our legal system? Why do the republicans continue to under-fund the IRS? Or have the occupants of the Oval Office broken the law so much they don't believe in American justice or paying taxes?
Central American farmers are running from drought and failed U.S. expansion in commerce. Expansion has failed in Central America, we owe the workers our help inside our borders. Leaving them standing there on a pile of our garbage to starve is an American failure.
Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell support violence and war. because the failed at expansion. They have failed miserably to stabilize our political inventions internationally reverting to violence and force again.
We have failed in any expansion of this empire and now close borders because the republicans had no plan for Iraq, no plan for health, no plan for women, just chants of "lock them up".
Big Republican Failures are costing you at the pump and at tax time.
2
@Guy Walker
Those “cages”were built by Obama, used by Obama, and were all overloaded during the Obama administration. They were all there way before Trump came into office.
So what’s your solution? Any foreigner who attempts to illegally cross the border with a child is simply let in?
That’s open borders, isn’t it?
1
@Guy Walker
Maybe you should actually look at the acceptance rate of asylum claims from Hungarians, Germans, Poles and Czechs.
Contrary to popular belief, people who showed up at Ellis Island all weren't welcomed in, no questions asked.
@Viv When did I say someone was accepted no questions asked? I said "same opportunities".
You are a walking illustration of the identification of what should not be a problem.
“As much as I have denied it and averted my eyes from it, this latest incident made it impossible,” Geraldo Rivera, ......
When the current clarity of seeing Trump's character and intentions fade and we move on to the next bits of outrageous conduct, Geraldo Rivera will have another opportunity to avert his eyes, and come back into the fold.
And that's Geraldo's character.
3
In response to people who claim that are "..not racist, why, some of my best friends are black/brown/Jewish" etc, I am proud to say that NONE of my best friends are Trump supporters.
9
@Prof Dr Ramesh Kumar Biswas
This is why the lecturing about "tolerance" and "inclusion" from Trump's critics is taken with a grain of salt.
1
@AACNY I agree, there are limits to everything, including tolerance and inclusion - especially of intolerant and exclusive figures.
Not to diminish the argument, but please tell me what kind of -ist of the worse kind Trump ain't?
In the end, all that mattered to Trump was that he be able to count another gilded, Putin, as his friend. To such despicable stature, Trump grabbed, conned and rose.
1
Whatever our political differences may be, surely we can all unite in agreeing that Donald Trump doesn't have a racist bone spur in his body.
3
Trump reminds me of Alfred Pennyworth’s explanation of the Joker to Bruce Wayne, “Some men aren’t looking for anything logical, like money. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.”
7
Ten reporters worked on this article and I didn’t see the word “racist” used once. Do better. He isn’t a product of his environment and he doesn’t use “racial” rhetoric; he uses racism. Call it what it is.
5
In an interview, Steve Bannon was quoted as saying, "the longer they talk about identity politics, I got 'em. I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats." We saw this over the past week. Trump provokes accusations of racism with his outlandishly stupid racial trope, telling the Squad to go back to African. In an uproar, democrats and others accuse him of racism. He countered by saying that it wasn't about race; "the Squad didn't love America."
Of course, its never been about the love of America, it's only about the love of Donald Trump. By definition, a racist is a person who shows or feels discrimination or prejudice against people of other races, or who believes that a particular race is superior to another. Trump will attack anyone outside of his base of adoring fans. Black or white. The country, if not the world, has been turned into a reality tv show only for his gratification.
Is Trump, a racist? Maybe. A Narcissist, most definitely. Which comes first when it comes to Donald Trump? Let's not play his game.
6
If average Americans had a minimum of common sense, honesty and respect for each other , they would reject this abominable individual in 2020 .
When is enough going to be enough ?
8
What is disturbing is not so much that the President of the United States makes racist comments like "lock her up" or "go back to your country", though it is unbelievably upsetting. It is that he conducts rallies where he is present where the chants occur, and that those there think this is OK, because the President of the United States believes so.
9
What's scariest to me about all this is that Trump has revealed a new and powerful voting block: racists. They are clearly nothing new, but this presidency has very explicitly revealed their political value.
This is going to be a difficult genie to put back in the bottle: I find it hard to believe the GOP will he able to resist appealing to this block in elections to come. Which means we're headed for a positive feedback loop of pandering, political strategists finding ways to get more and more people into that group, and more pandering.
Before you know it you have a new abortion/guns-style block of single issue voters with a lot of political power, except that their issue is white supremacy. And by that time, folks, you're well on your way to fascism.
6
Another day, another accusation that Mr. Trump is a racist even though the vast number of voters who will give him a second term don't buy it. . .no matter how loud the main stream media (and their holy alliance with the democrats) call for it.
Why? Because these so-called "reporters" who don't aren't objective in the least but claim to practice "journalism" don't use fact but instead expect people to be fooled by one word: INFERENCE. If Trump were confronted by a white congressman who imigrated from England and told him the same thing (which he would have no hesitation in doing as an equal-opportunity offender) what would these pundits "report" then? I wish it would happen to see how they would spin it.
4
@Irving Nusbaum
Trump may succeed in finally denuding the specious, insulting and incessantly made accusation of "racism". Those sick of the identity police should thank him.
1
@Irving Nusbaum
He already did what you describe to the Brit's ambassador Kim Darroch after critical, confidential comments he made about Trump were leaked to the press.
Trump: "The wacky Ambassador that the U.K. foisted upon the United States is not someone we are thrilled with, a very stupid guy. He should speak to his country, and Prime Minister May, about their failed Brexit negotiation, and not be upset with my criticism ..."
The NYT has recently branded Trump an "ethno-nationalist," which is also just about everyone who was rooting for their home country during the recent Women's World Cup.
Democrats attacking Trump for being a racist are barking up the wrong tree.
2
For someone who says he's not a racists, Mr. Trump seems frequently obliged to explain to us that he's not a racist.
4
There are objective acts of racism that have nothing to do with one's state of mind. Articles like this keep trying to figure out Trump's motive or ask whether he actually hates black people.
The issue is quite simple. Does Donald Trump make statements that are based on racist characterizations of black people?
Does Donald Trump use thinly coded language drawn from white supremacist or racist traditions?
Do many of Donald Trump's comments draw praise from white supremacists and other right wing ideologues?
Did Donald Trump know the racial history linked to the comment "send her back"?
Did Donald Trump initially say that all four congresswomen should "go back to where they came from" even though three were born right here in the US?
If the answers to these questions is 'yes', then Trump's intent or state of mind or belief in his lack of bias is irrelevant.
The comments and actions described above are objectively racist and it doesn't mater whether they were uttered by the president or someone else.
Trump plays a game with the media called 'catch me if you can ' and they willfully play along. I didn't say I hate Muslim's I just retweeted a comment from someone who does.
The media need to stop playing Trump's game and like any good news story follow the truth. And the truth is that Trump's comments were racist regardless of what he intended.
8
okay, so these women cant complain about their country(which is not hate just complaining)but he can whine and have temper tantrums about the media everyday of the week. all I ever hear is him complaining.
5
As is it he case on many issues, I tend to agree with DT on the message but not the delivery.
3
The silence of GOP is turning the graves of every fallen soldiers who sacrificed for American Value.
It is very heart wrenching watching the historical disintegration
of American value, moral integrity and what used to be the greatest nation on earth.
9
@Alan. Which Republicans are currently speaking out about Trump? People used to. Now they all are either quietly or openly supporting him (eg. Senator Graham).
5
Most of us understand race-baiting and the tactics that Trump has used to rally a significant portion of his base. However, isn't "identity politics" as employed by democrats and the left, simply the other side of the same coin? As long as the left engages in their own form of covert racism and divisive politics in the form of identity politics you can expect a commensurate effort from the right to level the political playing field. In order for race baiting to end, both sides have to stand down. I don't anyone thinks that is going to happen.
4
President Trump is taking advantage of the animal instinct of white men and women to discriminate against non-white groups. But US has now mixed races and it may be difficult to define who are really "white". Demographic trend is slowly shifting towards the people of color and I wonder if he will be able to gain his votes in the next Presidential election. The groups he is appealing to are those who are losing their status economically and socially in the changing globalized world and feeling now very insecure in the US society where they once enjoyed comfortable middle and labour class lives. The US government needs to take care of their grievances by providing better and affordable education and retraining opportunities. Any decent political leaders must be rational and appeal to the reason of citizens in maintaining the integrity of society and nation state. Unfortunately he is not qualified to lead the important country which affects the lives of people globally. Now US citizens have to take their responsibilities seriously and protect US democracy before it becomes too late.
3
Ben Carson. Geraldo Riviera. Now there are two opinions that could change my mind.
^this is sarcasm
7
The scary aspect of all this is that it will be shrugged off by the voters as Trump is being Trump, especially if economy stays strong. So far Democrats has not found any anti-dote for this.
2
"Mr. Trump is a product of his place and time, born and raised in the Queens of another era."
This is a social problem which is perpetuated by well-intentioned folks trying to look "knowledgeable" and wise. Please remember always that in every place and time there are/were people who did not behave in that manner, whatever it be. In other words, someone who defended and practiced slavery was not merely "a product of their place and time" because there were people who believed slavery was wrong and fought it passively and actively. They were each "a product of their place and time too".
If you are trying to say that Mr. Trump was emblematic of a certain kind of close-minded attitude prevalent at that time and place please say it clearly in such words. Do not make it seem like he was that way because of the water or air or the weather at that time.
2
The only way we can counter these attempts at racial divisions, these deliberate effort to divide and separate us is to embrace our racial diversity. Trump cannot divide us then. White, black, brown, and all the colors of the rainbow. This is what makes America Strong. United we stand.
2
In Vermont, for decades, the population was mostly native born. About 50 years ago, there started to be an influx of people looking for a simper life, and slowly politics started changing from an Alf Landon supporting state to a Bernie Sanders supporting state.
Even more recently, we seem to be having an influx of some people from urbanized liberal states, who seem to bring New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut political values with them. And they run for office, and get elected. These are all lily white people.
And some of the legislation they come up with upsets the older guard. So we often say, if they want to live under such laws, they should go back to where they came from, where such laws are already on the books. It has nothing to do with race.
4
@RM If it has nothing to do with race, why single out only 4 women of color?
1
@Pigenfrafyn
I am talking about our use of the phrase in Vermont, involving those elected to the Vermont legislature.
As so many have said, the problem is not Trump but the many who support him. Sadly the toothpaste is out of the tube and I’m not sure there’s anyway to get it back in. As a start I would recommend that the NYT and other responsible media stop covering his rallies out of justifiable fear for the safety of their journalists. Perhaps, one way to douse a fire like this is to deprive it of oxygen. I’m pessimistic that this tactic will be employed or even would work but the alternatives are far worse and are most likely what we are facing.
1
NY elites who now wash their hands of Trump are the very enablers who gave Trump to the rest of us.
They’re enablers.
Especially sketchy-NY media figures like Stern.
Thanks, NY!
Let’s not nominate ANY New Yorkers this election, please!
1
Both political parties are guilty of identity politics. However, it must sell page-views or our selfish politicians would be focused on balancing the budgeting instead of burdening our progeny with the debts of their forebears.
3
Empire would seem to be the most appropriate metaphor with which to envision our rising and coagulating meta-problems of the 21st century — and yet, IMHE [in my humble experience], there is something that blocks the minds of the most intelligent, leading, insightful and powerful Americans’ minds from recognizing and even daring to consider employing the concept of Empire from informing any creative thought by precisely the Americans would might use this metaphor of Empire from changing the dangerous direction in which our political, economic, and social world is hurtling today.
Jamelle Bouie’s column, The Joy of Hatred, offers, perhaps a beginning to unwrapping, parsing, and even ‘thinking’ about this blockage of American minds.
In terms of ‘thinking’ in general — and creative ‘thinking’ in particularly — I am often prone to think, employ, and write here in my comments at the “Times” about the concept of “analogy-thinking” [George Lakoff] — but instead of considering the importance of ‘thinking’, perhaps we should consider the importance of ‘un-thinking’, or ‘delusion’, with regard to Jamelle’s question of “The Joy of Hate”.
In this regard the infamous phrase, used in the film “Mississippi Burning”, “well at least I’m better than a” (fill in the blank), would seem to be the operative ‘delusion’ that infects not only the minds of overt racists, like Emperor Trump, but also an array of slightly more comfortable, educated, but ‘deluded’ Americans relative to our own Empire.
1
Remember who Trump really is... not the person(?) he's selling.
John Gartner, Ph.D. is the founder of Duty to Warn, an organization intent on warning our country that we are in dire trouble due to our president’s mental instability. More than 60,000 mental health professionals have signed John’s petition, which states:
“We, the undersigned mental health professionals, believe in our professional judgment that Donald Trump manifests a serious mental illness that renders him psychologically incapable of competently discharging the duties of President of the United States. And we respectfully request he be removed from office, according to article 4 of the 25th amendment to the Constitution, which states that the president will be replaced if he is ‘unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.”
President Trump argues he is above the law. A thousand prosecutors say he’s wrong [LaTimes]
As of Wednesday, more than 1,000 former federal prosecutors had signed a statement explaining that, in their professional judgment and based on the facts described in special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s report, President Trump would have been criminally charged with obstruction of justice if he were not the president. This public outcry from such a large group of prosecutors — who have served under Republican and Democratic presidents — is unprecedented and indicative of overwhelming expert agreement on the evidence and law supporting charges against Trump.
2
Pinkett's comment was right on. He didn't excuse or attack Trump's behavior as a function of growing up in Queens - those type of reactions are just as ill-informed as generalizing about race or ethnicity (e.g. "He reminded me what he was — a Queens guy.”). Trafficking in stereotypes like the Queens comment shows that bias is pervasive and now openly admitted in interviews! People are "out" and so is their muck in this hate-permissive environment. I wonder: Is this misfit of a president responsible for the higher water bills of many Americans who find the need more regular cleansing?
1
President Trump knows what he has to do to get his "ratings" for his unfair advantage in the Electoral College. He knows that deep-seated emotional rifts are his friends. He knows what gets people off that couch in front of the TV tuned to Fox News to go to the polls to vote for him.
It worked before--and barring a war or economic disaster--it likely will work again. The GOP, knowing a good thing for themselves when they see it (in the short run), will stand by and let it happen. Hey, the big donors got their tax cuts, and the change in the tax laws stuck it to those snobs in the northeast.
1
It is pointless to complain. The Base does not care or is in denial. The Republican dominance of one house protects the chaos that the President inflicts on us. Swing states are prone to vote for Trump again, regardless of the national popular vote. Gerrymandered flyover states deny voices of the opposition. The terror will not end.
4
I never understood this “America. Love it or leave it!” mantra. Do we not have the right of free speech!? Criticism of policies and process lead to improvements. Perhaps those uncomfortable with this should move to countries that don’t allow criticism of politicians and the State. I’m sure they will enjoy there time in Russian, North Korea and China.
5
I like the problems of racism with how we treat people with disabilities. Trump also ridiculed the reporter who has a speech problem. One of the early attempts to assist the blind and disabled was the Randolph-Sheppard Act of the time of FDR. Work 'opportunities' were demeaning and patronizing. My blind father refused to be so treated and turned down a job operating a vending stand. His 'gift' was that he could help blind people in his work as an occupational therapist. Before my birth, my blind mother was a teacher of blind children at the New York Institute for the Blind. She was refused work in teaching and was forced to take a job under that Act. Fortunately, She was given an economically viable store and was probably the only operator who did not require supplemental 'welfare' for her sustenance.
The last time I checked, Kamala Harris was using her race for gain, too. See, the assumption that only one side can use race to get a edge is the problem. Identity politics is a Frankenstein monster that neither side is willing to abandon.
3
Don't ever forget Trump will do anything to try and win the 2020 election.
He's eager for a high-profile racially-charged crime and hoping his statements will push someone over the edge. This will give him the opportunity to intervene on the "side of law-and-order" and try to use the incident to scare independent white suburban voters into supporting him.
3
I am sick of hearing Trump and his supporters to excuse their nastiness because “they love America” .
If they really did, they would respect the laws of the Land and other wonderful American principles that older generations have fought hard for, such as EQUALITY, FAIRNESS, DIVERSITY, freedom of speach, freedom of the press, etc.
What does “United We Stand” means to them?
They seek division at every turn for personal advantage. I am sorry to tell them, they are no Patriots, no one little bit....
4
Anything can be rationalized. We legitimize our behavior and others through our own worldview.
But to be clear like the few that deny human induced climate change, the few that believe Trump isn’t a racist, is outweighed by the 10s of million who clearly see his failure to be inclusive. That seems obvious enough to see if your eyes are open.
2
So, Trump has short circuited the introduction of the Democratic campaigns. Blame is assigned to a few naive political newcomers amplified by the press beyond their importance. But, who destroyed all for immediate personal gain? Food fight Harris hammered a non-idea on race that was so disruptive, it gave Trump the means to set the Democrats off track and begin fighting amongst themselves. Harrass/Harris, raised as an entitled Indian, appropriated the right to bait others, possibly destroying the Dems chance to layout their campaign ideas.
2
Sad predicament.
President of USA representing 330 million Americans resorting to small talk, when instead he should act as a true leader.
1
I am a Singaporean and have been following all the news from the time Mr. Donald Trump campaigned and eventually became the President of the US. What strikes me most is the venomous nature of the comments of the media - you included (except for Fox News) against the President. He is an outsider and not your run-of-the-mill politician. He is brash, not diplomatic and uses rough house tactics but HE DELIVERS THE GOODS. Your country has achieved unprecedented prosperity but that doesn't seem to count. He rather reminds me of our late and revered prime minister, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew in his early days.
Pehaps Trump isn't racist per se, but he believes that because he is perfect, the more somebody is like hin, the better he is. If somebody looks like Trump (white), had Trump's upbringing (coddled and entitled), and has met Trump's financial success (or at least the image of success he projects), then they're "fine people." If not, they lose points. In Trump's twisted mind, non-whites who are wealthy and powerful "make up for" not being white by being wealthy and powerful. That's why Trump is "friends" with rap stars and boxers, and that's why he never gave Rangel or others mentioned in the article the sense that Trump is overtly racist.
But, of course, he is.
3
a pure captitalist, everything, everyone and all situations are exploited.any sense of morality is a weakness, love is only for the self, defile any land, lay waste to any animal species or human beings. soulless. the darkside of our country and culture is in full view for all to see, an American tragedy
3
Ok, I’ll take his closest associates and friends word that Trump is not a racist. If he is not, he is certainly doing a great imitation of a bigot. So great that he has been able to divide our nation, manipulate the fear and bigotry of millions of our citizenry, and inspire acts of violence, some with lethal consequences.
Archie Bunker, now there was a racist. If he was your neighbor you might avoid him on the street. Donald Trump, on the other hand, is something else indeed. If he lived next door, you might chose stay inside on the sunniest of days rather than cross his path.
1
Does this man have any friends? I see him surround himself with a number of "useful acquaintances", shallow relationships based only on what he can exploit from them, but does he have any actual friends?
3
Yes, a mystery for me about Trump is the degree to which his voters are "not his type".
4
This article is instructive for Trump’s critics. The man has a long history of friendly relations with numerous, well-respected black pop culture figures. No one who isn’t already anti-Trump is going to be persuaded by an opportunist like Omarosa when even Al Sharpton can’t recall any racist interactions from their past. Who cares what Scaramucci or Geraldo thinks when Trump has Kanye by his side?
When pundits on the left breathlessly declare America a white supremacist state, it’s important we remind ourselves that Trump attracted more black and Latino voters than Romney. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/democracy/reports/2017/11/01/441926/voter-trends-in-2016/ I suspect they, along with many of his white voters, are willing to accept Ben Carson’s “nuanced” description of Trump’s relationship with race. Similarly, on the topic of immigration, I think liberals underestimate how many people of color, immigrants included, see themselves as exceptions to Trump’s nativism and do not identify with AOC et al.
1
A product of his time and place, Donald Trump is simply an old, out of touch man. Race was far more important to his fading generation than today's.
The current average of polls surveying Trump's job approval is about 45%. That is, more than four in ten Americans surveyed approve of the man and his presidency. (See Real Clear Politics)
No matter how despicable his speeches, his policies, his tweets or his behavior, his approval rating hover around the same level.
Perhaps it is time for those of us who find nearly everything about the man distasteful, disturbing, dangerous and disastrous (a majority of us, but not a huge one) to consider whether Donald Trump is merely a symptom of a *fundamental* problem of our society.
1
"Send her back!" is significant further step after "lock her up!"
That further step will empower racists all over the USA and beyond and, eventually, people will be harmed and people will die.
Europe, where I live, has gone this way in the 19th and 20th century: Nationalisms beyond common sense (what for did the soldiers die in WWI trenches? Surely not for their countries, as it is now acknowledged by almost everyone in Europe), racism against citizens considered aliens, demagogues exploiting nationalism and racism (eventually resulting in "death factories" from the East of France to Poland and from Austria to the Baltic Sea).
Europe's answer to a long century of wars sparked by nationalism and demagogues: To open borders for people, goods, services, and investments - the European Union.
Europe's reaction to the US president doing his best for sparking racists riots: At first incredulity, sympathy to the tentatives of some European leaders (Macron of France, Merkel of Germany, etc.) to gain the US president to the common values the USA and Europe have been founded on.
Now, Europe is trying to contain the dangerous path the USA have taken in international affairs, Now, Europe is looks with a growing concern at where the US society is heading to.
2
I'm curious. The title of this article said "race for gain" but I fail to see what the gain is.
If America is an educated, intelligent country we, both sides of the races, would easily see right through it for what it is. So what's the problem?
Are we now admitting we collectively, aren't smarter than DJT? I know I am and I recognize the silly game he plays. Here is the problem I'm in the minority and that does scare me.
1
It's disgusting that any politician in America would do this or say the things that Donald Trump has said as a public figure before and during his presidency. It's even more disgusting to hear his followers supporting him on this. But it's the silence from Mitch McConnell that is the most disturbing. I suppose that as long as no one he knows is targeted it's fine.
I never thought that I'd see us return to the days where we'd tell people born here, naturalized here, and who have contributed to this country to go back where they came from. And I never ever thought I'd hear such words from the President of the United States of America. How dare he insinuate that people who disagree with him or who want things to change for the better for all of us or who criticize this country, leave it. He's criticized it in the past. Perhaps he should return to where his grandfather came from. His actions, not those of his critics, are un-American and unpatriotic.
I've been alive for 60 years. I've worked with immigrants, with African Americans, with Asians, with LGBTQ people, and I've known all sorts of people. Trump doesn't hold a candle to them when it comes to hard work, dedication, or humanity. Nor does the rest of the Trump Fan Club aka the GOP.
7/21/2019 12:40pm
4
Imagine what Trump would be like during a second term when he could say and try to do whatever he wanted, unfettered by the need to collect votes ever again.
I shudder to think of it and will work hard and pray he never gets the chance.
4
@TheWholeLife
If he were elected to a 2nd term what you envision would be the best outcome; he would most likely try to remove term limits, and with a repub puppet congress be successful. Then his children and spouses can finally have a little hard won luxury in their miserable lives.
Today I walked through the woods and saw deer and birds and heard the trees rustle as the wind came from over the plains. I took a minute to observe all of this, thinking, this is very nice. After a small dinner out in the downtown district where I live, I came home and logged onto the New York Times. I am listening to an Americana playlist, and its got artists who've seen bad days and good ones, and a white wine is next to me as I type. It must be quiet in Washington at this late hour. Tomorrow is Sunday, a day deserving of rest and prayer and reflection. Monday, we can begin again, and keep doing the right things with our families, our colleagues, and our friends.
118
Thanks Sam.
Hope springs eternal !
3
I want to remind all readers that D.J.T. called for the execution of the exonerated 5. If he had had his way they would be dead and those who unjustly practiced the law against them would still be thought of as heroes and the victim of the horrible crime would not have had any justice herself. D.J.T. is the same as he was then and he always will be.
182
@Van Antwerp
Setting aside the death penalty part, the NYT has no basis upon which to claim they were exonerated. Although a sixth person, Matias Reyes, was apparently the final person to attack her, plenty of evidence remains that the first five were involved that night.
2
Just finished "When they see us" on Netflix. The CP5 were not exonerated. There was reasonable doubt over the rape considering DNA testing and irregularities in obtaining their confessions. However, the cruelty those young men inflicted on innocent people in the park that night was truly evil. The CP5 were identified by the other 30 members of the mob as being responsible for the rape and even knew the primary assailant stole her Walkman. They were arrested for a reason. They weren't the primary instigators of the rape, but it's absurd to claim they are innocent and blaming Trump for their arrest and convictions is absurd. TDS at it's worst!
2
And he is a reflection of the average American. That’s why the US has to disappear.
This man is disgusting. His followers and defenders, the same. This isn’t America anymore. I don’t know what it is.
281
@Sonu. It is proto-authoritarian.
@Deb Chatterjee
Yes, Trump telling citizens to leave because of the color of their skin and because they are critical of him and his policies is definitely racist. I remember Nixon and "Love it or Leave it" because of the protests against the Vietnam War. In fact, I have spent time in Vietnam and those protests were right just as these women are right to criticize what they see as wrong with this country. And they have ample reasons to criticize Trump, his words, his actions and his policies.
I am first born here from white Canadian citizens. I am very vocal, politically active and speak out against what I see as wrong and things that need to change in this country - Trump is at the center of my criticism. No one has ever accused me of "disliking this country" or suggested that I "go back where I came from" . We all love America especially when we try to make it a better place and live up to the ideals of our democracy. I think immigrants appreciate America more.
8
@Deb Chatterjee You do understand 3 of the women are US citizens from having been born here? Omar is the only naturalized citizen. If you really believe this then please explain why he hasn’t asked Amash to return to his home country? You know, the white man who just left the GOP and has asked for trumps impeachment. For that matter why didn’t trump leave when President Obama was running things? All he did was complain and disparage this country. Make America Great Again? Meaning it wasn’t, correct? Selective outrage and hypocrisy have become the hallmark of republicans. And open racism. That was in the closet before. Not anymore. So to answer your question. Yes he is a racist. As his defenders and followers. Lastly, why didn’t he ask his 3rd baby mama to leave when she openly accused President Obama of not being a citizen. She chose to come here and then have the gall to disrespect the chosen President? I have a feeling you don’t mind that for some reason.
6
Gee Geraldo, sounds like you have comprehension problems. Trump’s racism has been on open display since the birther nonsense.
99
As a former nuclear weapons program manager, I am acutely aware that there are many kinds of blunders humanity can't afford to make even once. So I am totally 100% anti-Trump. So is every member of my family and circle of friends.
But in a way, I regret this. I have nobody to ask why they are doing such a stupid evil thing. I have no idea whatever about why anybody supports Trump.
Somebody please post a rational answer to that.
966
@Bob sherman because [insert all of Trump and Fox's talking points here because his supporters seem to have them memorized]. Some people will trade values for slightly lower taxes, some just have too much pride to admit they are wrong, some believe this what a president should be (a bully caricature who is "fighting" against "others"), some are actually racist and see a peer in the president, some have simply been deceived.
It is not totally rational but all of us can rationalize most anything when our emotions and pride are stirred the right way. Trump has mastered the emotions of his base.
75
@Bob sherman I'll tell you why people support Trump, or at least, did so in 2016. In no particular order...
- They watched the first 15 years of this century be non-stop war & economic upheaval under both Bush and Obama.
- Trump was a non-politician. They viewed the Clinton's to be an unacceptable scandal-laden choice.
- Americans watched manufacturing jobs bleed overseas. While Trump has not brought them all back, the bleeding has stopped. Beyond the Beltway where you are, this is a hot issue.
- Many believed the Obama Presidency was one in which America apologized for itself far too much. Trump ended that.
- Many felt the denigration of our military & law-enforcement had gone too far. Trump stopped that.
- 2009-2016 GDP growth averaged an anemic 2%. GDP growth is now 3% since 2016 - each 1% of additional growth adds $200 billion or more in economic output.
- People have growing concerns about China's theft for hegemony plan. Nobody was willing to tackle it until Trump.
I have my issues with Trump. But there is nothing evil about economic growth, low unemployment, record low minority unemployment, supporting our military & law enforcement, & holding the same immigration views that Democrats held just 10 to 20 years ago.
You have nobody to ask because the Beltway hates Trump. With per-capita incomes 3x the national average, he represents a potential threat to the status quo. Drive five hours north & west and learn about the rest of the nation.
14
@Bob shermanA partial answer why some people support Trump is that they get their news from Trump's speeches and tweets, right-wing talk radio, evangelical preachers, Republican congressmen, and, very importantly, FOX television. I force myself to watch Fox now and then to see what spin they put on events. They often distort facts, use half truths, change the subject, attack Hillary, or completely ignore something and show cat rescue flicks. If one got one's news exclusively from Fox, one would think that Trump is a great president, who is standing up for America, providing jobs, keeping gangsters from entering the country--and being attacked by the Enemy of the People, Communists, and the Swamp for his efforts. A steady diet of Fox's morning and nightly reporting has a propaganda effect. It has even hardened Trump's own positions on certain issues. I don't want to boost Fox's ratings, but do recommend that persons occasionally see first-hand what Fox is doing.
78
Was it necessary to post his tweets in their entirety again?
I take issue to describing him as "a product of his place and time" --it suggest that the fault with Trump is all due to his circumstances -- it lets him off the hook for his behavior, and implies everyone around him in that area and that time was racist. They weren't.
111
Is no one else alarmed at the total lack of response, and even defense, of Trump's racist remarks by Republicans?
We have witnessed the scourge of white nationalism
before in history.
105
Just as a moonshiner thinks nothing of stirring the acid from an old automobile battery into the mash to get it bubbling, Trump could care less about the damage to our country that stirring up racism might do.
Morality? Why would you expect that from a New York City Real Estate Developer? It never enters into the equation in their industry; from their viewpoint, that's the kind of stuff weaklings worry about.
That said, articles moaning about Trumps lack of morality are a waste of time; it's not news, and will have no effect on the 2020 contest. Nobody, not even his most ardent supporters, thinks that Trump is a moral person.
54
The NY Times article is thorough and detailed and points out the complexities in Trump's actions and opinions regarding race. Isn't that true of many Americans, like Joe Biden, who developed a close relationship with old guard southern segregationist senators? The accusations of "racism" against Trump are pure madness. The President used stupid, intemperate xenophobic words about the four Democratic Congresswomen but this does not equate to racism. Yet there is is hysteria about this issue, just like previous hysteria that Trump was a Russian plant when that was proved groundless. Donald Trump is not a devil or angel, just an imperfect, complex individual like the rest of us.
14
@Alex, as President, one should have a moral responsibility as well as a responsibility to the dignity of the office to choose one's language carefully and use it wisely. Just another reason why the man is unfit for the office and should be voted out.
In the meantime, a few tests for cognitive abilities would not be remiss.
1
@Alex The POTUS was busted as a young man for discriminating against POC in housing: A prospective tenant who happens to be black gets the letter 'C' next to his/her name, and their application is rejected. He never acknowledged or apologized for this. He continued to say the Central Park 5 belonged in prison even after the rapist was caught dead-to-rights. He took out full page ads in NY papers calling for the death of the Central Park 5 and has never apologized. His racism has been absolutely blatant, both before and after the election.
1
But the rest of us are not serving as President of the United States, with the expectation of a certain level of decorum that goes along with that role - no matter what their own personal views are. Whether Trump is a racist or not, a sitting President should not be making public comments that are dividing our country, inciting hatred, and causing considerable strife.
American historian John Henrik Clarke use to joke, "Christopher Atticus over heard white men speak of -- all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Unfortunately, Christopher Atticus was under the impression these white men were also talking about him."
The horror, disbelief, a White Supremacist is President of the United States yet again, shouldn't come as a surprise. American educational system has been riddled with, bogus science, half truths, indoctrination, omissions, racist ideology, and straight-out lies.
Trump is a charlatan: Trump's so called "black friends" are old enough to know, many white folks portray is not who they are. Go back to the beginning of Trump's Presidential campaign listen to what Senator Mitch McConnell, former House Leader Paul Ryan, Senator Lindsey Graham has to say. When these white men thought Trump would cost the Republican Party the Presidency, they spoke out. When Trump won the Presidency, these men and their political party understood they had the power to shield and support the racist ideology they've always embraced.
43
All the opponents have is to call him a racist. Talk about old tactics shall we?
21
@Nature Voter, all the opponents have? Surely you jest?? The man says and does things virtually every day to make him unfit for the office he holds. would you prefer if we discuss conspiracy with a hostile government, possibilities of money laundering, enriching himself and his companies at the taxpayers expense, providing security clearances for family members who should not have them, inability to appoint qualified Cabinet members, corruption at the highest levels of government.... Shall I go on?
3
@Nature Voter: Nope, Trump is a racist, but that’s not all that his opponents have. His opponents, Warren in particular, have detailed policy proposals that benefit regular Americans, not just the wealthy. Health care, infrastructure, education, you name it and Warren has thought about it and how to improve it.
1
@Nature Voter
What's wrong with the truth?
1
Did I miss something in your reporting? In neither this or past NYTimes articles and neither in today's opinion pieces or past ones, have I read what was noted on The View, that Lara Trump interacted with the recent rally crowd before Trump, and she egged them on in a call and response routine to get them to say "send her Back". If that were reported, it would give proof (for those who need more) that Trump was deliberate in wanting to send up the racist message.
94
@R.S.
The rallies are all pre-planned with paid participants.
Watch and you will see the hired people until their faces are too recognizable and then they are replaced.
The whole episode was orchestrated.
We are discussing a reality TV entertainer.
They have plants sitting in the crowd and the whole thing is rehearsed for timing and effect. Even the rhythm of the chant which echoes the Hillary chant is not spontaneous.
It's TV where nothing has real meaning.
It is simply an ego boost for one of the most insecure and empty beings on the planet. Who knows the nuclear codes and wondered out loud "why we don't use them if we have them". He's both dumb and dumber.
An orange mendacious, perpetually angry buffoon with nuclear codes. What can possibly continue to go wrong?
And some people think he is the second coming of Jesus.
To each his own. Just don't tell me how to attend to my own body or suppress my right as a citizen to vote no matter the color of my skin, the religion I choose or not and the country of origin of myself and my ancestors.
2
@Eileen Eulick it has been reported elsewhere and sourced. It’s like nearly all the incredibly horrible things about this person named Trump, it’s true.
I suspect he's never been accepted by the polite and powerful, because of his vulgar, self-aggrandazing ignorance. I suspect he's perpetually burning with anger because of that.
105
Yes—seems as if he looked for approval in all the wrong places—never got it. He’s now found his people—who delight in him. It’s all very disturbing.
2
@Long Island Dave
That's what I suspect as well. To them he has money, but no class.
1
And never will be accepted
Crude
Rude
Lewd
And now so us the entire GOP
Acceptance ( lack thereof )included
1
Well, well. Scaramucci and Rivera finally heard Trump say something even they can't stomach. I guess that means they were just fine with all the other racist things he has said and done. I wonder if he will ever say anything so vile that Mitch McConnell chokes on it. Probably not.
74
@Frank O
He could grab Elaine Chao in a particular way that he once described on a bus, and Mitch McConnell would be just fine with that.
1
Here's a thought: don't listen to him.
24
@JND, here’s another thought or two. Don’t vote for him and admit you made a huge mistake in 2016.
@JND That's easy to do if you're not one of his targets.
Using race for gain: What was Biden's line: "They'll put you all back in chains." And Obama's, "Trayvon could have been my son." Obama's success using same: 93% of black Americans voted for him. The best use yet.
Nonetheless, the current DNC Politburo has been up to it since Johnson--nothing new in politics, especially American race in politics. It works.
23
@Alice's Restaurant, Politburo, the Democrats? I think you’ve got your parties confused. It’s the Republicans who have sold out to puppeteer Putin, my friend.
Oh, I see. You equate Biden and Obama suggesting that voting for them would be better for Black people as being on the same plane as saying Omar should go back to Somalia to appease the racism of his base. Okay.
@Joyce
Stalin's your guy, USSR. Putin is a Russian leader. No Politburo. You missed either reading Stalin or the metaphor. Remains: DNC Politburo, which is the way it operates, no question about that.
Yup it’s simple. He’s an old white man and many of those people are racists. He is a product of his time and place. It’s unfortunate that so many Americans chose that old white racist as their leader in 2016. The real question is what were, and are, Americans thinking?
22
“The president,” said Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, “is not a racist.”
That gave me a laugh - then I thought maybe he doesn’t mean this President- McConnell has known other Presidents, they may not have been racists.
Surely a man from Kentucky knows a racist. To our great shame, THIS President, Donald J Trump, is a racist.
40
Sometimes I’m grateful Trump is mostly a moron
If he was any smarter we’d be in a civil war and WWIII simultaneously.
104
I'm trying to recall when any Democratic president that I am old enough to remember (Kennedy, Johnson, Carter, Clinton. Obama) ever said that someone who criticized him did so because they hated America. No. The clearest sign these days that someone loves America is that they oppose Trump.
168
In the California college town that was my hometown, I was raised to believe that criticism was a form of love for your country. But I also remember seeing “America, Love It or Leave It” bumper stickers in response to Vietnam war protesters. Who knows how many of those bumper stickers there were in other parts of the country.
@What time is it?
Those bumper stickers showed up at least as far east as Ohio which is where I was at the time.
Beyond all doubt, Trump is a racist. His rallies prove that his base is just as racist as Trump is.
Those who suggest that Trump's racism is not consistent with the values of the Republican Party over the past 2 decades are wrong.
The Republican Party has tolerated (and therefore supported) racists and racism for decades. The party tolerated KKK, White Nationalists, White Supremacists and David Duke, etc. and they said nothing!
Trump has merely smoked them out, because they're being forced to explicitly defend Trump's obvious racism. The Republican Party hasn't suddenly changed. Their racism is just being revealed by Trump's behavior and that of his supporters at his rallies!
65
Perhaps Trump doesn't care what history says about him.
Perhaps Jared and Ivanka are only slightly concerned.
But for all their generations to come, his name will live in infamy.
Bigot. Racist. Liar. Enemy of our Founders.
And for every Republican of this era, an asterisk will appear against each name for when the party of Lincoln became the party of Trump.
The most corrupt and corrosive period of American history.
114
Another hour, another ‘Trump’ opinion piece on the front page of the NYT.
Dear editors, is there nothing else of interest happening in the world?
45
The US, amazing, finds one of the most bizarre, incurious people on the planet and promotes him to the level of supreme leader. Now, everything he does and says is analyzed as part of some rare sort of genius strategy. It reminds me of a turned-inside-out zombie version of 'Being There'. We can only wonder how this will end.
Instead of making us 'great' again [when we not?] this lout is making rude, indecent, whatever-trashtalk-you-can-get-away-with the norm among the wannabes. Kids will reflect this.
47
The orange one is still managing to control the terms of the headlines around just how racist he is.
Honestly, i am not sure what would work wth those who outright support him - - - and agree with those who say, look at the rest of the country. Address the needs that are out there,
The Democrats are correct in going afte the terrible treatment of people and especially children at the border.
But they have to bring together a proactive plan for immigration reform which will counter the "open borders" fear mongering.
And They - we - and the news media - have to raise, over and over, the issues beyond Trump's ignominious behavior, issues which will sink the country as we know it.
16
This article highlights for me the egotism I saw in another very rich man I worked for who also inherited hundreds of millions from his father (a father who was a Trump classmate at Wharton). This rich man’s son rationalized his good fortune not by recognition that he won the birth lottery, but by believing he was genetically superior and thus entitled. He really believed his personal superiority was why he was rich and successful and would have gone to Wharton just like his daddy even - if he had been born poor and was not a legacy who had every possible preparatory advantage growing up. The company he inherited is dying now through his mismanagement, but he won’t recognize his fault and will instead blame it on Democrats and regulation I am sure. Unfortunately, when it comes to Trump, the egotist in question is crashing a country through his rich-kid hubris and not just a family business.
33
So, was that "Send Her Back" chant spontaneous, unplanned?
Or was it orchestrated?
Were there people planted in the crowd who started chanting it to get the whole place going?
It has too much of Trump's finger prints all over it, especially his claims that it wasn't him, it was the crowd.
He loves to stage things, he loves to use props.
Does anyone really believe that this was just a chance occurrence?
57
Only trump does
His credibility among swing voters ie those he needs to win is about Zero
It wasn’t random. It was a Russian plot. And it worked.
After too many years of Trump's nonsense, we are challenged to identify how to defeat a narcissist who will do anything and everything to get attention.
The answer, as hard as it is: Ignore him. Ignore his tweets. Ignore his threats. Ignore his distractions Ignore his posturing. Ignore his Nuremberg-style events. Ignore his Rose Garden deceptions.
Remove our attention and do so in measurable ways. No response. No clicks. No news stories. No mentions in passing. No hats, or flags or reminders even as we ignore him.
Cold turkey for 24 hours. Perhaps we need to all agree to a 24 hour trial. Labor Day sounds like an easy bet. Perhaps we could do the entire 72 hour Labor Day Weekend.
13
Let us know when you convince Fox News to do this.
17
Nothing new here. The Republicans will stand behind Trump because they know, as the Russians also know, enough voters in swing states are racists to keep Trump in power, thanks to the Electoral College. Not impeaching Trump, and embarrassing him horribly, might be the biggest mistake the Democrats have ever made. Very careless to hope the election will go against Trump when he is setting the conversation and will hold it throughout the campaign. It’s good to remember that it’s wise to strike while the iron is hot, and not put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
18
He was big news back in 73 when I first started paying attention to local news in Hillside not far from his home and always a mild embarrassment to the neighborhood I worked in. But they had money
10
Seems like Kennedy was wrong, " we don't these things because they're easy, ..... we choose to because they are hard"
Looking at ourselves, admitting the problems and working to make a more perfect union is not for the weak of heart. Lucky to have the some brave American women to point out our shortcomings.
Racism and blaming the other is the easy way out, the way of cowards. Love it or leave it is the way of the weak, the Don is on wife three....
9
With all due respect, how many times is this paper going to keep writing the same article? It goes: Trump's monstrous behavior as political strategy. Some say his racist, xenophobic attacks are calculated strategy, some say it's all he knows how to do and actually are poor strategy in a country with changing demographics and a fired up progressive base. What's clear over the last week is that Trump is willing to do anything, hurt or endanger anyone, even destroy the very soul of America, in order to stay in power. The most divisive, obscenely cruel, effortlessly lying leader in the history of the United States. How about something different?
26
@Markus People have to know what he is saying. He will not go away. Perhaps it will change a few of his follower's minds. I certainly hope so. Trump is a degenerate on a daily basis. Let the light shine through. Hiding in darkness helps no one.
Once again I truly appreciate what the Times is writing here. I agree. I loathe the ideas and values of this administration. An administration made up of white national socialists.
My great concern is while we readers are all aghast and appalled by what he says, the majority of the Americans in the "Rest" of the US are not aghast and appalled. There is a fine line of division running through this country and Trump is fanning the flames of civil war. Civil war is coming. Just read the comments from Sue, or Aristotle Gluteus Maximus. There are more of these people within NYC, SF, LA, Chicago, Boston, Miami and EVEN more of them outside of these cities.
The future is very grim.
8
I grew up during the same time frame as Trump, and the prejudice I learned as a child did not stay with me as I grew up. Two of my best friends in high school were African Americans, and I cringe with every utterance from Trump and his George Wallace impressions. A bigot is a bigot, and enough bigots pulled his lever in 2016 while the rest of America was lulled into complacency by erroneous polls.
27
You do a great favor to racism and race apologists by seeking quotation evidence that show Trump's racism as overt, open bigotry. A society is racist when it creates and then upholds racial disparities. Racism has evolved beyond overt hatred and bigotry. Anti-racists seek to shift resources and change the policies and actions that create racial disparities. Those who seek to uphold and widen the disparities are the enablers of our racist society. That's the evolutionary magic of racism; from Trump country to Fairfield County liberals, racism does not require bigoted language.
3
Race is just a social fiction. Except the Trumpy race, which is a race to the bottom.
5
Why even bother reporting on him anymore? Nothing will change. He's apparently completely untouchable. He could go on TV and openly call someone the N word, and nothing would happen. Republicans would stand by, spineless and brain dead, and he'd remain in power until the next worst thing.
There are no more superlatives left to use to describe how awful this presidency is, how awful Republicans have become, and how dangerous this political arc is that we find ourselves upon.
15
I have been as outraged as anyone about Trump’s inflammatory statements. However in order to sustain the paper’s own credibility the reporter must not make false or misleading statements. There are two perhaps three such statements in this article which require correction. First, Trump was never accused of failing to rent apartments to minorities in the 70s. His father and his father’s company were. Trump was never the subject of a direct accusation. I doubt many of us want to be automatically accused of the sins of our fathers.
Next, Trumps reference to Moonies was not a racial or even derogatory reference. The church was founded by a Korean, Rev. Moon and his followers were known as “Moonies”.
Finally I happen to have some personal knowledge about the Native American matters referred to. I will just say that the matter is more complicated than the article indicates. Again I am as upset as anyone about Trump’s statements but any inaccuracies in the article will be seized upon. I suggest more careful reporting.
13
Check out "The first Europeans weren't who you might think" in the August National Geographic. Through the new field of paleo genetics, scientists discovered "...the continent has been a melting pot since the Ice Age. Europeans living today in whatever country are a varying mix of ancient bloodlines hailing from Africa, the Middle East, and the Russian steppes...any notion of genetic purity has been swept away in a tide of powdered bone."
How much more suffering must the world undergo because of this delusion of racial superiority that is no more real than the earth is flat?
18
“A man who is used to acting in one way never changes; he must come to ruin when the times, in changing, no longer are in harmony with his ways.” Machiavelli, The Prince
Be the change.
13
When Trump says that he is the least racist person in the world, what he means is that he believes his racial theories are the unbiased truth, and people who don't believe in white supremacy are being biased against whites.
10
' “Trump sees success and failure, not color not race, not gender not religion,” said Ms. Patton, who is African-American.'
The pathetic irony of this defense, if true, would simply reveal Mr. Trump to be a race baiting politician engaged in the gutter of racism and bigotry just for the "win".
5
“I have an advantage of knowing the president very well, and he’s not a racist and his comments are not racist,” said Ben Carson, a man who has claimed that the pyramids were grain silos built by the biblical Joseph.
19
All the struggling to come to terms with, or even to still explain away, the obvious and ugly fact that Donald Trump is a raging racist: the resistance to reality remains awesome -- and depressing -- to behold.
2
Perhaps if Trump got to have a white vs. black Apprentice he would have tried to swing things in white favor and we would have all seen his true colors back then -- before he ran for President.
4
Waiting for the tweet calling for an all out race war.
He's exhausted all other efforts for the county to implode:
“You’d have to,” Ms. Quivers replied, “because you’d want to know when the riot starts.”
3
Using racism to gain power seems like slippery slope as it appears he Trump has to move further and further right to maintain support from his base, Is heading toward what would be considered Nazi territory? He says he wants political opponents of color to go back to countries they came from or their parents came from and he is questioning their loyalty to the US based on dissenting views. And he has evoked a big approving response from his supporters. Can he limit this movement to the right? This should be major concern as it appears he will do almost anything to maintain support.
4
Who knew so many Americans were this racist? Trump knew, Fox News knew. They are stoking this fire for power and personal gain and it is our children who will lose.
14
I don’t want to know how long Mr Trump has been a racist. He is now and has been for the last at least 12 years. Do you really think he would pull the stunt that he pulled against Obama for a white Presidential candidate?. Every body who says he is not racist is lying. African Americans came to this country way before his father put step in this country. They are the original immigrants even if they were brought as
slaves. So Mr Trump, back off. By some curious circumstances you got elected. Count your blessings and start behaving like a normal sane human being as difficult as it may be for you.
5
@Eraven, he’s not normal, he’s not sane. So he is never going to behave differently. Those folks who voted for him to “give him a chance” have had ample opportunity to see exactly what kind of waste of a human being he actually is. Morally and intellectually bankrupt. What he needs is to be examined for cognitive decline by the best doctors at Walter Reed who can give an honest, unvarnished assessment we all can read.
1
@Joyce
Couldn’t agree with you more. Unfortunately since he became President all so called honorable people have folded in to his wishes.
My last hope was Muller but he turned out to be the worse of all. In fact congress is making a big mistake calling him to testify. He will make things worse for democrats. By keeping quiet he will further exonerate Trump.
I find AOC and “the squad” more frightening than Trump. The New Green Deal is a farce that would bankrupt the country. They advocate the end of private healthcare and open borders. I’ll stick with the crass guy in the White House and the booming economy.
41
@Sue
The booming economy is not booming for the little guys. The recovery from the GFC was a slow careful process over 8 years. Trump did nothing but give it a reckless sugar high with the obscene tax cut for the rich. He doesn't read anything let alone an economics book - hence the bankrupt casinos. What scary things terrify you about the squad?
Health care for everybody? So scary.
Environmental protection like protecting bees that are dying out but pollinate 70% of the world's crops?
Wanting to stop caging children and separating them from their parents?
It is rather snowflakey to be scared of people implementing programs that work well in comparable economies and intended to benefit you.
134
I would say then, Sue, that you are my enemy.
54
Did you appreciate the booming economy under Obama? Along with his class, kindness, absence of scandal, fidelity? Obama’s ability to work with our allies? The civility of the country — except for the bigots and those in the Senate who swore to stand in Obama’s way.
215
Using race for gain? Is this another projection article where the liberals accuse Trump of things they have made a science out of? Liberals are the ones in this country who use race for gain. Try to deny that. Censor my comment.
36
It’s really simple—he says repugnant and racist things, he gains your deepened loyalty. Now you’re starting to share his persecution complex, too.
66
@Aristotle Gluteus Maximus Defend your "president." Defend the obvious: the criminality, the sexual assaults, the law suits and settlements, the racist statements, the rhetorical and physical dehumanization of people of color, the money laundering, the tax and bank fraud, the obstruction of justice, the private dealings with Russians and N. Koreans where he would not trust an American to be present in the meetings, the trashing of America, its citizens, its institutions, its politicians, even on foreign soil. Defend. No one is "censoring" you.
82
Sorry, but who’s the current president? And which liberal candidate has done the following?
1. Questioned a judge’s impartiality because of his Mexican heritage.
2. Falsely claimed that “thousands and thousands” of Muslims in New Jersey celebrated on 9/11.
3. Called white supremacists “very fine people.”
4. Claimed for years that our president was not an American citizen.
5. Told four American Congresswomen of color to “go back where they came from” — putting them in danger.
6. Proposed banning all Muslims from entering the U.S.
7. Pushed for the death penalty for the Central Park Five.
I’ll stop there because it makes me sick.
184
Racism is part of human dna. Long ago when a white group running around in the woods saw a black group it was assumed they wanted to steal your women or that saber tooth tiger carcass you're dragging home so you fight with fists, sticks, stones. We've learned that is not helpful, limits choices. We learn to understand these impulses & don't allow them to inform our actions.
Or 'use' them. I don't know if Trump IS a racist, but he uses racism; he's not alone. Raegan; the 'welfare queen' ... republican message then & now; your problems are because of blacks or muslims or ... anyone - The problems are because in the late 20th century America became fatally complacent; cut taxes, don’t invest in the future or subsidize solar to create clean industry & jobs; that's 'socialism' - Pretend that oil has not been subsidized in every way including war - Equate it with ‘freedom’.
The election of Obama instigated ugly racism. The tea party; blatantly racist posters of the Obamas - coward spits on John Lewis - birther nonsense - ‘you lie’ - ‘food stamp president’ - ‘armed & dangerous’ … ‘one term president' … Repubs are silent: they need the votes - Repub primaries; Trump generates frenzy lying to unemployed crowds; repubs? silence.
Now he’s president, and desperately needs to be re elected; not to complete his grand ‘vision’ but because as president he is immune to fed, state, local charges awaiting him when he becomes a private citizen in 2021. It’s about him.
10
When Trump knew for a fact that his pal Jeffrey Epstein was a statutory rapist, he glowingly spoke of him as a “terrific guy”.
When several teenaged boys of color were accused of rape in the Central Park jogger case, he took out full page ads in four city newspapers calling for bringing back the death penalty so the defendants (aged 14-16) could be executed. Never mind that they were innocent - he still will not admit it.
That was 30 years ago - since that time, he has consistently shown his disdain for people of color (unless they are wealthy and pander to him, eg Ben Carson), while referring to the most dispicable of white people (eg Neo Nazis) as “fine people”.
Trump supporters are either equally racist or sold their souls for a tax break and a chance to overturn Roe v Wade; they know who he is. At this point, trying to spin his words on TV with a straight face has become sport for his administration.
43
How many times must he show you who he is before you believe him?
He is a six time bankrupt, three times married, 4,000 lawsuits,10,000 lies to the American Public, president.
He is the walking, talking, embodiment of racism mixed with ignorance and greed.
He is evil incarnate.
135
Among New Yorkers, the people who know him best and longest, Trump has always been a punchline, a Rat Pack wannabe who chased airline stewardesses and fumed about the Manhattan A list snubbing him.
What he’s now “successful” at is saying out loud what his fans say under their breath, but would never say to the face of a Black, Muslim or Hispanic co worker.
32
Anyone who doubts Trump is not a racist because he uses race for a purpose is a fool or are racists themselves.
His first words in his campaign for the nomination started we should all be afraid of those vile Mexicans.
Donald J. Trump is a racist was and always will be, that much I can tell you.
17
The POTUS has exposed America's racist heartland and right wing politicians for what they are. Their the offspring in some sense of their ancestors who perpetrated the crimes against humanity that were slavery-Jim Crow and native American genocide and are unapologetic about it. Yes they do think they are better than you and I. Patriots in public chanting "lock her up" and "Send her home"? Really? Isn't that hate speech?
What is it with Trump's always picking fights with women like Rosie O'Donnell, Megyn Kelly, Meghan McCain, Joy Behar, "the squad" his paid-off call girls, what went wrong with his relationship with his mother?
Beside skin color, Trump' hooting and chanting lackeys who want to oppress civil and human rights and freedoms from people not in their clan, are primarily Judeo-Christians like the rest of us, why copy a failed 1930s European political model that crashed and burned? Trump's present-day American Volk should all be ashamed for their fascist turn.
They're shameless "patriots" though are they not? They're proud of their bigotry, like that genius Steve Bannon advised. Ingrid Bergman had more insight into what Bannon and Trump's selling with her answer to Cary Grant on this kind of patriotism in Hitchcock's movie "Notorious" set in South America just after WWII-
Grant- do it for "Patriotism"
Bergman- "I don't go for patriotism, nor patriots. Waving the flag with one hand and picking pockets with the other. That's your patriotism, well you can have it".
10
@EC Speke His mother (and father) sent him to Military School.
Well, he's lost Geraldo. That cinches it for Democrats in 2020!
7
@ Paul
Geraldo should go back and look for Capone’s vault, for we don’t want, or need him, or Fox News. Trump can’t keep his timelines straight, and using Fox News hosts as secret unqualified advisors, is utterly ridiculous and dangerous!
6
I wonder how many more Trump is a racist stories we will see from the times?
Maybe it’s click bait, idk, guess it worked on me.
Are these stories pre made and periodically released if nothing else is going on?
5
Nothing echoes Leonard Cohen's "Cradle of the best and the worst" like the anti corruption riots in old San Juan.
How sad and how inspiring. It sure beats the heck out of the bombs bursting in air. A fine song for a hot muggy day and an excuse for the water running down your cheeks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHI9BTpGkp8
3
"“Let me be clear: Donald Trump is a disgusting, filthy, petty racist ..."
So, if African-Americans are using race for political/social gain, is this racism? If "the Squad" uses race to score political points against enemies and complain when they are called on it, is this reverse racism? If not, why?
9
I suppose we Americans should believe that Donald Trump is neither a thief, a liar, a misogynist nor a racist.
He merely acts like it.
He hasn't a racist bone in his body, but bones don't spew hateful words. Sticks and stones....
8
I don’t get it.
he has never ever apologized for being wrong about his vile and racist comments on the central park five. he put a full page ad in nyt asking for death sentence... they were innocent and set free.
he has never ever apologized or admitted guilt in the vile and racist birther fake controversy about obama.
he is a racist. he is vile.
we do t need to provide any more evidence.
he should not be our president.
23
How is this news? Of course he's a racist. Everyone in New York knows he is a racist, criminal con man. He has been his whole life. The only crazy unbelievable thing is that he is a duly elected president. THAT is incredible!
31
is narcissist-sadist a thing? As much as--maybe more than-- Trump is racist, he's stupid, base, unpatriotic and completely without a moral compass. No one but someone with those traits would want to interrupt a moment of self-proclaimed prosperity for those of his own base even to stoke a race war in a country with such horrific racial history. His joy is conflict because it makes a point of him. We must diminish his coverage.
8
Mr. Trump seems to enjoy inflicting pain on others. For example his desire to pit whites against black for entertainment. And witness his prolonged, vicious ranting against the "squad," with his vile lies and rumor-mongering. Maybe this is a sign of mental illness. Maybe starting a race war is another sign of personality disorder. Charles Manson famously wanted to start a race war. Trump crossed a line with the American people this past week. He accuses "others" of hating America, because he is such a hater himself. He is pathetic.
7
What’s the point exactly the NYT is trying instigate?
Is Steve Harvey of Family Feud also a racist for having families of different racial and ethnic groups compete against each other?
This approach to bring up race days before Mueller is to appear before Congress suggests the NYT doesn’t believe his appearance will make any difference.
Question, has Bill or Hillary been appointed to the Board of Directors of the New York Times parent company since the 2016 election?
I ask this question because nearly every headline of the NYT and multiple front page articles since November 8, 2016 references President Trump.
7
Is it possible that this POTUS is in fact an evil genius?
I've all along thought of him as a rich, narcissistic bully who happened to get very lucky, Chauncey from Being There-like. He "matured" just as his 40 million bigoted-but-oblivious Americans came into full bloom.
But could he possibly be a really smart guy when it comes to doing evil? This is exemplified in his race-baiting, bigotry, misogynistic molestation of women, abuse of power, fraud, and willingness to steal for personal gain.
Some people are brilliant doctors, or physicists, or writers. Trump just may be a Dr. Evil for the 21st century.
4
@JFR
And we can't nominate Austin Powers. Wasn't born here.
But wait; Foxy Cleopatra is eligible.
Beyonce for President!
Again, the nytimes falls prey to trumps media distraction technique. He only knows how to do one thing and this is it. This article tells people what they already know and uses valuable space.
6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h--zr5s6dXQ
You just gotta love Trump. Here's the proof and aren't you tired of winning?
Two greedy pigs, who have done nothing to uplift and support our Democracy.
He's been a racist all of his life, nothing new here.
How long until his words become responsible for someone's death?
8
Remember "Birtherism"? It worked for him until it didn't. I choose to believe he is revealing a part of America, an underbelly of our democracy, that many either did not know or did not want to know was present. I found it present in my own family and relatives *ugh*.
I like to see Donald as a cancer injected into the body politic. Like a bull in a China shop, he is testing limits of our checks and balances, breaking norms, and performing misdeeds right in the open.
Is Sunlight the best disinfectant? Transparency? The cancer is spreading with judicial appointees and corrupt cabinet members. Will the body's immune system of checks and balances eventually arrest and reject this decay? Will there be enough healthy cells or individuals, strength in numbers, to rise and stand against the corruption and racism? Personally, I stand strong against my misguided family and relatives. I seek to engage with healthier alternatives. I stand tall, ready to do my part. Will you?
8
This article epitomizes the fact that MSM is part of the DNC. This article is not news but is instead an opinion piece of left wing authors. And MSM wonders why they have no influence anymore.
6
Racism...It's all he has.
Now, the only question remaining is if there enough people that will openly identify themselves as racists to support him.
4
Trump supporters don't read the NY Times.
5
The Trump Presidency, Episode 733. Produced and directed by Donald J. Trump. Written by Trump. Today's plot line has developed over 5 days and continues to give stellar ratings for audience fixation.
Yesterday's Episode 732, featured President Trump in the Oval Office meeting survivors of religious intolerance. Having previously proclaimed he had 'nothing to do', Trump had to listen to a brown Muslim Woman recount the devastating loss of her entire family and more by ISIS. He ignored her as best he could, then asked her what happened to her family? Then asked how/why she had received her Nobel Prize.
The complete and contemptible dismissal of this human being was an utter disgrace. By America's POTUS. Trump did this for the reasons we all know by now. She wasn't 'worth' it having 3 strikes against her but she had 'won' a Nobel, something Trump wants.
A victim of violence is not what Trump had in mind in order to get his Nobel. Oh well, time to move on.
Trump's ego is a mammoth black hole sucking all oxygen from America. He is a lazy and willfully ignorant man who just wants the focus on him 365/24/7. He is used to running HIS show and doesn't want to share the power or lights. I think he truly believes that HE is God's gift to America and the world. This is malignant narcissism. And for Trump that includes racism, bigotry, misogyny and xenophobia. And greed. And an almost sociopathic lack of empathy.
And He's the STAR!
8
Do a little routine...c'mon!
Look! There's my African American.
What's next? Dance boy! Dance!
Get all of the black people off of the floor at his casino when he was there.
Racial bias at his families real estate company.
Birtherism
"You don't want to live with them either"...(Black people)
The list goes on and on and Mitch McConnell looks us in the eye and says...He's not a racist.
The Republicans in D.C are disgusting....maybe even deplorable.
6
Democrats have been race-baiting for 50 years. Turning the tables in this article is Uber hypocrisy.
3
@Bob Please provide examples, truthful examples.
3
@Dan Whenever someone responds with „prove it“, it highlights cognitive dissonance. If one posits that Democrats - or Republicans - are either all good or all bad, that person has turned a blind eye to history and facts himself. Rational discussion becomes impossible.
When his privilege has never been checked, when he thinks that just having employee's of color counts, when he dated someone if color before Melania, when he hangs out with wealthy POC, this makes him think he is not racist. But when the times puts all public accounts together this amounts to a history of a flat out racist person!
Why do we have to spell out what is racist for people to understand? You don't have to be a member of the Klu Klux Klan in order to be racist.
3
We have immigrant brown skin male Democrats in the Congress.
He hasn't asked them to go home.
One of these days, racist Republican women will figure out he thinks men are superior to women.
7
Is all this racist, sexiest bluster to start riots and then declare Martial Law?? I sure hope not but would not put it past him.
6
@Dawn Beattie
Starting a war with Iran will be easier for him, and he is profoundly lazy, so he'll go with that option.
1
Humorous. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and many others on the left have made a lucrative career out of race-baiting. But the facts, not feelings, about race for the last 20 years make it clear that cultural dysfunction—primarily the destruction of black nuclear families and the abdication by too many black fathers of their responsibility to raise their sons, is the main reason that a large part of the Black community suffers. Trump is not a racist—he is a man who lashes out at those who attack him. And since he has been attacked regularly for the last 4 years, and especially by the members of the Squad and others on the far left, he has fought back hard. If those he criticizes are too thin skinned, they should stay out of the fray.
3
Trump is an ego maniac, demagogue money loving pathological liar and will do anything to achieve those basic goals if he has to be liberal like he was yrs. ago or a right wing rabble rouser like he is now.
The danger is he is good at it, he was elected president.
He is democracy's answer to an Alcibiades, Hitler, Chavez etc.
The way to beat him is to call him out but offer moderate progressive ideas to issues that he demagogued like trade, war, immigration etc.
6
Maybe it’s time to have a REAL conversation about race now. Many law abiding, hard working, tax paying white folks are tired of coddling and paying taxes for law breaking, welfare dependent POC including illegal immigrants. Such people are a burden on society and weaken America. And when these people complain about how terrible things are here for them we ask what places would be better for you? And you are certainly free to go there. Immigrants wouldn’t be storming the border to get in here it America was a racist nightmare where they couldn’t better their lot relative to where they are coming from.
5
"Mr. Trump is a product of his place and time, born and raised in the Queens of another era." Then, history of racial conflicts in NY of the time...
Mr. Trump was raised by a father who was arrested at a KKK rally in 1927 & who was discriminating against minority tenants as far back as the early 1950s when Woody Guthrie was a white tenant at one of his buildings & writing songs about what he saw Fred Trump do.
(Do you NYT people have amnesia?)
I'd be willing to bet Fred was involved in the original America First in the '30s, too.
It's likely extreme racism is what every Trump child grew up with.
Trump is a product of his home environment, a pretty clearly highly dysfunctional family that produced at least one alcoholic that we know of, tax cheating siblings - one a judge - and at least one famous racist & hoodlum.
9
@emm305
Just as a matter of interest as I am obviously a Woody Guthrie fan (love it). Woody's father participated in a deep south lynching. So it is not necessarily a hereditary tendency. Woody did not continue the tradition but weirdly I believe that though perhaps not recently, Woody's son Arlo is a Republican (but I hope not a Trumpist).
Donald did not HAVE to inherit the racism. He chose to
3
The churches who support him still turn their heads daily when he uses the race card. They need to speak up and demand he get some moral fiber and stop these polarizing and ugly chants. By doing nothing daily shows how fake you are and you will be held accountable on judgement day.
6
Democrats have used race and identity politics for years. They demand that minorities vote Democrat or be considered traitors to their race. Most recent evidence is Congresswoman Pressley comments:
If you’re not prepared to come to that table and represent that voice, don’t come, because we don't need any more brown faces that don't want to be a brown voice. We don’t need black faces that don't want to be a black voice. We don't need Muslims that don’t want to be a Muslim voice. We don’t need queers that don't want to be a queer voice
Trump is the first Republican President to fight back against these tactics. If you don't like it, tough.
4
It’s actually trump who is cynical enough to start a race-war because he believes it will help him win. Most other presidents try to keep the country together - and don’t try to actively tear it down.
And we still wonder who hates what America stands for? Clue - it’s the moron in the WH.
8
OMG. The BEST thing about this article was the photo of Ali’s hand next to trumps. Ali must have thought he was holding a baby chick in his hand.
5
This thing we call "trump"has been under the glare for thirty plus years............One could never, ever, call 'The Donald' racist nor anti semitic. Whatever spin the media decides to put on Trump his past performance shows his mettle.... I know this is hard for The Times to reckon with and I would surmise that this comment will not be published.....
1
Occam’s razor. Trump is exactly what he appears to be, a narcissistic misogynistic racist dunce.
Why is this even a question?
6
Three lead stories on this? Really???
5
@KJ
They’re getting lazy.
Instead of hunting down stories, the stories come crashing on their desks.
1
Trump is a racist, but he is also a bully, liar, cheat and narcissist. This is a brutal combination for anyone anywhere, but to be president of our country is shameful for us. The show he wanted contrasting Blacks and Whites feeds his racism and his narcissism. He is sure that Whites would always win and his thin ego would be fed again. Given more time, this president will drive us back to slavery and anarchy. We need to drive him back to his TV show preferably at 3am each airing.
4
1) Query as to why Howard Stern gets a pass for encouraging Trump's base instincts when Billy Bush seems to have to paid a price for his sycophancy and tacit endorsement.
2) Gee, Geraldo, how brave of you. For so many years you were a willing shill/employee for Fox - the incubator/cheerleader/enabler for most of Trump's most vile, racist, sexist, xenophobic, white nationalist spewing garbage. You continued to collect a paycheck when Fox's fully endorsed birther-ism You could not even cut the cord with Trump after Charlottesville. Shame on you, moreso when you admitted you suffered prejudice when you were young (why your mother changed the spelling of your surname to "Rivieria"). NOW, it is too much for you? Really. Are the fine folks of the Hamptons/Martha's Vineyard not inviting you to their parties any more - was that the real tipping point?
3) Though I needed nothing more to convince me, when Ben Carson and Lynne Patton ( two of the most grossly unqualified members of the singularly and chronically inept Trump administration) are trotted out to opine that Donald Trump is not a racist then I know for an absolute fact that Donald Trump is a racist.
7
It might be good to remember that there are more important things going on in the world, than looking for anything offensive that Donald Trump says. Or making things up about him. Or spending the entire 4 years of his term looking for something he's doing that is wrong, because he doesn't seem to care, and a pretty large portion of the US doesn't seem to care either.
3
@BorisRoberts
Racism matters. This is not making anything up. Every scandal comes with photographs, tapes, and cameras rolling.
Denying Trump's racism may work for his supporters, but he has crossed a line for many this week, and the GOP's support for him means it has devolved to a white supremacist party.
Notice by the way that 68% of Americans found his tweets offensive. That means quite a few million Americans DO care. Those in some kind of Fox bubble may love the racism but it is not acceptable. Nor are racist chants.
4
In a recent book “Back Klansman” by an African American cop Ron Stallworth, who surreptitiously became a Klan member, wrote that David Duke, the leader of Ku Klux Klan “mainstreamed the Klan, making it seem an acceptable and viable alternative for those looking for a means to express their displeasure with the status quo of their lives and government representatives”. This is exactly what Trump has done and continues to do win his election when he is pitting white and poor voters against women of color by saying that they are not fit to be American although all are citizens. Stallworth also wrote that KKK’s adopted and printed the slogan “Racial Purity Is American Security”. It is a sad day for America when Trump is saying the same but using different words. It is even more pathetic that the Republican leaders (I am talking to Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy) are supporting Trump by their calculated silence conveying their concurrence of Trump’s approach.
6
As David Frum so aptly put it;
"With Trump there are many secrets, but no mysteries"
What's to parse here? Trump has made his views perfectly clear for decades.
3
"Who is it that is trying to divide the country? It is not those that call for change, it is those who have removed themselves from American tradition, from the enduring and generous impulses that are the soul of this nation."
RFK
The Last Campaign
March 21 1968
University of Alabama
8
Please remember the Senator Joe McCarthy hearings painting Jews, intellectuals, Integrationists, Democrats, educated professionals, and other minorities as un-American and as Communists out to destroy America. The Republicans happily rode that horse.
Roy Cohen helped lead and arrange that travesty. Who was Trump's first attorney that got him started as a true Con man? Dont forget where Trump learned his craft. From bankruptcies to lies to legal intimidation.
8
Trump is Archie Bunker. From 1971-1979, "All in the Family" made racism funny, at a time when it was pretty much untalked about, at least in today's terms. The Archie character was racist in a funny way, in part as he lacked the wherewithal to extricate himself from the changing neighborhood, and had to deal with a family of color next door (the Jeffersons). Also, Archie was an equal opportunity bigot, especially to his in college son in law, who was white, and Archie called "Meathead." Seeing the parallels. Archie took on the world, much as our president is now doing.
But, while "All in the Family" provided quality network TV and brought serious issues into the living room, it was funny. Donald J. Trump, and his administration may think that they are stars, but they are definitely not funny.
2
He is hurting America by unjustly stereotyping immigrants, when there actually are labor needs and markets for them, undermining the taxation pool of revenue created by them. By blocking a pathway to citizenship he undermines potential supporters for the social security system that benefit the working – and his own base. And he does this at a time that his tax breaks to the wealthy elite are threatening our economy. Instead of using immigration as an asset to build infrastructure that helps the common good of the nation, he delivers nothing! Those of us who do not buy into his cult see beyond his tactics to blind his base with the use of hate. Thus we must lift the curtain on the Wizard of Oz to see the hands of Bannon and Miller at work. Trump is all political theater – or as we say –“ all show and no go” when it comes to advancing the care and future of this nation.
6
I have always thought that racism consisted of two core beliefs: 1) Human beings can be assigned to broad categories based on facial features and, 2) Those categories can be ordered in a hierarchy, such that those assigned to the the top categories should have more access to status and privilege than those assigned to categories beneath them. If course, it doesn't hold up to any scientific scrutiny and has long since been discussed as rubbish.
What I have trouble believing is that Donald Trump ever thought it through that far, from one step to the next. To me, Donald's Trump racism is really just another manifestation of his profound narcissism combined with reckless opportunism. He will pander to any sensibility if he thinks it will gain him approval and further his agenda, and he'll turn a New York 180 if he senses that a position he took is not working for him.
Hence, a day after he stood silent while his audience changed "Send them back", Trump backpedaled and claimed that he tried to discourage them from chanting. Then, a day later, probably after some private discussion with a crony or two egging him on, he reverted again and rationalized the chant. He would have it both ways if he could. As he admitted, "It's just politics." Nothing personal.
Back in the 70s and 80s when he wanted to be accepted by the elite of New York who are predominantly liberal, Trump pretended to be a liberal. Now he's pretending to be a white supremacist. To him, it's "just politics".
3
George Wallace has finally made it to the the White House by taking the form of Donald Trump and has begun setting the clock back 160 years. May God protect the Union from itself.
4
@Indy1 George Wallace Trump will be appointing Jim Crow to the cabinet soon as a race relations expert.
1
The evidence of Trump’s racism is ambiguous. Most of the allegations could go either way.
1. Every real estate developer in Jamaica Estates excluded blacks. If they didn’t they would have been forced out of business.
2. Trump’s racial Apprentice competition was like the competition between the Harlem Globetrotters and the Washington Generals, which also was based on race but was never considered racist.
3. Trump’s support of the death penalty is not surprising -- he is a law and order guy, and the death penalty is consistent with his views on crime.
4. The Birther movement went way too far. But it was about the constitutional standards for the presidency, not the race of the President.
5. The questioning of Indian origins of those seeking to build casinos is pervasive. The casino business is lucrative and challenging the competition is business as usual This is not racist.
There are two ways to look at the allegations of racism. One is to argue that multiple confrontations with minorities proves the point. The other is to argue that Trump aggressively attacks everyone -- his 2016 primary opponents, Hillary, Mueller, Comey, Sessions, the Squad, Pelosi, the Central Park Five, Obama and on and on, some white, some minority.
Trump hates almost everybody in government. His hatred of minorities does not stand out. Trump is incredibly negative and hateful and I would say that he is an equal opportunity hater.
2
@michjas However, there is no ambiguity in the consent decree signed by Fred and Don to cease discriminating against minorities in their rental properties.
2
It’s going to be a battle for America’s heart and soul when Trump comes up for re-election. Good vs evil, decency vs indecency. Please Democrats provide a decent, moderate candidate that appeals to all working Americans.
5
Representative Ocasio-Cortez was born in New York. Her father was born in New York. Her mother was born in Puerto Rico (otherwise known as the United States).
She is, in fact, more American Trump, whose mother was born in a wretched village in Scotland.
Notably, while raving about American carnage, Trump never offered to return to his mother’s village to make things better there. In fact, on her many return trips home, Trump never accompanied her once.
8
These arguments about "race" are unbelievably tedious and wrongheaded. Why would anyone wish to cling to such a system of classification, particularly given the unfortunate history of using these concepts as a means of subordinating people? Society is by definition diverse since it is made up of individuals and thus individual and not group rights are the foundation of our system. The whole point of the remedial process of ensuring civil rights for everyone, admittedly in fits and starts. we have been working on for 150 years has been to erase this notion that superficial differences, of skin color, sex, origin, and so on, should matter, both under the law and in terms of opportunity and advancement. It reminds me of Obama's crack about guns and religion, except we want to cling to race and difference. The one beautiful irony of this silliness (silver lining ahead) is now that we scream racist at everyone at all times, or lob some similar anathema whenever someone disagrees with us, the terms race and racist have begun to acquire the quality of what linguists call phatic utterances, that is words or phrases so routine no that they no longer register as having content.
3
You stated “Mr. Trump is a product of his place and time, born and raised in the Queens of another era. Lots of us are born and raised when he was, and not far from there, and didn’t end up morally bankrupt, greedy, with a total disregard for others presenting as well a danger to the world. Don’t blame Queens, and the times. He is the product of a family with no morality and has spawned still another generation of the same.
12
I've always wondered what kind of person would fall for that old con of a Nigerian Prince leaving his world fortune to some 'gullible' if only he would send some money to cover an inheritance tax. I've watched a few trump rallies. I wonder no more.
6
Trump is not a racist and not a homophobe. Neither are the 'Squad.' These people frequently speak off the cuff and get themselves into all types of trouble - much of it manufactured by the media. None of these people are well educated or refined and are consequently not suited for high office. In fairness, that could be said of many of our leaders.
I wish NYTimes readers would give Tulsi Gabbard a chance. Listen to her speak and notice that she listens.
1
Yeah, Trump is bad, but this article shows there are a lot of influential and high ranking people almost eager to sell their dignity and their principles for money or access to the powerful and wealthy. This country really is on the skids despite all the quietly good things a lot of Americans do for their country, community and family.
3
Has there not long been evidence to prove trump's racism, sexism, white nationalism, greed, hatred of others?
Who's (whose) mind exactly can be convinced one way or another?
2
President Cheeto (and 99% of those chanting) probably haven't considered Rep Omar and everyone like her had to pass a citizenship exam in an unfamiliar language. I am also willing to bet my last penny President Cheeto (and 99% of those chanting) couldn't manage a passing grade on such a test. All involved might rethink who is lucky to be here.
5
Isn’t that what family feud is everyday? It works for Steve Harvey
1
Trump’s long history of racism is well documented and goes back for decades. What I don’t understand is, if it’s such a great strategy, why are the Trump-publicans trying to deny it?
2
Why don’t we just have our second civil war and get it over with.
God knows there are enough guns to go around.
Bring it on already.
Oh and this time, no reconstruction.
4
@New World
No civil war. Just those horrible snobbish folks in the NE & W coast secede. What remains becomes a 3rd ... no more like 5th world country. Complete with supreme ruler, state religion, and president Jared.
Strikes me that the various New Yorkers referenced in the article knew what a lowlife he was but were having too much fun making money off him (Letterman & Stern), taking his checks (politicians) or loving the publicity and the life-style (entertainers).
Rationalize all you want, but you knew. You just didn't care.
Thanks a lot.
2
"Mr. Trump is a product of his place and time, born and raised in the Queens of another era."
We can literally say that ["product of his place and time"] about anyone, so it's not helpful. It would be more accurate to say that Trump is a product of his racist upbringing and the continued advantage and self-enrichment that racism has gotten him. Trump is a racist and opportunist among other things. He certainly doesn't need to be; he chooses to be.
More importantly other people born at the time an place he was are not racists. So, it is not only not helpful; it is a bit of defense of a racist that deserves none.
5
I am born in the USA, San Angelo Texas, to be exact. Grew up on Long Island, NY, 75 years old now. Have lived in NYC for sometime.
How anyone, near or far,USA citizen, could take this grifter Trump seriously is a challenge to me.
9
@Bob Newman Look at those people who give millions to television preachers in the believe they will be saved.
That is possibly the mentality of those who follow Trump in the belief he is in this for the people-as he grifts from the people.
2
My astonishment is not about Donald Trump. Even now, he does not come across as a complex, multi-layered villain. What I am really astonished about is that he has uncovered--and is now exploiting--hidden layers in a plurality of my fellow countrymen. For that I am both astonished...and deeply ashamed.
4
@William O. Beeman
"Trump's supporters will ignore or discount everything in this article. Why?"
Because they will not read this article.
5
Let’s look at your premise: Donald Trump uses race for gain. Hmmmm. I look at the 25 or so Dems running for president and that is ALL they can push. Who is duplicitous again? Democrats INVENTED race baiting and use thereof.
The squad and the rest of us are not bad mouthing America, we are calling out the occupant of the Whitehouse for his racist misogynist stance. No one in the squad was uttering antisemite remarks, Omar was criticizing the money raising methods of Bibi's supporters. The real estate salesman on the other hand is openly using projection, painting his opponents with the smears he himself commits.
5
Trump is a racist. We don't need to spend all the public discussion on each time he reaches a new, but predictable, racist low.
The country needs to be as familiar with all his other disastrous actions as they are with unrelenting racism.
His tactic is to keep us occupied with his racism while he fills the courts with young reactionaries; undermines government departments, like agriculture, by threatening to transfer climate scientists to distant outposts; lowers taxes on the richest, keeping us a debtor nation; guts consumer financial protection; makes the U.S. untrustworthy, perhaps for decades, as a treaty signatory (Paris, Iran); is a warmonger in his threats towards N. Korea, Venezuela; yells "Wall" and abuses vulnerable migrants instead of proposing sound immigration policy; exacerbates Latin American problems by withdrawing aid; chaotically implements a bullying trade policy; maintains links to businesses that profit from payments made by foreign countries and our government; "owns" a government shutdown that kept the Federal Aviation Admin from a timely action on the deadly Boeing 737 Max plane, and I am just getting started.
4
It is not important if Trump is racist or not. He successfully painted his supporters as racist. Now his supporters will decide if they want to be seen as a racist (even most of them are not) to their friends. Time will tell.
1
“Mr. Trump is a product of his place and time, born and raised in the Queens of another era.” Whoa, there. If the place and time are the source of Trump’s racism, how did I and a few million other people from the same “place and time” manage to avoid becoming racists? Isn’t it vastly more likely that father and klansman Fred Trump was a more powerful influence on the development of Donald’s bigotry? Or maybe Trump is a racist just due to “depravity according to nature,” as Herman Melville said of another (fictional) villain. That’s my guess.
6
I seriously thank the community of NYT subscribers for thoughtful comments that are helping to keep me sane through this VERY difficult time.
4
If every registered minority and non-racist white vote in 2020, trump will lose by a landslide !
Wake up voters. all of us get to choose who we want to be the representative of our country. The 40% DJT supporters must lose ! Let's make it happen!
The Statue of Liberty awaits!
4
That a lot of Americans are just figuring out this guy is a saddening thing. I lean Republican and would have voted for Kasik, Bush, anybody but Hillary. The whole concept of the Dems running her because it was her turn was stomach turning. But when Trump won I would have voted for Hillary. Most of the stuff being dug up is old news. He has been stealing from the government and plain folks fir decades.
3
@Lee
Hillary Clinton had been First Lady trying to get benefits for single mothers with dependent children; she was a Senator who fought to get medical care for First Responders; she was an Arkansas Governor's wife who fought for Black citizens' right to vote; she was a Secty. of State who tried to get funding for the defense of remote Consulates or to close them. She got neither, and was then cynically blamed for Benghazi. The GOP has attacked and smeared her for more than 26 yrs. Some of them are still attacking her as if she were in office. The Clinton Foundation has an AA rating from Charity Watch; the Trump Foundation had to shut down after it was exposed as Trump family slush fund. Hillary Clinton would have been prepared for the Presidency, with the added presence of the diplomatically skilled Bill Clinton. Her Cabinet would not have been a revolving door of self-interested big donors or their paid representatives. She would not have been in violation of the Emoluments Clause, because she does not own a D.C. hotel with rooms available to favor seekers; and, she does not own a Tower complex in Manhattan with empty suites paid for by Russian oligarchs and Saudi sheiks.
'Trump Employs an Old Tactic: Using Race for Gain'
Really? You really believe Trump plays the race card? We're not fools.
2
Inaccurate:
"Trump Employs an Old Tactic: Using Race for Gain"
Accurate:
"Trump Employs an Old Progressive Left Tactic: Using Race for Gain"
When I saw this title, I literally laughed out loud.
Playing the race card is the only game the progressive leftists Democrats have ever had. Without it they have no appeal to anyone. So they use it 24/7/365.
And so do their lap dogs in the news media.
Just review the past 6 or 8 weeks of front page stories and editorials - there is literally no day without something on the front page about race, racism, raqcists...
It has become wistfully hilarious. Seriously, crying "wolf" so many times that no one even pays attention any more, seems to have been the goal.
Well, mission accomplished.
The evidence: minority voters are abandoning the Democratic party in droves.
1
@Objectivist
I would to see your source for those claims. There must be a site where you learned that minority voters are fleeing one of the two major Parties in droves, and going where? Has the GOP been registering minority voters in huge numbers? The "evidence" is what, exactly? I'll wait.
The Democratic Party establishment, those accepting corporate donations to their campaigns, represented by Nancy Pelosi, are destroying chances of an open election battle by progressives against the abominable racist and his chanting following.
Does anyone believe that a milquetoast Democratic candidate will bury this fascist specter?
Racist images of Japanese were finally disallowed in Second World War propaganda when it was realized that at war's end, Japanese Americans were to be liberated from the camps to be fully reinstated as citizens. That could not have happened with a savage propaganda imagery left , Big-Brother fashion in the American mind.
The mainstream media should come to recognized, any day now, that they are failing to instruct Public Opinion in a way that Walter Lippmann and George Orwell would have thoroughly condemned.
Who would ever think to threaten the residents of Palm Beach by releasing thousands of Moonies? The less than astonishing thing is that it appears to have worked.
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This is not a witch-hunt as the president has proclaimed. Plain and simple, The Mueller Report evidence that will be presented before the House committees, will prove that Donald J. Trump is a crook, liar, and a cheat, who is using the cover of the office of the presidency, to loot and profit for himself, and his entire family. It was his brain-washed, gullible, red state base that help install him there. He is counting on being re-elected to avoid being indicted as Individual one, and to continue his rape of the US treasury, including igniting a possible race war, that will distract, and further divide America. Trumps words don’t offer an ounce of wisdom or encouragement to the overall betterment of America. It is just pure HATRED. Hopefully, he will finally be exposed and held accountable starting next week with the schedule testimony of Robert Mueller, before the House, followed by the results of numerous investigations by SDNY. Otherwise, in the 2020 election, he will again lose the popular vote by a even greater margin than 2016, and it will be the Electoral College that will be the deciding factor. In 2020, a vote for him, will be a vote for bigotry and hate, for he announced recently that this would be his re-election platform needed to keep his red state base intact. So be it!
This is not a witch-hunt, Mr. President. It’s called “Justice”.
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I hope Trump tells the Cubans to leave.
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They don’t have to go home because they’d take their reliably Republican votes with them.
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Enough of Trump. Love you Howard Stern.
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Trump is a racist, there's no reason to debate that any more. The millions in this country that voted for him are also racist, but most of them like to claim they are not, just as Trump denies it. On some level deep down they feel it's wrong to be racist. But they are anyway so the Orwell seek themselves out of the label.
This is a fundamental problem where you have States responsible for Education instead of Federal government. Local values are retained and that means racism and extremist conservatism reigns unchecked in vast swathes of America.
Coastal Americans forget that is the heartland. Or at least, used to be able to, until Trump came along.
What on earth can we do to fix this?
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You mean Michael Cohen's Testimony concerning Trump was the Truth ?? I don't understand his behavior...he was so Presidential during the Primaries .Oh Oh....what if it wasn't All Just Locker Room Talk ? Could his presidency be... just one big Alternative Fact !! This should teach American Voters not to Vote for anyone endorsed and aided by Russia !!
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Nothing in this piece is new , Donald J Trump is and always was an outright racist.
His Electoral College appointment as President has not changed his tenacity to play the race card when he sees fit.
What has changed is his increasingly willingness to use Jews as a means to an end , when he wants to incorrectly call his opponents out as being Anti Semitic.
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There is nothing worse than being willfully blind to racism...while trying to split people along those divisory lines of resentment towards 'the other' (read, non-white); and Trump's illusory pacts with clueless black folks in entertainment are just playing dumb by not denouncing his distinct ploys to dehumanize them. Can't we see that Trump is the current 'Black Face' personalized (with orange undertones), to mock what otherwise may pass just as an ethnic slur.
This sociopath is unfit to lead anything, especially a nation. But, he is enabled by the cowards that now make up the Republican party. They are allowing him to make a once respected party into a collection of extremists and other unstable individuals. the decline of our nation will continue until the GOP denounces this dangerous individual.
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In Trump’s competitive show proposal to Howard, with all things given being equal but color, if anything should shut white racists’ mouths in shame. Why they still support him then is a mystery to me too. Professional athletics certainly has no problem with it.
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The title of the article is accurate to the writing. I don’t understand the democrats identity based opinion. The article describes race baiting. Race baiting is worse than being a racist. Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are a result of race baiting. By today’s standard both white. My understanding of Claudia Rankine’s opinion, means that Sacco and Vanzetti ought to be asked about their privileged life. Like I said I don’t understand identity politics.
Stop attempting to align a TV show with reality. The natural order of things says If you criticize my country you criticize me and you have a fight on your hands. You may criticize things about my country however- but not the country as a whole as the squad has and is doing. Trump has turned the lefts racial strategy around and is using it against them.
"Trump is a clear and present danger to our country. He has no history of governance that should engender any confidence from voters. Trump has no foreign policy experience, and the fact that he doesn't recognize it – instead insisting that, "I know more about ISIS than the generals do" – is even more troubling. His wild threats to blow Iranian ships out of the water if they make rude gestures at U.S. ships is just the type of reckless, cowboy diplomacy Americans should fear from a Trump presidency. "
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/09/23/enquirer-endorses-hillary-clinton-donald-trump/90728344/
The Cincinnati Enquirer NAILED IT.
They are a conservative paper that had not endorsed a Democrat for over 70 years when they endorsed Hillary in 2016.
Donald Trump is not worthy to sit in the Oval Office.
We need to cancel this reality tv presidency on November 3, 2020.
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Trump Employs an Old Tactic: Using Race for Gain. Of course, high-ratings radio jockeys like Howard Stern, Imus and so many others made big bucks for themselves, their networks - NBC, CBS, ABC and their affiliate stations and their advertisers. Big news, uh? Smut brought in big bucks. The use of slurs and slang brought in big bucks. The denigration of women and minorities brought in big bucks - nice job. No wonder we are where we are with Trump as a president. The network big money help put Trump where he is now. Our Cronkites are long gone now. Our broadcast news has become like the "Network" movie - funny and brilliant as fiction - but now too real and poisonous. The networks did this to themselves.
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Trump is, at his core, more than likely racist, just like he is, at his core, misogynist. But he is also “transactional”. So, when he can benefit from sounding like a racist, or a non-racist, he will do whatever is necessary.
He cares only about what he thinks will benefit him. He doesn’t care if that means tearing the country apart.
3
The gist of the article is that Trump is racist, but more importantly he sees it as a way to gain political power. I'm not sure which is more reprehensible, but I think going with the latter, as that could unduly energize his "base" with possible tragic consequences.
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Trump could take measures to repair the damage to his reputation that he has done in basking in that xenophobic chanting at the rally. He could welcome a refugee child into his own privileged family. SeñorTrump could improve his monarchical prospects. Given the real possibility that he might ignore election results, he might expand his family dynasty name through adoption of a son.
Advantages
a) He could show he has no racist bones in his body
b He could acquire a pre existing family member
c)He could get advice from a Russian (Natalia Veselnitskaya) about adoption that would be above suspicion
d)If Donald is dissatisfied with the pre-existing son he could “send him back, send him back, send him back
Disadvantages
a) Don might not pass the background check But he could sign an executive order since he likes deregulation
b) It might be embarrassing for Donald in terms of the likelihood that the pre-existing immigrant would quickly surpass the Donald’s English skills
c)Spanish language tendency to call people by their physical characteristics.The new son to the family would be called “el chapo” (shorty) which has obvious reminders of the famous El Chapo. Trump would then inevitably be named "el gordo" the portly one.
d)The adoptee would still be in a cage- a golden one not a wire one. At least he would have a toothbrush and given dad’s love of tissue-paper-tossing to Hispanics, plenty of tissue
e) Melania would have to dispose of that famous raincoat. .
3
Is this new? My god, there are political constituencies of every type and race is one of them. Politicians appeal to political constituencies. Do you think Obama, son of a white woman and an absent African man, raised by his white mother and white grandparents in the very non-black state of Hawaii, didn't use race to his advantage? If applying race provides a net gain of votes and influence, why wouldn't one take advantage of the race card. Kamala Harris is doing the same thing. Those that point out her somewhat privileged background when she claims her "victimhood" (using race for political advantage) are labelled racist. That's rich.
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All this fear, hate, and cruelty will end badly, the GOP losing in the long run.
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So I read somewhere that republicans don't need the minority groups to win the next election. Is that true? Not American, but even if EVERY minority group, no matter what colour or sex or religion got up and voted against trump, he'd still win?
What an awfully depressing thought.
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Mercy, would you all please stop giving this creature so much free ink? You elected him, you’re feeding his insatiable ego. Ignore him. Or own up to being The New Trump Times.
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