Trump Normalized

Jim Burt: “Pretty good summary from Rick Valelly, Professor of Political Science at Swarthmore:

. . . No previous presidential candidate in American political history has been a dangerous demagogue, clearly unfit and unprepared for the office.

No one before in American presidential electoral history has been so narcissistically disdainful of the basic ethical requirements of democratic electioneering.

. . . He has threatened his opponent’s life, said that if he is President he will try to prosecute her and jail her, asked a foreign power and dangerous adversary to intervene in the election on his behalf, encouraged violence at his rallies, urged a massive assault on the civil liberties of a group of Americans, offended an historic ally and neighbor, the Republic of Mexico, in the most unhinged way, threatened to rip up stable treaty alliances that protect our security, lied constantly about policy questions of fact, engaged in smears and conspiracy thinking, flirted with anti-Semites and white nationalists, suggested that he will encourage nuclear proliferation if he is President, and he has urged his base to treat his electoral defeat, if it happens, as a case of illegitimate and rigged defeat.

Yet this rhetorical barrage has been effectively normalized.  We have gotten all too used to this kind of menacing, deranged talk.  The basic reason for that is his own party.  It has refused to disown him.  There is no line that he cannot cross.  The Republican cohabitation with Trump is understandable. It’s not admirable, but it has a clear organizational logic. Given the enormous gains that Republicans made in 2010 and 2014, in Congress and among the states, they have a lot to protect. Most of the party’s office-holders have obviously decided that they must live with Trump and ride out the election to wherever it may lead.  That has given him a license to say things that should have cost him his campaign long ago. . . .

Jim concludes: “Trump is a human stain which should be a permanent ‘Mark of Cain’ on any candidate or officeholder who has temporized with him.”

And if she wins, Hillary Clinton will be the most prepared, qualified person ever to assume the office of the Presidency, with a lifetime of trying to make the world better for others.

Seventy days to go . . .