Political Irony

The (conservative) National Review reviews this week in Trump:

Trump on Thursday: Trump announces that he will persuade the NRA to support a law “not allowing people on the terrorist watch list, or the no fly list, to buy guns”. Up until then, love of guns was just about the only issue uniting all conservatives and Republicans. But Trump had to blow that.

Trump on Tuesday: The other issue uniting conservatives and Republicans (other than Libertarians) was love of the military and respect for America’s soldiers. So Trump suggests that American troops in Iraq were a bunch of thieves: “Iraq, crooked as hell. How about bringing baskets of money — millions and millions of dollars — and handing it out? I want to know who were the soldiers that had that job, because I think they’re living very well right now, whoever they may be.”

Trump’s campaign tried to claim that Trump was talking about Iraqi soldiers, but nobody sane believes that. Especially since last fall Trump said the same thing, but that time clearly about US soldiers.

And that’s not all. We’ve already discussed Trump’s insensitive remarks about the mass shooting in Orlando, and his dog whistles insinuating “that President Obama might be an ISIS sleeper agent”.

Is there anyone who has not been personally insulted by Trump? Not just all minorities, women, but now the entire Republican base.

It is enough to make conservatives suspect that Trump is purposely trying to hand the White House to Hillary Clinton while tarnishing the GOP’s brand for a generation.

At the very least, it is scaring the hell out of Republican politicians. They are so terrified, they are refusing to comment about Trump. On Tuesday, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell ran away from reporters, saying “I’m not going to be commenting on the presidential candidates today”. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) said “I’m not gonna make a career out of responding to every comment and every tweet”. And Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) said “I have offered public encouragement at important times, but I must admit that I am personally discouraged by the results”.

National Review’s conclusion? “With Trump as the nominee, every Republican lawmaker will be left doing damage control every day for the remainder of the election.” They still think the Republicans should dump Trump at the convention and replace him with “any other Republican”.

UPDATE: And Trump keeps on being Trump. On Saturday Trump made fun of Bernie Sanders, saying “Crazy Bernie, he’s crazy as a bedbug but you know, he doesn’t quit”. Trump encouraged Sanders to stay in the fight against Clinton, taunting “If he gives up we’ll say ‘Bernie, you’re a loser, you gave up.’” Pissing off Sanders (or his supporters) is just the thing to get them to start fighting to get Clinton elected.