The Donald Trump Plot

A question for simple political minds is, “How can Donald Trump say such stupid things?”  

He hates Mexican immigrants.  After all, they (whoever “they” is) send up thieves, rapists and folks who - if they ever become citizens - will not vote for Donald Trump.  He’s clarified that statement to explain that he loves Mexicans and that they love him.

Trump hates “losers.”  (An occasional business bankruptcy of a Trump organization doesn’t count.)  Trump supported Sen. McCain against Pres. Obama in 2008.  McCain lost.  Donald Trump doesn’t like “losers,” so he now doesn’t like McCain.  Trump also dislikes people who are captured, so he has another reason not to like McCain.   McCain was captured.  Q.E.D.   Then, Trump explained that the loves all people who served in the military, including all the heroes who were captured.  

He’s confrontational and yet polite.  “While Bette Midler is an extremely unattractive woman, I refuse to say that because I always insist on being politically correct.”

Oh, and he’s humble:  "Let me tell you, I'm a really smart guy. I was a really good student at the best school in the country.”

Emerson said “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”  Look on Trump’s wrist.  The Emerson quote is tattooed there.

So, “How can Donald Trump say such stupid things?”  

Aha!  A better question is “WHY does Donald Trump say such stupid things.”  And the truth is far from a joke.

Hillary Clinton has a budget of $2.5 Billion for her presidential campaign. Trump could double that and not have to ask for contributions.  But he doesn’t have to.  

The reason?  He has lots of big money supporting him.  The surprise is where the money comes from.  It comes from supporters of Hillary Clinton, supporters of Ted Cruz; supporters of Jeb Bush; and even supporters of our favorite Trotsky-ite, Bernie Sanders. And that’s just a partial list.

Donald Trump is a stalking horse.  He’s everybody’s stalking horse.

Trump gives every other candidate a powerful, truthful claim: “Hey, at least I’m not Donald Trump!”

It’s the old, old story.  If you want to appear sober, hang out with hopeless drunks.  If you want to appear generous, hang out with misers. And if you want to appear presidential, no problem: Hang out with Donald Trump.

And the saddest thing is, even if we know about the plot, it still works.   It’s works for Clinton.  Bush.  Cruz.  Christie. Biden.  It even works for Sanders.

“Hey, at least I’m not Donald Trump.”

Works for me.