An Even Stranger Trump

[Libertine]

Donald Trump Is Appealing To The Mob

Donald Trump’s rallies once drew their share of benign conservatives, offbeat libertarians and plain curiosity seekers. But as time and Mr. Trump’s act have worn on, many of them have no doubt gone the way of his poll numbers. Mr. Trump’s crowds remain big and loud, but they’re angrier and more malevolent, and so is Mr. Trump.

At a rally on Wednesday near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Mr. Trump said:

“In many respects you know they honor President Obama. ISIS is honoring President Obama! He is the founder of ISIS. He’s the founder of ISIS, O.K.! He’s the founder, he founded ISIS and I would say the co-founder would be crooked Hillary Clinton. Co-founder, crooked Hillary Clinton. And that’s what it’s about.” As the crowd erupted into cheers and chants of “Lock her up,” Mr. Trump then smiled and basked in the crowd’s applause.

Mr. Trump repeated the false charge on Thursday, saying he’d continue his inflammatory campaign, even if it meant losing in November.

A vast majority of Americans, of course, understand that Mr. Obama did not create ISIS, nor does the group, which targets Western nations, “honor” him or any other American leader.

Mr. Trump knows this, and he doesn’t care. By referring to the president by his full name, Barack Hussein Obama, Mr. Trump continues to wink at some of his staunchest supporters: conspiracy theorists obsessed with the false claim that Mr. Obama is a secret Muslim. The trolls and websites that advance racist theories have supplied Mr. Trump with talking points for years. He consulted with one of them in 2011, when he launched his “birther” campaign, falsely claiming that Mr. Obama was born outside the United States.

Sure enough, Mr. Trump’s Twitter legions took up the call. Tweeted one: “Barack Hussein Obama is the Founder of ISIS! America’s Islamist-in-Chief, America’s Muslim-in-Charge. An ongoing disaster threatening World!”

Another posted a faked photo of Mr. Obama in the Oval Office, with the black flag of ISIS behind him, dressed in what appears to be Islamic clerical garb, with the message, “Founder of ISIS: Barack Hussein Obama has directly financed and armed ISIS."

When Mr. Trump fans racist rage against the president, suggests that gun owners take up arms against Mrs. Clinton, or speaks darkly of a “rigged” election, he is not trying to woo Republican skeptics, independents or undecided voters. He is appealing to the mob.

Right now Mr. Trump is losing, and this terrifies him. He doesn’t know how to control himself, or comprehend why he should. He is simply satisfying his boundless need for attention. His behavior this week raises a more disturbing scenario. He has given up on winning through civil means and does not care about the consequences of his campaign of incitement.


8-11-16
NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/12/op...rump.html?_r=0


Are you not entertained? ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!?! Is this not why you are here?! ~ Maximus Decimus Meridius (Gladiator)

[marsean]

Garbage. Incite the masses.

"Donald Trump Is Appealing To The Mob"

"Right now Mr. Trump is losing, and this terrifies him. He doesn’t know how to control himself, or comprehend why he should. He is simply satisfying his boundless need for attention. His behavior this week raises a more disturbing scenario. He has given up on winning through civil means and does not care about the consequences of his campaign of incitement."