A closer look: What's behind Donald Trump KKK comments?
Donald Trump says he really, truly does not want the support of white supremacists. He appeared to accept an endorsement from former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke over the weekend because he misheard a question due to a 鈥渧ery bad earpiece,鈥� Mr. Trump told NBC鈥檚 鈥淭oday鈥� during a Monday appearance.
鈥淚 disavowed David Duke all weekend long, on Facebook, on Twitter and obviously it鈥檚 never enough. Ridiculous,鈥� Trump said on 鈥�.鈥�
It鈥檚 true Trump had previously rejected Mr. Duke鈥檚 endorsement. But he might not have been quite as emphatic about it as he claimed. And it鈥檚 indicative that The Donald did not get much benefit of the doubt on this question. Even some right-leaning pundits appeared to have an uneasy feeling that Trump could be capable of embracing the KKK.
After all, the GOP primary seems to be a contest in which the previous bounds of acceptable discourse have been shredded. The candidates now throw the basest of schoolyard taunts at each other, involving hand size, propensity to sweat, and tans. Given Trump鈥檚 harsh statements about Mexican immigrant 鈥渞apists鈥� and punching protestors in the face, what鈥檚 a pat on the back from a Grand Dragon?
Trump鈥檚 鈥渇eigned ignorance鈥� of the KKK is 鈥渏ust the latest in a string of incidents that suggest to critics that Donald Trump is using bigotry to fuel his controversial campaign,鈥� writes conservative cable news host today in a Washington Post opinion piece.
Last Wednesday, David Duke 鈥� a white nationalist and radio host who is a former KKK leader 鈥� said on air that voting for any candidate other than Trump is 鈥�really treason to your heritage.鈥�
Asked about Duke鈥檚 comment Friday during his appearance with new backer Chris Christie, Trump waved the question off. 鈥淚 disavow, OK?鈥� he said curtly, perhaps annoyed at a query off-topic from the Christie endorsement.
Then on Sunday, ABC鈥檚 Jake Tapper raised the subject again. He asked Trump if he would unequivocally reject the support of Duke or any other white supremacist.
In response Trump claimed ignorance of the situation.
鈥淲ell, just so you understand, I don鈥檛 know anything about David Duke, OK?鈥� said Trump. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know anything about what you鈥檙e even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists . . . Did he endorse me or what鈥檚 going on, because you know, I know nothing about David Duke.鈥�
Lots of critics hit Trump in response to this apparent equivocation. In general their reaction was astonishment: how hard is it to reject racism after hearing the words 鈥淒avid Duke鈥� and 鈥渨hite supremacists鈥�?
Trump鈥檚 GOP rivals were predictably harsh.
鈥淲e cannot be a party that nominates someone who refused to condemn white supremacist and the Ku Klux Klan,鈥� said Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R) of Texas 鈥淩eally sad ... we should all agree racism is abhorrent.鈥�
Trump responded with his 鈥渇aulty earpiece鈥� excuse for the answer. He said he had not heard the question correctly while sitting in his Florida home and had thus danced around the issue.
It鈥檚 possible that the answer is true. But as numerous critics pointed out, it鈥檚 not credible for Trump to say he didn鈥檛 know who David Duke is at all. He鈥檇 discussed Duke in the past and had rejected his endorsement days previously.
Was Trump just having a hard time rejecting the approval of someone who鈥檇 backed him? Or, in what right-leaning Allapundit at Hot Air called 鈥渢he least charitable possibility,鈥� was Trump actually taking racist supporters into account, and avoiding saying anything bad about them on a high-profile news show in advance of Super Tuesday in the South?
鈥淪o, pressed by Tapper, he played dumb with the cameras rolling and then did another perfunctory disavowal on Twitter later to try to clean up the mess for the benefit of media types,鈥� .
It鈥檚 unlikely any of this will affect Trump鈥檚 vote on Tuesday. His supporters have shown no inclination to back away from him due to his words. If anything, controversy makes them cling tighter: this is Trump standing up to the political correctness police of the mainstream media.
The Republican Party as a whole is another matter. Trump appears willing to say anything at any time, and that puts other elected members of the GOP and top officials in a very difficult position. If Trump wins the nomination, these other Republicans will face an endless stream of questions as to whether they support the party nominee鈥檚 latest controversial proclamation. That鈥檚 exhausting for all and possible electorally fatal for some, such as Senate candidates in purple state races.
That鈥檚 a big reason why some Republicans now say openly they won鈥檛 support Trump if he wins the party presidential bid. So far, Trump appears to be winning his 鈥�Red Queen Race鈥� of dominating the news cycle with ever-more-outrageous comments and moves. But in a general election he will face far more focused opposition from a Democratic Party that is currently storing opposition research ammunition.
鈥淐ome November, Trump may not be rejecting the KKK, but his voters are going to reject him,鈥� writes conservative commentator today at The Resurgent. 鈥淭he Democrats and outside groups are going to make Trump so radioactive that his own supporters will not vote for him.鈥�
