Note: This column originally appeared as a Facebook post by Ezra Glaser, Esq., and has been edited for clarity and space.
While the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump appears to be in end stage self-destruction, I have spent the last few days enjoying the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and the Who at the Indio Road Desert Trip concert festival (in California). But even at this music festival — a short distance from Ronald Reagan’s home — talk of Donald Trump and his extraordinary shortcomings are not far from people’s lips.
What stands out in my mind is how — at this late stage — the Republican establishment is jumping ship and abandoning the Republican nominee as a new revelation of lewd statements about women, combined with his previous statements, boils to the surface. But in so many ways, these people created Donald Trump. From giving license to the “birther” movement to the hatred professed toward immigrant populations during the last two elections to the numerous efforts blocking the President’s agenda — our first black President — over the course of eight years.
These craven politicians now abandon Trump because the new revelations hit so close to home. Almost all of them have daughters or wives who should not be disrespected in the same way Donald Trump boasts about disrespecting women.
I was first taken aback as to how “surprised” these politicians appear. Trump’s vicious I guess some people might be wondering why I have been quiet during the last couple of days as the self-destruction of Donald Trump looms. Well, you can “blame” the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and the Who, as I am in California, at the Indio Road Desert Trip concert festival. But even this short distance from Ronald Reagan’s home, talk of Donald Trump and his extraordinary shortcomings are not far from people’s lips.
I guess the thing that stands out in my mind is how now, the Republican establishment is jumping ship and abandoning the Republican nominee as the lewd statements about women, combined with his previous statements, boils to the surface. But in so many ways, these people created Donald Trump, with the “birther” movement, the hatred professed toward immigrant populations during the last two elections, and the numerous efforts to block the President’s agenda – our first black President, over the course of eight years. These politicians now abandon Trump as the new revelations hit so close to home. Almost all of them have daughters, or wives, who should not be disrespected in the same way Donald Trump has disrespected women.
I am first taken aback by how “surprised” these politicians appeared. Trump’s vicious misogyny has been clear over years. During an appearance on the Howard Stern show, he bragged that he could have had sex with Princess Diana. There are so many other examples. But the entitlement aspect that he demonstrated — at the age of 60 — in asserting that as a “star” he can touch women in their private areas without permission indicates his deep disrespect of women.
But the hypocrisy of those GOP supporters now claiming to be “outraged” based on the latest revelation of Trump’s misogynistic personality indicates that these very people could care less about women. They most recently promoted the same person who accused Mexican immigrants of being rapists and murderers, who singled out Muslims to deny their entry into the country, who targeted mosques and who advocated “sending back” Syrian refugees who fought the same enemy we are fighting.
Equally disturbing was how Trump peddled the death of innocent people, remarking on inner city shootings — after the fact — as something he could have prevented, and something that President Obama and Hillary Clinton somehow promoted. He now keeps referring to former President Bill Clinton — who’s not on the ballot and who has nothing to do with Trump’s numerous misogynistic comments and actions. He calls his true opponent, Hillary Clinton an enabler because she kept her family together despite Bill Clinton’s real and imagined indiscretions.
Donald Trump, a low-life, narcissist and shameless self-promoter, is indeed the very creation of the Republicans that now want nothing to do with him. His promoters and supporters in the media and inside the Republican party should be rejected strongly as Trump is today.
He was the highest ranking promoter of the “birther” movement and is the outgrowth of the worst type of political obstruction. These “birthers” should also be renounced by mainstream Republicans as strongly as they are treating Trump.
We need to get on with good governance with people who really care about the issues that are important!
Ezra Glaser is an attorney and political activist in the Bronx and Manhattan.
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