Increasingly isolated, pathetic and forlorn figure

[struggle4progress]

Observer editorial

... His staff problems are self-inflicted, the product of his poor judgment and bad choices. And it was this same mix of incompetence, arrogance and ignorance that led Trump earlier in the week into the biggest political train-crash of his unedifying career: his indefensible attempts to excuse the white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan sympathisers who sparked last weekend’s fatal violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

One would have thought that even Trump, despite all his hubris and egotism, would know better than to jump feet first into America’s most sensitive issue: racial division. But he simply could not stop himself. When challenged about his apportioning of equal blame to “both sides” in Charlottesville, Trump let the mask slip. Some of the white supremacists were “fine people” and the violence, which left an anti-racism protester dead, was not entirely their fault, he claimed. Then, in an impromptu defence of the confederacy, this lineal successor of Abraham Lincoln went on to equate southern rebel generals with George Washington and the founding fathers.

Does Trump suffer from some kind of political death wish? If so, we must hope his fall comes quickly. It is hard to think of any precedent for such a calamitous display of insensitivity, historical ignorance and uncomprehending political stupidity. Race is far too explosive, divisive and unresolved an issue in America to be treated in so irresponsible a manner. The ensuing storm of outrage and condemnation that fell around Trump’s ears, from all sides of the political and social spectrum, was also unprecedented, though unsurprising.

Trump did not simply reveal himself to be a mouthy fool. He also showed himself to be a closet racist and a bigot, too. For most Americans, this is the only possible conclusion to be drawn from his remarks and it has united friends and foes in a broad front of opposition. The two Bushes, both former Republican presidents, joined Barack Obama and the Democrats in slamming his remarks. So, too, did large sections of the Republican party and the media. Big business has mostly distanced itself, including CEOs serving on White House advisory panels who quit their posts. The list goes on ...

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/aug/19/observer-view-on-donald-trump-steven-bannon

[Iliyah]

1. t-rump is being t-rump

I have no sympathy for him nor his family nor the GOP. They collectively are screwing up the USA.

[dalton99a]

2. He is a fucking racist and a bigot.

[greymattermom]

3. Not in the closet

His racism has always been out of the closet, right in the open.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

4. Now that's a great analysis!

Thank goodness for the Guardian.

[BigmanPigman]

5. This pretty much sums up the discussion at a farewell dinner tonight with my family.

My parents, both 83 and healthy and sharp, my sister, her husband, my 20 year old niece (going back to college in DC on Monday), and two dogs are all heavy duty Dems. Thank God for that. All we did was wish the fake prez would drop dead, etc and that we never would have thought how our country could allow this to happen. My dad and I share the same theory (Americans are stupid, plain and simple). If any of us were Repub I am sure our family dinners would cease to exist since we are very passionate about such matters.