When the President speaks,
every word is parsed carefully across the world. Everyone wants to know what
the President is thinking, and his words are among the best clues. That is true
for every President, and so it is true for every presidential candidate. We
assume their words are a mirror of their thoughts and beliefs, and thus
pointers to what policies they will pursue.
So let’s listen to the words
of Republican presidential candidates. Donald Trump said some significant words about
immigrants in the announcement of his candidacy in June. “When Mexico sends
its people, they’re not sending their best.... They’re sending people that have
lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing
drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good
people.”
A week ago, Trump
claimed that Hispanics are “going to love Trump.” Maybe he doesn’t realize
that Mexicans are Hispanic.
Trump’s whole campaign is a
media show. His campaign
paid actors to cheer at his candidacy announcement. Trump won’t be our next
President or even the Republican nominee. He will gradually alienate potential
voters by intemperate
attacks on other Republicans, like John McCain. His appeal to the angriest
and least informed right-wing voters won’t be enough, although with so many
candidates, he may win a primary or two.
More significant than his
words are the words of the other Republican candidates. One of them will be on
the ballot next November. Their words about immigrants and immigration will be
taken to reflect what “America” thinks. What did they say?
One voice in strong
opposition to Trump was Marco
Rubio, Senator from Florida. “Trump’s comments are not just offensive and inaccurate,
but also divisive.” Texas Gov. Rick
Perry was also critical, but somewhat less definite on Fox News: “I don’t
think he’s reflecting the Republican Party with his statements about Mexicans.
I think that was a huge error on his part.”
Rubio and Perry just register
in the single digits among Republicans in the latest
presidential preference polls. A Republican front-runner who clearly
condemned Trump’s comments was Jeb
Bush. He said, “To make these extraordinarily ugly kind of comments is not
reflective of the Republican Party.”
Bush’s words set a standard
for Republican rejection of Trump’s allegations about Mexican immigrants. The
majority of Republican candidates were not willing to reject what Trump had
said. Some, like Sen. Ted
Cruz of Texas, agreed with Trump. Cruz told Chuck Todd on Meet the Press, “I
salute Donald Trump for focusing on the need to address illegal immigration.”
Cruz explained why he was not willing to criticize Trump. “I like Donald Trump.
He’s bold, he’s brash. And I get that, that it seems the favorite sport of the
Washington media is to encourage some Republicans to attack other Republicans.
I ain’t gonna do it. I’m not interested in Republican on Republican violence.” Then
last week Cruz
called Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell a liar. Perhaps we can’t take
these men’s words that seriously.
NJ Gov. Chris
Christie said, “The comments were inappropriate and have no place in this
race.” But added, “I like Donald. He’s a good guy.” Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul
dodged the issue: “I don’t know what he’s been saying, but he apparently is
drawing a lot of attention.” Rick Santorum was unclear about where he stands: “While
I don’t like the verbiage he’s used, I like the fact that he is focused on a
very important issue for American workers and particularly legal immigrants in
this country.”
Another one of the poll
leaders, Scott Walker, said nothing that I could find about Trump’s comments on
Mexicans. But when Trump said John McCain was not a war hero, Walker
denounced him.
Reince Priebus is the chair
of the Republican National Committee, so he offers the official
Party line. At a press conference a few days after Trump’s comments,
Priebus said, “Some comments can be helpful, some comments can be hurtful.
Those particular comments, not helpful.”
The Republican party is
divided about immigrants. Officially, the Party cannot bring itself to condemn
false and defamatory comments about Mexicans. They can’t manage to say clearly
that “Mexico” as a state is not sending anyone across our borders. A few
individual candidates condemn Trump, but the majority of those leading
in the polls, who are most likely to become the Republican candidate,
prefer to avoid attacking his comments because they reflect the views of too
many conservative Republicans.
In a poll
done last week, 62% of respondents said they would definitely not vote for
Trump if he were the Republican nominee. That number rises to 84% among
Hispanics. Among conservative Republicans, 32% would definitely vote FOR Trump.
There is the conflict for Republican contenders. Should I pander to the hatreds
of my most prejudiced primary voters?
That may be a short-sighted
approach. Giovanni Mata, the former chairman of the Suffolk County (NY)
Hispanic Advisory Board, says voters “won't
soon forget” the candidates who have refused to condemn Trump’s remarks.
Steve Hochstadt
Springbrook WI
Published in the Jacksonville
Journal-Courier, July 28, 2015
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