Bull, John Danforth: Trump IS a Republican, the logical extension of Republican policy for decades.

[NNadir]

Ex-Senator John Danforth, a lifelong Republican is trying to claim that Trump isn't a Republican:

Many have said that President Trump isn’t a Republican. They are correct, but for a reason more fundamental than those usually given. Some focus on Trump’s differences from mainstream GOP policies, but the party is broad enough to embrace different views, and Trump agrees with most Republicans on many issues. Others point to the insults he regularly directs at party members and leaders, but Trump is not the first to promote self above party. The fundamental reason Trump isn’t a Republican is far bigger than words or policies. He stands in opposition to the founding principle of our party — that of a united country.

Bull.

John Danforth: Trump is Exactly What Republicans Are Not

Trump is the logical extension of Nixon's "Southern Strategy," Reagan's fantasy "Welfare Queens," George H. Bush's obscene gesture of digging up Clarence Thomas to "replace" Thurgood Marshall, the racist refusal of by Mitch McConnell to spit on the graves of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and John Marshall by refusing to consider a Supreme Court Justice appointed by an African American President etc, etc, etc.

Trump is the culmination of 50 years of what used to be subtle appeals to racism, now written publicly for all the world to see.

You built it; you displayed it; you voted for it; you own it, Danforth.

[JI7]

1. the republican party supported him and embraced him. it wasn't even close in the primary

if he had run in the democratic primary he would have been rejected .

[Ohiya]

2. His sin, to the GOP, is a lack of discretion

The GOP is supposed to use dog whistles not bull horns.

[ProfessorGAC]

3. Assume For A Second, Danforth Is Right

The easiest response is "Well, Mr Danforth, how did you let a fascist end up as the nominee of your party?"
Conversation over with that. Stammering and verbal legerdemain wouldn't change that the discussion is over.

[enough]

4. And Danforth himself was personally devoted to getting Clarence Thomas

into the Court.

[John1956PA]

11. He later said his zealousness surprised him in that he used profane language to advocate for CT.

I can not understand why Danforth went to the mat for CT who struck me as having uttered all of the stupid remarks which Anita Hill attributed to him. Danforth could have gone out of office on a high note, but his legacy will forever be mired in the recollection of his advocacy for CL whom Danforth claimed to be "friend."

[GoCubsGo]

5. He is the epitome of a republican.

Greedy, small-minded, self-centered, supremely ignorant, misogynistic, and bigoted in every way, with not a goddamn clue as to how our government works.

"...but the party is broad enough to embrace different views..."

Give me a fucking break, Mr. Danforth. You are incredibly deluded if you believe that.

[Orrex]

6. You're correct: Trump is the GOP incarnate

For all of their crocodile tears, they will vote for a Trump clone--or worse--at their very next opportunity.

[spanone]

7. he ran on the republican ticket/he 'won' on the republican ticket....he's the quintessential repub

[Orsino]

8. In a party of unctuous, pompous robots...

...Trump is perhaps the only politician truly over-the-top enough to parody them. He toys with their ideology, adopting or dismissing it as the mood strikes him. No, he's not consistent, but his insistence that his wealth and entitlement should exempt him from accountability, and his reflexive scapegoating of anyone and everyone, make him the most Republican of them all. His smug privilege is exactly what they've championed for decades.

[jberryhill]

9. Trump is the essence of what the GOP has been for years

He is simply more forthright about it.

[joeybee12]

10. Exactly. The hypocrisy of Danforth is astounding. Knr

[JDC]

12. I think the bigger point is Republicans are back to distancing themselves

It's for self preservation of course, and if the jackass provided them cover they'd laud him, but as he continues to bash, they will bash back. It will reach a point of no return imo. The idea that trump'sbase is as strong as the media and people give it credit for is off. He barely won the election and even that I question. He cheated, best case scenario. He is a traitor to his country and the American people highly likely.

[TrishaJ]

13. Well then, it's simple.

If he is NOT a Republican, Republicans in Congress need to remove him from office. NOW.

[NNadir]

14. They won't. For all their flag waving over the years, they clearly don't care about this country...

...or its constitution.

They don't see power as an opportunity to do good; they see power for its own sake.