Pence, Trump-the-Birther and the Fault Line of Race
Diamond Head, Hawaii
Donald Trump has both energized and fueled the “discussion” of whether President Obama was born here.
Ashley Parker and Steve Eder have explained Trump’s motivation for doing so: “Mr. Trump recognized an opportunity to connect with the electorate over an issue many considered taboo: the discomfort, in some quarters of American society, with the election of the nation’s first black president.”
It’s “soft-porn” race-baiting, clever to a point but certain evidence of a dark heart.
Trump has also said, “I have a great relationship with the blacks. I’ve always had a great relationship with the blacks”, an early indication of his propensity to see the black community as a monolith, both indivisible and uniform.
In any other election a candidate’s embracing such a tawdry tale would have resulted in their failure to be taken seriously but because Trump provides a haven for racists he has prospered with his garbage.
Trump’s horniness as a birther is not only degrading, it lacks basic dignity, too.
Yesterday, Mike Pence, Trump’s partner on the ticket, broke with him, “proclaiming that he does not doubt that Mr. Obama was born in the United States.”
Pence
Pence is repudiating Trump’s ardent campaign to employ Obama’s race negatively and covertly.
The effect is to elevate Pence and burnish his image as a person of character and dignity.
Unfortunately for Republicans, he is not the nominee.
There is another effect, too.
Many senior GOP leaders and contributors have had enough of Trump and are now moving on to lend their support in the “down ballot” races.
Pence evinced a certain dignity yesterday and it would be a hopeful sign if others did, too.
That includes my union, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) which while refusing to endorse a candidate in the race, has also remained silent on Trump’s denigration of people of color and women.
The IAFF cannot claim that it truly represents all of its members if it remains silent as Trump trashes their very essence.
That proves a lack of dignity in substance and in fact.
