Donald Trump’s Crowd Cheers His Muslim Exclusion Plan
He is the front-runner for President in the Republican Party, and he has been for months. That he is a man at home in his party could be seen in the mixed responses to his call. Trump is slipping in Iowa in one poll, but the candidate who is gaining is Ted Cruz, who said tepidly, in response to Trump’s statement, “Well, that, that is not my policy.” He only wanted to exclude Muslims from certain countries. Rand Paul had a similar response, emphasizing his border vigilance. Ben Carson said he hoped we were looking at everyone. Chris Christie said that Trump’s proposal was something people say when they “have no experience,” rather than, say, a compromised moral core. It was “a ridiculous position that won’t even be productive,” since to stop plots the government needed coöperative informants, and the court wouldn’t buy it, anyway. Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio responded similarly, criticizing Trump, but in ways that suggested that the problem might be one of degree and temperament, and perhaps mental stability. Bush tweeted that “Donald Trump is unhinged. His ‘policy’ proposals are not serious.” Rubio said that his “his habit of making offensive and outlandish statements will not bring Americans together.” The Republican Party, apparently fearful of losing his voters, has not truly confronted Trump on any point but his buffoonery, which is not the main problem; the bigotry at the heart of the clown act is.