Bloomberg Politics held a focus group of supporters of Donald Trump in New Hampshire and let me tell you that the resulting article is dangerous because nearly ever word threatens to leap off the page and taser you with Stupid.
But before I get into all that let me just clear something up. What have I been saying about these folks? Well, I am right.
Trump’s remarks about whether McCain, the Arizona senator and 2008 Republican presidential nominee, should be described as a war hero rubbed some in the group the wrong way.
“I thought that was disrespectful,” said Jean, a banker. “Regardless of whether he [McCain] was technically a war hero or not, it was disrespectful.”
As for Trump’s characterization of undocumented immigrants as “rapists,” however, many in the room said it didn’t bother them.
Trump’s racism is no obstacle for these people, which they freely admit. What they’re less willing to say is that his racism is his primary appeal.
And if you think the McCain thing bothered them, well, it bothered some of them a little bit, but others not so much.
“I haven’t heard a lot of positions,” Andy said. “But one thing is when he takes a position, and I’ll use the John McCain thing, he didn’t turn around two days later and say ‘Oh no, that’s not what I’m supposed to say.’ He stayed with what he believed in, and that’s, to me, what I’m looking for.”
This is a guy who went around the country for a year telling people that the president was a fraud who was born in Kenya and faked his birth-certificate. And that’s what this guy Andy is looking for.
Now, take a look at this (emphasis mine):
“Donald Trump is strong,” Nick, a home inspector, said. “He carries a sentiment and frustrations that I think a lot of Americans are going through and feeling right now. He’s the one that’s able to articulate that, and bring those frustrations to light. I believe him when he talks.”
“He says it like it is,” said Jessica, a data analyst, during the focus group in the first-in-the-nation primary state, conducted by Purple Strategies at St. Anselm College in Manchester. “He speaks the truth.”
Saying whatever damn thing pops into you head isn’t the same thing as being “strong” or being believable or speaking the truth. But for some people, simply being obnoxious is a precious virtue. This guy thinks he’d be a great president:
“I think he’d be calling out everybody,” John, a construction worker, said. “I think it’d be pretty good.”
This guy can’t wait for the insane press conferences:
“I think it would be exciting,” Roger said. “I really do. I look forward to it. It’ll be an interesting thing every day.”
When asked what a Trump presidency would be like, this woman revealed that she’s never been to Atlantic City:
“Classy,” said Cheryl, a real estate agent.
And this guy wins the award for being a moron:
“Specifically, he said he’ll put a wall on the southern border,” Roger, who works with the elderly, said. “When you talk about common sense, that’s a common-sense thing to do.”
But, for my money, this woman has my favorite quote:
“He’s like one of us. He may be a millionaire, which separates him from everybody else, but besides the money issue, he’s still in tune with what everybody is wanting,” Janet, a former dog breeder, said.
He’s actually a billionaire. You’re a former dog breeder. And he’s in tune with what you’re wanting because he called Mexicans a bunch of rapists and suggested building a 2,000-mile wall to keep the out? Because he called a bunch of people “losers”?
Maybe the next time Janet is clipping coupons she’ll find a discount on a brain.
