http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/does-trump-have-to-distance-himself-from-his-fringe-supporters/article/2591978#.V0GuRhfHJ2Y.twitterDoes Trump have to distance himself from his fringe supporters?By DAVID M. DRUCKER (@DAVIDMDRUCKER) • 5/22/16 12:01 AM
In 2008, after Barack Obama endured uncomfortable coverage about his relationship with controversial Reverend Jeremiah Wright, the future president traveled to Philadelphia to deliver a speech on the goodness of America.
Does Donald Trump need to do something similar?
The presumptive Republican nominee has accrued a vocal band of racist, anti-Semitic followers, and hasn't done much to repudiate their support. That is allowing charges to fester that Trump is subtly, deliberately, courting voters that inhabit the fringe, "alternative right," adding to anxiety about his leadership.
Politicians, especially presidential candidates, aren't necessarily to blame for the sort of people that support them. And, Trump isn't personally associated with any particular provocative figure, the way Obama was with Wright.
But likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton could use the spotlight on Trump's racist and anti-Semitic supporters against him the general election, and that's why some Republican strategists are recommending that Trump deliver his own version of Obama's "A More Perfect Union" speech.
The same way Obama made explicitly clear that he disagreed with Wright's pointed criticism of American society, some Republicans say Trump should use a formal speech to confirm that his vision of leadership, and the future of the country, has nothing in common with the racists who are enthusiastically backing his candidacy.
"Trump should emphasize that he is a uniter and that he is working to represent everyone of race, color and religion. He cannot afford to let the cement dry on this narrative or else he will marginalize himself with mainstream voters," said a Republican strategist, who like several of his colleagues, requested anonymity in order to candidly discuss this topic.
As reported in the midst of Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, Wright, his pastor in Chicago and an early adviser, had periodically delivered sermons laced with phrases like "God Damn America," and essentially accused the United States — and Israel — of being criminally racist enterprises.
To distance himself from Wright, Obama traveled to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, site and city of historical importance to the founding the U.S., and delivered an eloquent speech affirming his view of America's righteousness despite past blemishes.
"We've heard my former pastor ... use incendiary language to express views … that denigrate both the greatness and the goodness of our nation; that rightly offend white and black alike," Obama said. "But the remarks … expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country — a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America."
Trump wrapped up the GOP nomination in early May after dominating the primary season. Fueling his victory were Republican voters who self-identified as moderate and liberal. Essentially, Trump won over the voters that carried Mitt Romney to across the finish line in the 2012 primary.
But Trump's tough talk on immigration, and a populist, nationalist agenda he describes as "America first," has attracted the support of "alt-right" voters who reject traditional Republican positions on trade, immigration and foreign intervention and tend to hold racist and anti-Semitic views.
They've flocked to the New York businessman because of isolationist foreign policies, a promise to build a wall on the southern border and round up and deport the 11 to 12 million mostly Hispanic illegal immigrants living in the U.S., and a proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the U.S.
Impressions that Trump is knowingly stoking the racist fringe have been fueled partly by a February television interview in which he refused to immediately disavow the Ku Klux Klan and the support of white supremacists — and by the attention the billionaire's "alt-right" fans have gained harassing the Republican's opponents on social media platforms like Twitter.
These individuals have used the anonymity of Twitter to target with racist and anti-Semitic rants Trump's political opponents and journalists who have offered critical analyses of his policies and behavior on the campaign trail. Especially singled out for these attacks have been conservative writers and thinkers who oppose Trump.
"Trump doesn't seem to be bothered by the fact that he has magnetic appeal to" racists and anti-Semites, one GOP operative said.
Trump has a record of employing and promoting women, minorities and Jews in his business and on his real estate projects.
Trump's daughter, Ivanka, converted to Judaism and is raising her children Jewish. Ivanka is perhaps Trump's most important informal campaign adviser. And, many prominent Jewish Republicans are backing Trump, including mega-donor Sheldon Adelson, a staunch supporter of Israel.
Trump also is picking up the support of some Hispanic Republicans, although his backing in that community is still dangerously thin. So, is it fair to tar Trump with the stain of his followers?
Some veteran Republican operatives say "no," and don't believe Trump needs to do anything to address this matter, never mind give a major speech like Obama did in 2008.
"In politics, voters support candidates," a Republican insider said. "It doesn't require candidates to support voters. If candidates started to apologize for every voter that supports of them, we would have to lengthen our elections."
Some Republicans question whether Trump needs to address the matter and distance himself from his fringe supporters.
The candidate has succeeded in part because of his unorthodox approach to campaigning and his rough edges. Moving to quell controversy, like a normal politician would, could damage his brand. Even if Trump would benefit, many Republican strategists argue that he's unlikely to do anything.
Trump doesn't like to admit he's wrong, they say, and it's not his style to admit mistakes and apologize for past actions. In Trump's mind, behavior like that shows weakness and smacks of politics as usual. Trump values strength above all and traditional politics is the very thing he's running against.
There's another reason, contend some Republicans, that Trump is unlikely to deliver a high-minded speech declaring separation to his controversial supporters: He wants their votes.
"Trump is a lot of things. Magnanimous is not one of them. If he refuted their support, in his mind, he would admitting some kind of wrongdoing," a Republican operative said. "He just never wants to look mainstream."
