Michael Smeronish is one of those TV personalities who makes a good point every once in a while, but usually clings to the center of the road opinion that is more on the right side of the spectrum than the liberal side. Smerconish is most assuredly a both-siderist, but Donald Trump seems to evoke a visceral loathing, as he does in most sentient beings. For a change, Smerconish takes a strong stance against the dark forces that helped create the Drumpf-monster: the GOP-owned-run media.
I told you so, six months ago I told you, here, that if you want to understand the rise of Donald Trump, you should look to the people with microphones. In an essay that I co-authored with Brian Rosenwald, that got a million views on CNN.com, we wrote this. 'Over the course of the last three decades, these media personalities have surpassed party officials and even elected officials, ascending to the exalted status atop Republican leadership.' Well, Donald Trump has just hired such a provocateur.
He elaborated about the disgraceful choice by the Trump campaign to hire a Breitbart guy who has shown extremely poor taste, judgement and decorum, and has been very blatant about his views. If he's trying to add to his voting base, this is easily the worst way to attract those coveted female and minority voters he's alienated.
Breitbart's Stephen K. Bannon evokes some emotions, to put it mildly. The NYT describes him, in part as:
A purveyor of scorched-earth, right-wing media who dwells in the darker corners of American politics.
That's the nicest part of his resumé, as this man is an insensitive, recalcitrant, 'Near Right' thug. He is the external embodiment of Donald Trump's id, which is quite terrifying.
Conservative apologist Buck Sexton said that Trump is a product of the 'GOP laboratory' which was fomented out of the seventeen candidates present at the beginning of this whole unpleasant race for the White House. The credit is given to some of the GOP 'scientists with Bunsen burners' who have reaped what they've sewn, but to varying degrees. It's as if the GOP finally saw the portrait of their Dorian Gray, the culmination of 30 years of Republican insanity.
Brian Rosenwald concurs with Sexton's theory that those in the GOP laboratory have been given a vision of exactly who they are, but he feels they aren't ready for what they see.
ROSENWALD: This reminds me of a guy who has been eating poorly, not exercising for 30 years and turns around and starts exercising one day and six months later he's surprised he has a heart attack. He's validated the views of the conservatives that wanted a community, and talk radio provided that community for them, and Cable News Now and websites like Breitbart...
At least none of the guys on the panel are blaming the Democrats for Trump. But, luckily for us, Smerconish features Amy Holmes, who now works for Rasmussen, hardly a liberal polling organization. She always provides some source of WTF, OMG or STFU from those on the Left, especially in my household. Always.
HOLMES: I would agree with you that you can't win the presidency with your base and that applies to the left as well (BOTH SIDES)... If you want to point a finger at who gave us Donald Trump you can point it to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and that is Barack Obama.
Yes, you read that right, she not only blamed President Obama for the rise of Trump, but blamed him for the rise of the Astro-turf Teaparty and faulted him for the low turnout of Democrats and/or GOP voter suppression tactics in 2010. She seems to evoke a sort of incredulous disgust from the audience, and that's how she keeps her TV-appearance calendar filled.
Ms. Holmes praises her old boss, Glenn Beck because he's always been an opponent of Donald Trump's. Both Amy and Buck Sexton think that those in the GOP who are adamantly opposed to Trump are absolved of any blame for his creation. Smerconish disagrees as does Rosenwald. Not surprisingly, we see the real both sides: the truth and the lies, not blue and red.
Holmes praises Donald Trump for hiring KellyAnne Conway because she's a WOMAN. Trump hired a woman to fill a major role in his campaign, and that means we can clear Trump of any misogyny. Unlike the host, Amy has no problem with the other hire, Bannon. Holmes credits him with the 'new and improved Donald' because he's not trying to change him, he's letting his inner beauty shine through (not her words). She's quite adept at playing devil's advocate, literally.
Hillary Clinton couldn't ever be forgiven for comments she made in 1992, but Donald Trump only has to deliver one generic regret speech and we are all supposed to believe that he's going to be a different kind of candidate? He's no longer a mean-spirited lying narcissist because he momentarily displays some faux empathy? Likely story.
Nice try, but Amy, you're a female, minority Republican. Your credibility ranks up there with the veracity of Dr. Ben Carson's tales of fast food, knives and belt buckles.
