One of the areas of concern regarding Donald Trump by those in the #NeverTrump camp is the remarkable similarity we are beginning to witness with his campaign to that of the Barack Obama campaign of 2008–particularly the narcissistic habit of blaming everyone else for his self-created problems, his unwillingness to be completely transparent, and how his loyal followers give him unconditional support regardless of facts and unanswered questions.
In a press conference yesterday, Trump finally released the details on the money raised from his FOX News debate boycott fundraiser held in January where he claimed to raise $6 million. The reason he held this press conference was his way of trying to silence a media he called “bothersome” and “dishonest” — an interesting accusation when you consider the over $2 billion of free promotion he has enjoyed.
I’m no fan of the mainstream media. And while $6 million might be “trump” change, it’s not chump change. Besides, he is a candidate for president.
Trump claimed that this nearly six month delay was an effort to keep the distribution list private, saying: “I don’t think it’s anybody’s business if I want to send money to the veterans.” In a way, he’s right. But if he wanted to keep it a secret, why did we have to hear about it over and over and over and over and over again?
But this situation is just one example of the non-transparent blame-game we are routinely seeing from Trump.
For example: Trump University. This potential scandal got worse over the weekend when Trump, using borderline racist language, called out the judge presiding over the case after ordering the release of hundreds of Trump University documents. Calling U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel “a hater of Donald Trump”–because hate is the only reason anyone questions the NY liberal–Trump assured his loyal army in a press conference that he will win against the “unfair” judge:
“I have a judge who is very very unfair. He knows he’s unfair and I’ll win the Trump University case.”
Trump has also stated he could easily settle the Trump University case, but because he is a “man of principle” who never settles, he’ll battle it out in court instead. And as we all know, men of principle always blame others for their mistakes.
And then we have the matter of the “maybe I will – maybe I won’t” release of his tax returns; a practice that has been standard operating procedure for presidential candidates for about 40 years.
In a CNN debate in February, the “principled man” from New York promised to release his returns once the IRS was done with their audit — although there is nothing to prevent him from releasing them anyway. Still, last week Trump spokesman henchman Paul Manafort stated in a Huffington Post interview that Trump isn’t likely to release them at all because, essentially, the American people are too ignorant to understand them. In a way, this could be true. Trump has openly declared his undying love for his “uneducated” supporters.
With rumors of possible mob ties, along with the strong suspicion that he has grossly exaggerated his financial success, Trump’s unwillingness to release his returns should make a difference to his supporters. But as he once stated: he could shoot somebody and keep his support. Meanwhile, Democrats plan on making the most of Trump’s tax record cover-up.
Trump is the guy who brags about his financial accomplishments but never proves them, bullies anyone who dares challenge him, uses conspiracy theories to attack his opponents in order to avoid personal accountability, casually levels threats against judges, and threatens the media with lawsuits if they publish something he doesn’t agree with after he becomes president.
Trump 2016 is sounding more like Obama 2008 every day.
David Leach is the owner of The Strident Conservative, your source for opinion that’s politically-incorrect and always “right.” David is also a contributor to RedState.com.
His daily commentary is nationally syndicated via Salem Radio Network.
