Posted by
Bill Crawford on Monday, April 25, 2011 9:54:06 PM
Well, not really. They are the terms set by the Left. Or the cities. Or the coasts. I still think it is more accurate to label the larger group here as "counterculture", even though in individual encounters, I've found many (especially those with young children) blanch at being labelled "counterculture".
But I digress. Donald Trump is a talented, obnoxious and contemptable man, who has a hard lesson to teach to the Republicans, by example. That being, you can't be intimidated by these people.
In my travels in New York City and now Long Island, my paths cross often with those who share with me a confidence in their own viewpoints. The difference between us is in their tolarance of disagreement. In the middle of the country, the ferocity these types will come at you in the coastal regions takes them aback at times. At first encounter, there often is little or no reaction.
What the Donald can teach is that you have no need to be afraid of these people. The world of politics and public debate demands that both sides be engaged, and there are no extra credit points for politeness. The only place that comes into play is if you are a candidate, and you can afford to delegate this to a staff pit bull, while you stay above the mosh pit.
This is what Trump has done with the birther debate. I see no constructive reason to do so, outside of teaching us all to answer the damned questions before an election, not after. And there are two things the Donald is right about, whether you like it or not:
One: the question of Obama's natural American birth has not been definitively settled.
Two: Obama is spending millions to avoid getting to the bottom of the question.
In fact, Obama is sitting on a bunch of things that would have been informative to those looking to get to know the potential President in 2008. You want a list? Here you go:
Birth records
Punahou School records
Occidental College records
Columbia University records
Columbia thesis
Harvard Law School records
Harvard Law Review articles
Many University of Chicago articles
All passport and medical records
Many records and files as an Illinois State Senator
All Illinois State Bar Association records
All Baptism and adoption records
Now, I am certainly not in favor of turning your whole life into a goldfish bowl to run for President. But you don't think that is a bit much?
The point being, all that is only coming into play now, three years too late, because an obnoxious man is unafraid of a media that would sooner drive a stake into their own heart than raise certain questions themselves. For this, I applaud Trump. You're not fired. Yet.