Res ipsa loquitur:
Donald Trump’s campaign aides are lining up a slate of iconic sports figures to appear at the convention in Cleveland next month—including former undisputed world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, legendary Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka, former Indiana University basketball coach Bobby Knight, and NASCAR chief Brian France, people familiar with the planning told Bloomberg Politics.
Mike Tyson, you say:
Trump has boasted in the past about his endorsement by Tyson, who has re-emerged in popular culture in recent years with roles in popular movies like “Hangover” and the publishing of a well-received memoir.
“Mike Tyson endorsed me, I love it,” Trump said in April in Indiana. “You know, all the tough guys endorse me. I like that.”
Following the Indiana rally, Trump was criticized for touting the endorsement of the former boxer, who had served three years in prison after being convicted in the state for raping a beauty pageant contestant.
Maybe he can get the coveted Darren Sharper endorsement, too.
7 comments:
Not to mention the Bobby Knight "If rape is inevitable, lay back and enjoy it" endorsement.
First, a candidate is not responsible for those who support him. Second, Trump proves again that he's no slave to Political Correctness, nor to "conventional wisdom" about how to campaign. Those who are going to vote against Trump because of these transgressions are the same people that decided weeks or months ago that they were voting against him, for PREVIOUS transgressions of PC and CW.
Well, he's not been convicted, but I can think of at least one rapist who's endorsed Mrs. Clinton. Plus, I'd guess most of the gangsta rap crowd is in her corner, and they at least endorse something that looks an awful lot like rape in a lot of their songs.
Looks like parity in the "endorsed by sex criminals" category. Sigh.
First, a candidate is not responsible for those who support him.
Right, but you don't have to trumpet the endorsement of a convicted rapist. It's a thoughtless move at best.
Second, Trump proves again that he's no slave to Political Correctness, nor to "conventional wisdom" about how to campaign.
I must have missed the "convicted rapists are good surrogates" memo. How do I put this gently? He's gonna get killed for this one. And he should.
Those who are going to vote against Trump because of these transgressions are the same people that decided weeks or months ago that they were voting against him, for PREVIOUS transgressions of PC and CW.
So let's not give those people any reason to reconsider their positions, eh?
"So let's not give those people any reason to reconsider their positions, eh?"
Oh, I propose to give them every opportunity, but not by having Trump suddenly succumb to PC and CW requirements. First, it wouldn't convince anybody and second, all of a sudden he would add "flip flopper" to the case against him. Trump is popular in large measure because he offends the Perpetually Offended class. All he needs to do is to leaven his outrageous comments (those that get him all the free media) with some sensible policy proposals, and those who want to vote on matters of policy rather than PC-driven emotion will have reason to support him, in spite of these things.
Oh, I propose to give them every opportunity, but not by having Trump suddenly succumb to PC and CW requirements. First, it wouldn't convince anybody and second, all of a sudden he would add "flip flopper" to the case against him. Trump is popular in large measure because he offends the Perpetually Offended class. All he needs to do is to leaven his outrageous comments (those that get him all the free media) with some sensible policy proposals, and those who want to vote on matters of policy rather than PC-driven emotion will have reason to support him, in spite of these things.
You don't have to be Perpetually Offended (btw, I prefer P. J. O'Rourke's term "perennially indignant") to understand why giving a convicted rapist speaking time on the platform at the Republican Party Convention is a horrifically bad idea. You are correct -- Trump isn't going to get an Occupy votes anyway, but he's gonna need to win Indiana to have any chance and people there aren't going to take kindly to having a graduate of their correctional system discuss the bona fides of Trump.
It's not about PC, Jerry. It's trying to get your candidate to stop stepping on rakes.
I'll go along with that. There's accepting an endorsement from a popular figure, and then there is letting them taint your message by speaking in a highly public venue. Those folks are now denying they have any speaking role, BTW.
And you are correct about the rakes. My hope is built on nothing less than Trump establishing himself as a reasonably thoughtful agent of change, while painting Hillary (not hard) as the status quo, "wrong direction," "so last century" candidate.
Post a Comment