Another reason why liberals hate Trump

Steve has started a series called “Why do liberals hate Trump?” The first installment is here. I look forward to reading the subsequent ones.

I think one reason why liberals hate Trump is the same reason why many conservatives dislike him: He’s not one of theirs and he’s an awful guy.

Suppose Trump were the Democratic nominee running against, say, Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio. Might not conservatives hate Trump almost as fervently as liberals do? I suspect so.

As it is, Trump is the non-leftist in the race. Thus, it’s understandable that a great many conservatives will vote for him. It’s also understandable that the vast majority of conservatives don’t hate him; that most conservative commentators tend to direct their fire at Hillary Clinton, rather than Trump; and that they decline to dwell on Trump’s shortcomings.

Harder to understand are attempts by conservatives to lionize Donald Trump. I’m thinking here of Jerry Falwell, Jr. Writing in the Washington Post, Falwell proclaimed Trump a “leader with qualities that resemble those of Winston Churchill.”

Falwell added, “my family has grown to love all of the Trumps because they are wonderful people willing to sacrifice much for their country.” I find it interesting that Falwell had to throw in “all of the Trumps” to lend plausibility to his expression of love for Donald.

Peter Wehner has written what I think is a devastating response to Falwell. Wehner argues that “with his partisan, reckless comments, the Evangelical celebrity dishonors his Christian faith.”

I can’t speak to that. However, I find Wehner’s attack on Trump persuasive in nearly every respect.

Here’s a sample:

Falwell praises Trump for his “kindness” and “generosity.” What a curious way to refer to a man who has mocked a former prisoner of war, the grieving mother of a war hero, and a reporter with a physical disability. Trump likened Ben Carson’s “pathology” to that of a child molester, ridiculed Carly Fiorina’s looks, made menstruation jokes about Megyn Kelly, called her a “bimbo,” and called women in general “fat pigs,” “dogs,” “slobs,” and “disgusting animals.”

He humiliated his first wife by engaging in a very public affair. As for his purported generosity, we know he lies about his charitable giving.

I don’t claim that liberals hate Trump for these reasons alone. If he were a leftist, they would be mostly okay with him, as they are mostly okay with the the corrupt, venal, and pathologically dishonest Hillary Clinton.

But I do think that Trump’s poor character produces genuine bipartisan disgust.

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