The “Don’t Normalize Trump” Campaign Was The Dumbest And Most Destructive (And Self-Destructive) In American Politics

We’re supposed to believe that other politicians don’t say “whatever it takes to fulfill [their] desires and thirst for power.”

 

I don’t like the way the abnormalization of Trump has come at the cost of stifling our capacity to critique other politicians. The others may be more “normal” than Trump, but since when is a “normal politician” a genuine policy wonk who’s dedicated to telling the truth and serving the people?

I watched the entire interview with Trump — video, transcript — and it seemed to me that Trump was heavily immersed in policy. His haters act as though it’s a matter of principle to refuse to engage on the substance at all. Ironically, they are making it easier for him to win on the merits.

Stop dehumanizing him and answer him! The abnormalization strategy reinforces a suspicion that you don’t dare argue substance.

Watching the interview, I wrote down the time stamp 17:43. I wanted to remember where it was that I said out loud, “He’s going to win.”

Well, kids, don’t get cocky.

h/t Glenn