It has been a long wait for the noticeably slow response from GOP presidential contenders to Donald Trump’s comments that “Mexicans are rapists” — words now prompting big companies to end their financial relationships with The Donald. As if the business backlash weren’t enough, Trump has doubled down on his comments from June 16 and only now have — some of — his rivals rebuked him.
There was some pandering to be done -— Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) got out there early and defended Trump, but the immediate and obvious question was: What about former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-Fla.), who has been married to a Mexican woman for decades and has half-Mexican children? Would not this be a moment to rise above the toxicity of Trump and set himself apart? Not really, as many advisers in the Bush campaigns likely said what advisers in other campaigns were saying: don’t take the bait, don’t stoop to his level, don’t treat him as a legitimate opponent. But then former Gov. George Pataki (R-N.Y.) criticized Trump, calling out the other candidates to do the same. Former Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas) started to, and Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) actually did, and then Perry really did, and then the pressure must have been too much.
{mosads}Still, Bush wasn’t much interested in addressing Trump’s comments as he was asked twice at an event Thursday and provided two separate responses. His first one, in Spanish, translated to something like “Trump spends his life fighting with people and he doesn’t represent the values of the Republican party.” Yet asked again, Bush said in English, “I don’t agree with him. I think he’s wrong. It’s pretty simple.”
Republicans hungry to win back the White House are terrified at the potential damage Trump can do in the days, weeks and months to come. He will surely be on the debate stage, as his poll numbers and popularity with the GOP primary electorate continue to grow. If all his rivals denounce his comments, his influence in the debate will be diminished, but if only some do then he has divided the field and his influence will only grow.
What say you, candidates?
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