THE LAST WORD 09-21-15

THE LAST WORD

Like just about everyone else who follows politics, I've been wondering when (and if) Trump Fever would break. And though he's been written off before, this incident last Thursday — Trump failing to interrupt or correct a supporter who rambled on about Muslims being dangerous, then said President Barack Obama was not an American citizen — felt different. Perhaps it was the questioner’s angry tone; maybe it was Donald Trump's lame indifference, but I felt the dynamic of the moment would be especially damaging. Lots of people might enjoy Trump's act and even agree with some of his politics, but very few have a stomach for that kind of visceral, ugly scene. For me, this is the moment we'll look back on and say, ‘It was the beginning of the end.’” Editor’s Note: Since the incident referenced above, Trump fell 8 percentage points in the polls (from 32% to 24%). He's still ahead of his fellow contenders, including Ben Carson, who recently explained why he thinks the U.S. shouldn't elect a Muslim as president.