The past week brought yet more evidence of Donald Trump's contempt for truth and essential political standards. Yet the reality-television star continued to consolidate GOP support, a fact punctuated by Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus' tour on morning television, in which he argued that the "sort of traditional review and analysis of individual candidates has not applied to Donald Trump," because Trump is a different kind of candidate--"a total outsider that's going to cause an earthquake in Washington."
In fact, it is all the more important that voters see Trump's full business and financial records precisely because he lacks a history of public service on which to judge his suitability. How, then, can Priebus argue that basic standards, such as honesty and transparency, do not apply? Because, he explained, voters do not seem to care about them--at least not so far. And if voters don't care, Priebus doesn't care: "We want to win in November, and Donald Trump is someone who has been winning."
This is not the first time that the chairman has exposed the rank nihilism that is driving Republican leaders' acceptance of Trump, and Priebus is far from alone.
Last Friday, Trump denied that he had pretended to be his own spokesman, though in 1990 court testimony he admitted to using an alias "on occasion"--and though there is a convincing audiotape of Trump apparently posing as "John Miller" and detailing Trump's supposedly crowded love life to a reporter. Taking on false identities may be merely weird; flat-out lies are more disturbing.
Trump has said that he would release his tax returns, but he routinely evades questions about when that will happen. He told the Associated Press recently that he feels no obligation to release them before the election, and when asked what tax rate he paid, he told ABC News last Friday that it is "none of your business."
Rudimentary adherence to the truth and respect for openness matter. Priebus and his confederates in amorality dismiss or excuse Trump's mockery of these precious political values because they believe politics matters more than principle. Trump's campaign will end, one way or another, in November. The disgrace of the Republicans who have supported him will not.
Editorial on 05/21/2016