Apparently Sarah Palin gave a speech in support of Donald Trump. You can go watch that video here.
The things said, in that video, quite frankly, remind me of another era in conservative politics and national politics in general.
Jazz Shaw, over at Hotair.com gives the low-down:
Skip to 11:32 for the key bit from today’s speech in Denver. “They’re not all bad,” she says of right-wing anti-Trumpers. “I’m kidding. They are.” I don’t mind the insults as much as I do the fact they still come paired with appeals for unity, as though calling someone a traitor enough times might someday finally open their minds to Trump’s divine greatness. “We don’t need you treacherous #NeverTrump dirtbags” is a coherent approach. That’s a kiss-off. “We need you and we’re pleading with you as patriots to help us stop Hillary” is another. That’s earnest outreach. “We need you treacherous #NeverTrump dirtbags” is a co-dependent ex-boyfriend/girlfriend clinging to your ankle while sobbing. It won’t work. The same goes for any anti-Trumpers who, after spending the past year deriding Trump fans, would suddenly insist that they get with the program and back a new nominee if Trump were deposed at the convention. We’re a party stuck in a broken marriage whose two spouses despise each other but who can’t bring themselves to divorce. The path to reconciliation probably doesn’t involve cutesy-poo “RAT” acronyms, I’m thinking, just as it doesn’t involve “You’re either with us or you’re against us” ultimatums. If we’re going to do that, let’s give up on reconciliation, no?
Please, keep in mind that HotAir.com is decidedly anti-trump; and I really do NOT agree with them on Trump at all. However, there are some things in this speech that bother me greatly.
The whole idea of, “You are either with us or against us.” is troubling for a good many reasons. I am old enough and have been around politics enough to remember the George W. Bush-era. I have also been around long enough to remember that during the lead up to the war in Iraq, which most on the right concede, was a tragic mistake, that caused more problems than it solved; the attitude among those who were loyal Bush supporters, was “You are either with us or against us.”
This mentality is dangerous, it is fascist and it is wrong. The idea that someone who disagrees with those who support Donald Trump is some sort of enemy; smacks of the George W. Bush Iraq War era. When dissent was labeled treasonous.
Please, do not misunderstand me at all. I happen to believe that Donald Trump will make a wonderful President. I believe he will stand up to the globalists and balance out our trade deals in our favor. I believe that Trump will straighten out our illegal immigration problem. I believe that he will strengthen our Military and put America on an “America First” foreign policy course.
But I’ll be damned, if I will be labeled a “rat” or a “traitor”; If I happen to disagree with something that he says or does! 😡
If Sarah Palin thinks that making speeches like this, is doing anything to help Donald Trump’s cause; she is very, very, highly mistaken. Donald Trump is not perfect, he is not a king. He is not a Messiah of any sort at all. Donald Trump is running for the highest office in United States politics and that is the President of the United States of America.
I am glad to see that Sarah Palin and many other conservatives are rally behind Trump. But, the use of these sort of statements towards those who do not support Trump; are very off-putting to people like me, who happen to remember when the Republicans lost their ever-loving minds back in 2003-2004.