I find it interesting the Huffington Post has decided they will no longer cover the Trump candidacy as a political story but rather in their entertainment section.
After watching and listening to Donald Trump since he announced his candidacy for president, we have decided we won’t report on Trump’s campaign as part of The Huffington Post‘s political coverage. Instead, we will cover his campaign as part of our Entertainment section… Our reason is simple: Trump’s campaign is a sideshow. We won’t take the bait. If you are interested in what The Donald has to say, you’ll find it next to our stories on the Kardashians and The Bachelorette.
I’m sure they are quite pleased with themselves for making this decision, as are so many others who self-righteously declare they will not write about Trump because he can’t win, or he is only in it for the publicity, or they simply can’t stand thinking about the fool. And while these are all reasonable perspectives, there is something dangerous in thinking this way.
History is full of examples of clowns becoming kings, or at a minimum having a significant impact on who rules or what values hold sway.
Donald Trump’s rise is a political phenomenon and we should monitor it, analyze it, and challenge it through a political lens. As the New York Times writes:
Mr. Trump is not, as many Republicans have suggested, merely a renegade agitator who sneaked up on the party establishment and threatens to spoil its plans for a tidy, civil primary. Rather, he has become the new starring attraction for the restless, conservative-minded voters who think the political process is in need of disruption.
Yes, Donald Trump is an ass, and paying too much attention to him can feel wrong, but it’s still best to keep an eye on him and those apparently significant numbers of people foolish enough to believe he has something useful to say.
(Cross-posted at Phantom Public.)