The New York Observer endorsed Donald Trump for the Republican nomination on Tuesday. But the newspaper takes care to mention right off the bat that it’s not because his daughter, Ivanka, is married to the Observer’s publisher, Jared Kushner.
“Donald Trump is the father-in-law of the Observer’s publisher,” reads the very first sentence of the newspaper’s editorial. “That is not a reason to endorse him. Giving millions of disillusioned Americans a renewed sense of purpose and opportunity is.”
Translation: Make America Great Again.
Trump, and therefore the New York Observer, share “the profound alienation, anger and disillusionment of millions of Americans.” The newspaper says that record numbers of people have turned out in the Republican primaries because of Trump (though the editors don’t mention that Trump has lost recent primary contests to Ted Cruz). The editorial then criticizes the “media and cultural elite” for its inability to appreciate Trump’s rise in popularity.
As for his ability to be a good president, the editorial points to Trump’s rehabilitation of Wollman Rink in Central Park, as well as his other business successes as evidence of his leadership skills. There are copious comparisons made to Ronald Reagan. As for his opponents, Ted Cruz is dismissed as probably “the most disliked person ever to sit in the United States Senate,” and John Kasich has no chance of winning.
There’s even an explanation of Trump’s unfortunate “I love the poorly educated” comment as evidence of his populist instincts:
When Mr. Trump celebrated his victory in the Nevada primary, he included a line the elites found irresistible: “I love the poorly educated.” They tittered and Twittered with glee over what a buffoon these unwashed mongrels are supporting, somehow neglecting to notice that Mr. Trump won among—and thanked—just about every demographic in that caucus and in a couple dozen others as he’s clawed his way to a substantial delegate lead. It turns out that the “poorly educated” are just one group of decent, engaged American citizens who have felt overlooked by the kingmakers and storytellers.
So, there you go.
(via New York Observer)