AP Photo/Brennan Linsley
Donald Trump.
Perhaps Donald Trump should amend his claim to love "the Hispanics" to include the caveat "unless they don't come to my rallies."
On Tuesday, Trump trained his fire on another accomplished woman: New Mexico Gov. Susanna Martinez, the first Latina governor in the United States. Martinez is not a Democrat, but a Republican. Up until this incident, she was mentioned as a possible running mate for Trump.
"We have to get your governor to get going - she's got to do a better job, OK?" Trump said at his Tuesday rally from Martinez's home state. "Your governor has got to do a better job. ... She's not doing the job. Hey, maybe I'll run for governor of New Mexico - I'll get this place going. She's not doing the job. We got to get her moving. Come on. Let's go, governor."
Why did Trump lash out? Because Martinez was unable to attend his campaign event in New Mexico last night. That is not the best way to unite a still fractured Republican Party. In fact, Trump's antics are still dividing Republicans and proof that he cannot be presidential (despite his claims to the contrary).
A few days ago, Trump's campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, made it clear to Republicans that if they distanced themselves from Trump, they would not face any retribution. This was a smart move considering how toxic Trump is with every key demographic needed to win an election. Unfortunately, it seems that Donald Trump either did not get the memo or, even worse, he decided to ignore it. The message this sends to other Republicans should be chilling: Trump cannot be taken at his word.
Time and time again Trump has demonstrated an insanely thin skin and irrational need to seek vengeance against those who offend his inflated ego. His weapon of choice is some sort of insult delivered to a sympathetic audience. Further, when he has attacked women, he has done so by using their gender as an insult.
AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez.
Last year, Trump insinuated that Megyn Kelly was menstruating because she had the temerity to ask him tough questions about his record and prior statements about women. He attacked fellow presidential candidate Carly Fiorina for being ugly. In March, Trump threatened to "spill the beans" about Heidi Cruz and retweeted an unflattering photograph of her. Why? Because a PAC that was against Trump and had nothing to do with Cruz ran a tiny digital ad against Trump in Utah.
Of course, his campaign and supporters will now defend Trump's attack on Martinez. Perhaps they will say he was "being presidential" by only attacking her record. Whatever lame defense Trump's mouthpieces offer, they are defending the indefensible.
As the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party, Trump has a duty to unite the party. Attacking Governor Martinez, the future of the GOP, is the exact opposite of that. No, Martinez did not say that she would not be voting for Trump in November. She just was unable to attend a Trump campaign event.
Is this presidential? No.
REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Donald Trump holds a rally with supporters in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S., May 24, 2016.
For quite some time, I and several others have warned Republicans that Donald Trump lacks the judgment and temperament required to be president of the United States. His lack of a core set of beliefs were a major red flag. Trump's disdain for facts and actual policy were a major red flag. His praise of Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un were a major red flag. How about when Trump openly admired the Chinese for using tanks to crush pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square? Another major red flag.
When it comes to actual policies that Trump would enact as president, he has provided few to no details. What he has offered would be disastrous for the economic and national security of the United States.
He often talks about how we are being "killed" on trade. The Trump solution? To impose massive tariffs on other countries. He dismisses the fact that doing so would destroy Americans financially and cause their cost of living to skyrocket. His immigration plan is to simply build a wall along the Mexican border (and make Mexico pay for it via tariffs).
Trump ignores the fact that 40 percent of illegal immigrants enter the country legally and overstay their visas. He has no plan to deal with that and should not be taken seriously on the issue of immigration.
Trump's approach to national security and foreign affairs would significantly weaken the United States. He has said that the US should outsource the fighting of ISIS to Russia. That is worse than President Obama's plan to combat ISIS.
When it comes to other enemies, Trump has expressed a desire to meet directly with Kim Jong Un, which would directly reward North Korea's development and testing of nuclear weapons. With Iran, Trump has repeatedly complained that the bad Iran deal made it so that the United States cannot sell arms to Iran. Why would we want to arm our enemy?!
Thomson Reuters
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses members of the National Rifle Association during their NRA-ILA Leadership Forum during at their annual meeting in Louisville.
Our allies are not treated as well by Trump. Just like the mob, Trump believes that they should pay us protection money. He ignores the strategic importance of partnerships and the mutual benefit of America being an influence in various regions. It boggles the mind and is far from a commander in chief.
Trump's response to this criticism? It's just "sore losers" attacking him. Wait until he unites Republicans to take on Hillary Clinton in November and America starts winning again.
At this time, our country is deeply divided. Whomever is elected president in November will confront the challenge of trying to bring us together. Trump's attack on Governor Martinez clearly demonstrates that he is unable to be the unifier that America needs.