Posted on 07/03/2015 6:44:18 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Former New York Gov. George Pataki has called on fellow Republican presidential candidates to condemn Donald Trump’s comments about Mexican immigrants during his campaign announcement.
Trump’s quote: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
Since the mid-June comments, Macy’s, Univision and NBC have dropped relationships with Trump.
In a letter addressed to the rest of the Republican flock — and cc’d to Trump — Pataki wrote “the last week of news coverage over the language used by Donald Trump to describe Mexicans has left me and a lot of other sensible people wondering what century we are living in.”
“One hundred years ago, when Irish immigrants were coming to America, my grandmother among them, they were too often characterized as ‘drunks.’ A few years later it was the Italian immigrants, my grandfather among them, who were called’”mobsters’ or worse, ‘dagos.’ This type of divisive rhetoric is just wrong. It was wrong 100 years ago and it’s wrong today,” Pataki continued. “…I understand we must secure our border and stop illegal immigration. But I also understand that it’s not some Mexicans who are good people, it is the vast majority of Mexicans, who came here to work, succeed and live the American Dream.”
“My fellow Republicans like to talk about how we have to appeal to the Latino vote if we are going to win back the White House. They speak some Spanish, boast about ‘telling it like it is,’ or counsel to not be afraid to lose the primary to win the general – yet so far have been silent when it comes to denouncing these sad and divisive remarks.”
Pataki added that the country “must have a leader in the White House all Americans can respect, not just some.”
“As Donald Trump doubles down, I’m asking you to join me in standing up,” he said. “Stand up for our party, for the ideals that made America great, and stand for the basic decency and integrity entitled to every American, no matter their heritage or nationality.”
“Join me. Stand up now. Denounce his comments today.”
Trump lashed out on Twitter, saying Pataki “was a terrible governor of NY, one of the worst — would’ve been swamped if he ran again!” and “couldn’t be elected dog catcher if he ran again—so he didn’t!”
He’s also calling on his supporters to boycott Macy’s.
Pataki told CNN today that Trump’s comments aren’t “a setback at all for the brand,” because “it’s Donald Trump; it’s not the Republican Party.”
“And I don’t believe he will be the nominee of the Republican Party. But what is troubling to me is the other candidates not standing up and denouncing this type of horrible speech. Just — it’s so derogatory towards an entire class of Americans,” he said.
“…Quite simply, if the Republican candidates won’t stand up to Donald Trump when he makes a comment like this, how are they going to stand up to ISIS or some of the leaders of the world when they’re negotiating over world power? And how — and how are they going to reach out to Latinos?”
Pataki needs to watch the news in Houston for one week.
Fortune favors the bold
I could be an anti Trump voice. He strikes me as being kind of a baffoon. So far I've managed to miss ever second of 100% of his TV reality shows.
Nevertheless, as opportunistic as it is for Trump, he hit the nail on the head with this one.
It would be good if other Republican candidates would start offering their own vision to, sort of, differentiate themselves from the field. Trying to be first in line to denounce Trump is pretty insipid.
So far, to this day my personal favorite is Cruz. That, sadly, dooms him. Candidates I like seem to fade pretty early in most races.
Wait, I thought it was CRIME SPEECH to use the term “illegal immigration”????
That’s “Therapists”, Sean.
Verrrrrry interesting.
I don’t favor Cruz for President. It just isn’t what he would be best at. However, I would go to the mattresses to support Cruz for the supreme court.
This is the Game: A Republican or a Conservative ‘commits the Truth’ and the Left gins up a bunch of outrage with their allies in the Media. Then they try to paint all Republicans/Conservatives with the controversy. One of the ways they do this is to try to get some Republicans to condemn their fellow party members. That act allows the Media to say, “See ALL conservatives are the same (except for Senator So & So)”
But when Senator So & So runs for re-election, his seat is deemed “vulnerable” because his base is not enthusiastic, so he/she gets targeted for defeat by the Democrats. We’ve seen this play out so many times, you’d think they would just learn to ignore the Media. Especially Stephanopolis & Cuomo — who are political operatives and have no business reporting the News.
Go to the border where i lived for most of my life and see for youself the proportion of the type of illegal immigrants which Trump describes.
Pataki is ignorant.
Pataki probably thought he was talking about the Canadian border. What a buffoon.
Pray America is waking
Ted Cruz is my number 1 choice. Donald Trump is rapidly moving to 2nd place.
There just isn't a candidate anywhere in any party who is more fun to listen to than Cruz. I hope his hundred mil keep him going awhile.
My own history of politician success is this: The last winner I cheerfully supported was Ronald Reagan. I supported him from the beginning. It still took him about 4 tries to get there.
When Cruz talks he exudes Reagan's optimism. I think he is also honing his vision for the future of the United States. The best candidate to win will be the one (Cruz, I hope) who inspires the electorate with an exciting, enthusiastic and optimistic vision.
Jobs in 2017 will be an issue, but if that is the candidates vision (See Trump...jobs and Mexican rapists), he will bore me to tears.
I want Cruz to win so bad I can taste it. He's faced some ridiculous press so far, but they haven't yet brought out the big guns.
P.S. Is there an interview process before you can get hired as a Mexican Rapist so you can join the Mexican Rapist branch of the Democratic Party? What does a Mexican Rapist's resume look like? Do "Republicans" vet Mexican Rapists before they offer their full support?
A lot of nerves. On both sides.
So much so that even Obama said many of illegals are gang bangers.
Partaking approves of and condones rape. Liberals do to if the circumstances call for it. Depends who is doing the raping apparently.
Perry is a clown. An idiot.
“must have a leader in the White House all Americans can respect, not just some.”
The key word here being Americans not 11 million illegal aliens who don’t vote or at least are not supposed to. So who cares what Trump says George? Besides you and La Raza.
Another spineless, not-a-chance primary candidate who's been kitty-whipped into submission by the Latino Political Extermination Cartel....a bona fide arm of the Democrat Party.
Leni
I can respect your opinion. However, who else but Cruz has a strong grasp of conservatism and the will to confront his liberal opponents and overcome them?
I would submit that only Cruz can succeed in this regard. Like Reagan, he is the only one who can effect the necessary turnaround in both governance and civic attitude.
And people here wonder why Trump continues to generate enthusiasm and support. You are known by your enemies.
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