Posted on 07/04/2015 8:01:45 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Motormouth Donald Trump isn’t doing the Republican Party any favors — and his fellow GOP candidates are adding to the damage by being slow to condemn him, Latino advocates said Friday.
“Trump’s comments are causing irreparable harm to the brand. It’s going to be very hard to come back from it,” said Felix Sanchez, chairman of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts.
The billionaire candidate sent the debate over border control into overdrive — and cost himself business deals — by saying Mexico exports “rapists” and drug dealers to the U.S.
He upped the ante Friday after Kate Steinle, 32, was shot to death on a San Francisco pier by a man who had been deported five times and has seven felony convictions.
“This senseless and totally preventable act of violence committed by an illegal immigrant is yet another example of why we must secure our border immediately,” said Trump. “This is an absolutely disgraceful situation and I am the only one that can fix it. ”
Hispanics Across America Chairman Fernando Mateo said a failure to slam Trump may end up backfiring on the GOP.
“Anyone that has not denounced Trump’s position is weak and does not deserve Hispanic support come election time,” Mateo said, calling Trump a “frustrated” attention-seeker.
Trump, for his part, basked in his success in early surveys.
Trump came in with an average of 13.6% support in opinion polls, which leads all GOP candidates.
“Wow, Huffington Post just stated that I am number 1 in the polls of Republican candidates,” the real estate mogul tweeted earlier Friday. “Thank you, but the work has just begun!”
Trump was touting his first-place finish in an average of 105 opinion polls tracked by the news outlet: He came in with an average of 13.6% support to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s 13.3%.
While Trump has gained traction, Latino groups and some of his fellow candidates who are mindful of GOP efforts to appeal to Latino voters have told him to back off.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio — the son of Cuban immigrants — on Thursday called Trump’s comments “not just offensive and inaccurate, but also divisive.”
Marco Rubio came out against Trump’s comments, saying the next President needs to bring Americans together, ‘not someone who continues to divide.’
But another senator of Latino heritage, Ted Cruz of Texas, stuck up for Trump. He’s accused NBC Universal — which has broken ties with Trump — of folding to political correctness.
Others have yet to comment on Trump’s remarks, although Bush, whose wife was born in Mexico, has called them “wrong,” and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry has said Trump’s comments don’t reflect the GOP.
Former Gov. George Pataki on Friday launched an online “Stand Up to Trump” petition.
Critics have called Trump out for his “racist” assertions about Latinos and have urged businesses to drop their dealings with him — a move that would put them in the company of Univision, Macy’s, and Serta.
They were joined Friday by NASCAR, which said it will not hold its season-ending awards ceremony at the Trump National Doral Miami.
Mateo said the party as a whole needs to speak up.
“We are the real men in this Republican Party. As a longtime Republican myself, I’m ashamed that the chairman of the party has not come out to condemn Trump's actions,” he said.
An RNC spokesman pointed to earlier remarks by Chairman Reince Priebus, who said of Trump's tirades, “Those particular comments — not helpful.”
Oh looky here, the La Raza types are trying to help “mainstream” Repubs. And they’re falling for it hook, line, and sinker.
L
Uh, who exactly upped the ante? Wouldn't have anything to do with previously deported illegals and the mindless 'sanctuary' cities idiocy, would it?
Still going up while Rubio and Jeb go down.
They’re not ‘falling for it’. They complicit.
La Raza needs to fix Mexico. I’d suggest that one or more States of Mexico become a Free State where Libertarians could have their own sandbox to experiment with.
Oh, the members of La Raza (The Race) would so love to vote for a Republican, but don’t think they’ll be able to do it if the members of Their Favorite Political Party don’t tear off the head and excrement down the neck of Donald Trump.
Anybody else notice they have stepped up their attacks since the murder of that girl in SF last week.
We need to keep that story in the news. They are trying to smother it.
“not slamming Donald Trump’s views fast enough: Latino advocates”
It takes awhile for the candidates “brain” trusts to decide how the candidate should respond. Cruz responded without checking which way the wind was blowing.
“Motormouth Donald Trump isn’t doing the Republican Party any favors”
He’s not being paid to do the GOP any favors.
Not only is the name-calling from these major media outlets unacceptable it’s downright embarrassing.
I mean when did “professional” journalists take to calling people motormouth, big-mouth, or other demeaning names? Even if its an opinion piece, this is sad. I feel like I’m reading a 6th grader’s report.
Somebody is doing the raping.......
Give Trump credit. He has singlehandedly winnowed the field down to two. Possibly three, counting himself.
The flak is heaviest when you are over the target.
Off the topic a bit. Can anyone give me a reliable source concerning republican suppression of black voters in the South. getting tired of dealing with this propaganda with my liberal brother. Thanks.
Uh-h-h-h, there are certainly national statistics which show how many of what crimes were committed by illegals...just publish it and that’s the end of the story....
“We are the real men in the republican party” Amasing he was able to say that with a straight face.I got quite a chuckle out of that.
Trump is not a racist. He is simply got an opportunity here & he capitalizes, as others do.. one can say, he is currently a ‘pimp’.
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