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—DISPATCHES FROM ERIC ZUESSE—
“I don’t know anything about David Duke.” Big ignoramus or big liar?Donald Trump’s statement about the KKK and David Duke on 14 February 2000: “Mr. Trump painted a fairly dark picture of the Reform Party in his statement, noting the role of Mr. Buchanan, along with the roles of David Duke, a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, and Lenora Fulani, the former standard-bearer of the New Alliance Party and an advocate of Marxist-Leninist politics. ‘The Reform Party now includes a Klansman, Mr. Duke, a neo-Nazi, Mr. Buchanan, and a communist, Ms. Fulani,’ he said in his statement. ‘This is not company I wish to keep.’” (New York Times)
Donald Trump’s statement about the KKK and David Duke on 26 February 2016: “I didn’t even know that he endorsed me. David Duke endorsed me? Okay, allright: I disavow.” (The Weekly Standard)
Donald Trump’s statement about the KKK and David Duke on 28 February 2016:
Will you unequivocally condemn David Duke and say that you don’t want his vote or that of other white supremacists in this election?
TRUMP: Well, just so you understand, I don’t know anything about David Duke. OK? I don’t know anything about what you’re even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. So, I don’t know. I don’t know, did he endorse me or what’s going on, because, you know, I know nothing about David Duke. I know nothing about white supremacists. And so you’re asking me a question that I’m supposed to be talking about people that I know nothing about.
TAPPER: But I guess the question from the Anti-Defamation League is, even if you don’t know about their endorsement, there are these groups and individuals endorsing you. Would you just say unequivocally you condemn them and you don’t want their support?
TRUMP: Well, I have to look at the group. I mean, I don’t know what group you’re talking about. You wouldn’t want me to condemn a group that I know nothing about. I would have to look. If you would send me a list of the groups, I will do research on them. And, certainly, I would disavow if I thought there was something wrong.
TAPPER: The Ku Klux Klan?
TRUMP: But you may have groups in there that are totally fine, and it would be very unfair. So, give me a list of the groups, and I will let you know. … I don’t know any — honestly, I don’t know David Duke. I don’t believe I have ever met him. I’m pretty sure I didn’t meet him. And I just don’t know anything about him.
(CNN)
Does he, or doesn’t he — even care? (To most Republicans, it makes no difference, they’re that callous — they care no more than Democrats do about Hillary Clinton’s corruption and “government policies for sale.”)
This is how an oligarchy functions. By the time things have gotten this rotten, democracy has already ended, even if it had previously existed.
The only candidate who’s against all of this is Bernie Sanders — and he was rejected by 74% of SC’s Democrats.
Is America in a terminal condition?
ABOUT ERIC ZUESSE
Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of They're Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010, and of CHRIST'S VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity.
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