Donald Trump, who rocketed to the top of the polls in the early GOP
primary race, is an unlikely Republican front-runner: a longtime
supporter of Democratic politicians with a history of taking views
opposed to those of mainstream conservatives. A household name for his
reality-television show and his tawdry tabloid history, he has connected
with an underappreciated strain of right-wing populists by focusing his
fire on a single issue: immigration.
In this Broadside, Kevin D. Williamson takes a hard look at the Trump
phenomenon and the failures of the national Republican leadership - and
defects in our national character - that gave it life. Trump may or may
not be in the race for the long haul, but in either case, Trumpism will
remain a force.