Every so often, something seismic happens that shifts the political landscape.
We speak of moments that utterly alter a political race, as though the finger of God reaches down and touches a specific point of a specific campaign, forever transfiguring that which comes after and that which came before.
Think Howard Dean’s Dean Scream.
Think Michael Dukakis riding in a tank.
Think Mitt Romney lamenting “47%” of America.
Think Donald Trump, grinning over a tortilla bowl filled with ground beef, proclaiming “I love Hispanics!”
Let’s give ‘em something to taco bowl
OK, so Donald Trump made an awkward effort to appeal to Hispanic voters yesterday. And while it may not prove as consequential as the Dean Scream or Romney’s blunder, it felt equally astonishing.
Yesterday, at 2:46 p.m., Trump published this photo and the following: “Happy Cinco de Mayo! The best taco bowls are made in Trump Tower Grill. I love Hispanics!”
Trump also appeared to be looking at a photo of his ex-wife in a bikini, as shown here. The Internet exploded in collective bewilderment.
Yet behind Trump’s awkward tweet is a real predicament: He’s got around a 77% unfavorable rating among U.S. Hispanics. Further south, Mexicans are burning Trump in effigy.
Hispanic voters are expected to reach a record high in 2016, and Trump famously characterized people entering the U.S. from Mexico as criminals and “rapists.”
Now Republicans worry that Trump’s unpopularity with the key voting block may endanger other GOP candidates down the ticket.
John McCain predicted a Trump nomination would make his reelection this fall “the race of my life,” while conservative host Glenn Beck worried that Trump atop the Republican ticket “makes us pretty racist.”
Who will endorse Trump?
As the reality of Trump as the nominee settles in, key Republicans must decide whether to endorse him.
Both former presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush don’t plan to. House Speaker Paul Ryan also said he can’t back Trump, at least not yet. Billionaire GOP donor Sheldon Adelson is on the Trump train and so is Rick Perry (is he a key Republican?).
Mitt Romney reportedly won’t even attend the GOP convention.
And who will be his VP?
Not South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who doesn’t want the job and wasn’t under consideration anyway. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie hasn’t ruled it out, though just 15% of Republican primary voters in Christie’s state think he’d actually help to Trump's campaign.
Meanwhile, a sports betting site has John Kasich as Trump’s likely VP pick. Kasich’s response to the question? “Zero chance.”
More from the campaign trail
- Bernie Sanders leaving the race? Not anytime soon (USA TODAY)
- Hillary Clinton tries to reach Trump’s angry Appalachian voters (USA TODAY)
- John Kasich’s entire campaign: Was it worth it? Let us work it (USA TODAY)
- The typical Trump voter earns a lot more than you might think (USA TODAY)
Trump names his finance chairman and it’s awkward
OK, not as awkward as the taco bowl, but still: Trump announced the hire of Steve Mnuchin as his finance chairman on Thursday. Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachsexecutive, once worked for billionaire Democratic donor George Soros.
He’s also donated twice as much money to Democrats as to Republicans, including to Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign. Huh.
