There's Nothing Paradoxical About The Hate Spewing From The 'Diverse' Presidential Field
The Washington Post's Karen Tumulty and Jose DelReal are scratching their heads in puzzlement:
It wasn’t so long ago that Republicans were congratulating themselves for having put forward the most diverse group of presidential candidates from either political party, ever.
But the message Americans are hearing from the 2016 GOP field is sounding more and more exclusionary. That was evident most recently in a comment from retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who is running near the top in national polls, that he “absolutely would not agree” with a Muslim becoming president....
There is no small paradox at work in the shrillness of the rhetoric. The Republican field is more representative than ever of an increasingly diverse America....
Among the 15 Republican candidates are an African American (Carson), a woman (Fiorina), two Cuban Americans (Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas) and an Indian American (Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal)....
But the chief dynamic that has driven the fight for the nomination is a current of anger in the GOP base, aimed at what many see as unsettling cultural and political changes and a party establishment that they believe has failed them.
