Presidential race ranges from historic to racist in just one day
In the span of 12 hours Tuesday, Hillary Clinton made history, Bernie Sanders looked delusional and Donald Trump appeared to be a racist.
Yes, the 2016 presidential race will be like nothing America has seen before.
Hillary Clinton
Tune out, haters: Clinton deserves a great amount of credit for becoming the first woman in U.S. history to win enough delegates to seize the presidential nomination of a major political party.
In a speech Tuesday night, Clinton focused on the strengths of America — a direct shot at Trump’s propensity for denouncing the state of the nation — and acknowledged she stood on the broad shoulders of those who have made America a more inclusive and diverse country.
Clinton posted an overwhelming win in the California primary. However, many U.S. voters still passionately dislike her. And her grueling struggle to fend off Sanders lasted far longer than supporters had hoped.
Bernie Sanders
Despite losing big in the popular and delegate vote totals during the Democratic primaries and caucuses, Sanders vowed Wednesday morning to continue his campaign. That’s the wrong move.
Sure, he wants to have something to say at the convention about the future of a party he doesn’t even belong to. And he’s wooed big crowds. But it’s hardly “revolutionary” to speak unrealistically of free college for kids, for instance.
President Barack Obama is set to meet with Sanders on Thursday. His best pro-Democratic Party advice: Endorse Clinton and aim the burn at Trump.
Donald Trump
The week so far has been a disaster for the presumptive GOP nominee.
His biggest misstep came in appalling comments that a federal judge involved in a lawsuit against Trump University was biased because of the judge’s Mexican heritage. U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke for many in the Republican Party in calling the remarks “racist.”
Trump on Tuesday tried to tamp down the criticism, calmly telling Republicans at a news conference, “I will make you proud of your party and our movement.”
But as former GOP Congressman Vin Weber acidly noted: “This is like the old story of the scorpion and the frog — the Republican Party is the frog and Donald Trump is the scorpion, and we want these assurances he’s going to stop doing these things but he can’t because it’s in his nature.”
Hang on, America. These campaigns could keep jerking from one crisis or pratfall to another the next five months.
This story was originally published June 8, 2016 at 3:11 PM with the headline "Presidential race ranges from historic to racist in just one day."