New York Times columnist: Trump supporters have legitimate reasons for anger
New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd cited the United States’ wars in the Middle East, financial collapse and trade deals as the root cause of some Trump supporters’ anger.
“I would just like to say these voters who are angry have something to be angry about,” said Dowd in a Wednesday interview with Yahoo News’ Bianna Golodryga. “Most Americans don’t even know what Sunni and Shia are, yet somehow we ended up in these 13-year wars. They didn’t know what derivatives were, but the economy almost collapsed. They were told globalization was great, but it wasn’t great for them.”
“There’s a reason they’re angry. There is a lot of racism and sexism, but it’s also legitimate reasons for anger.”
Dowd also speculated on how Trump, who longtime acquaintances she interviewed never described as racist, ended up with supporters with such negative views of minorities.
“He is a salesman and he’s trying to make a sale in the moment. The only value he has is following the roar of the crowd to make that sale.”
“When he said the thing about the Muslims and the Mexicans and the wall he was able to beat those other 16 people and start out as number one, then he kept going in that direction, but the problem is that direction led him in a lot of dark places that might prevent him from being president because in the end, do Americans want to elect someone who is connected with that much hate?”
Regarding Trump’s Democratic opponent, Dowd said that Hillary Clinton’s lifelong desire to be a great public servant clashes with the side of her that mistrusts members of the media.
“The paranoia, the wall, the defensiveness against the press caused her to do something that was so reckless and outrageous,” said Dowd in regards to her handling of the private e-mail server. “She apologizes, but you get the idea she’s only sorry it became a fuss. She’s only sorry she has to say she’s sorry.”
“I just wish she could kind of level with us.”
