Give a man a reputation as an early riser, as the old saw goes, and he can sleep until noon everyday. The same phenomenon evidently applies to bad reputations as well. Brand Donald Trump a bigot, and suddenly every policy he endorses, no matter how innocuous or mainstream, becomes repugnant.

Consider the current furor over the GOP frontrunner’s remarks on Monday concerning radical mosques. In a television interview, Trump was asked whether he would consider shuttering certain mosques that appear to promote terrorism. Here is Trump’s response:

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