The 2020 U.S. presidential election is a race to the bottom, where it seems both parties are vying to see who can be the most offensive, contemptuous, and disrespectful of the norms of civility.
After President Trump’s rally Wednesday evening in Greenville, North Carolina, where his supporters chanted “Send her back!” in reference to Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, who is an American citizen, the Democrats have fallen back into second place.
During Trump’s address in North Carolina, he played his greatest hits, including bragging about his 2016 victory, praising the U.S. military, and railing against progressive Democrats.
“These left-wing ideologues see our nation as a force of evil,” he said. “The way they speak so badly of our country. They want to demolish our Constitution. Weaken our military. Eliminate the values that built this magnificent country. You have to look at some of their recent comments, which are never talked about. When you see the four congresswoman, oh isn’t that lovely.”
Trump turned his attention to Omar specifically, saying, “And obviously and importantly, Omar has a history of launching vicious anti-Semitic screeds.”
The crowd reacted with enthusiastic chants of “Send her back!” For the record, the Minnesota congresswoman became an American at the age of 17. She is now 37. Calling for her deportation is obscene stuff.
While we are pointing out context and details, it may be worth noting that Trump did not actually goad or lead the chants, contrary to what some have reported. In fact, he looked confused during the outburst, losing his stride in his address and looking around with an expression on his face suggesting that even he knew his audience had gone too far.
Then again, Wednesday’s chants also come after the president himself tweeted this weekend that progressive congresswomen (clearly referring to Omar) should go back and “help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”
“So interesting to see ‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all),” Trump said on Twitter, “now loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States … how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done.”
All of this is to say: The president may have enjoyed the chant, which is nuts considering Omar is an American.
There are plenty of legitimate criticisms one can throw at the congresswoman, most notably that she is an anti-Semite, but that is no excuse to fantasize about deporting her. Even anti-Semitic Americans have protections. What a country!
