President Trump has an unmatched ability to transform ordinary words and standard ideas into bad words and intolerable ideas. This is due to the shortcomings of both the president and his critics. Trump can sully fine ideas with intemperate and intolerant utterances and actions, but to a far greater extent, the major media and the Democrats have been trained to have a Pavlovian reaction, to react in horror at almost anything he articulates.

Thus “nationalism” has become a curse word in polite circles, and it’s a shame. That’s why Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, deserves plaudits for his speech last week to the National Conservatism Conference, a speech for which he is receiving scorn from both reporters and some establishment conservatives.