Trump vs. Ramos: A Clash of Icons
But when presented with such data, Trump casually dismisses it as wrong. He cites his own unnamed experts, yet presents no alternative evidence to back up his claim. Instead, he fills the air with Trump-talk -- which is mostly about Trump, how Trump feels about things and how smart, wonderful and good-looking Trump is.
For these evasions, among others, his supporters ironically praise his "straight talk" and "telling it like it is."
In that spirit, when Ramos first asked a question without having been called on, Trump told him to sit down, shut up and wait his turn. But, Ramos, who has described himself and Univision as "clearly pro-Latino or pro-immigrant" and "the voice of those who don't have a voice," kept asking his question to the point of sermonizing -- as Trump signaled to his security guards.
Was Ramos baiting Trump? Probably. But Trump took the bait.
As Ramos was forcibly escorted out of the room by Trump's towering bodyguards (He was invited back a few minutes later), an irritated Trump unleashed a verbal shot that would echo through the media -- particularly Hispanic media: "Go back to Univision."
Also caught on video, as Ramos cooled his heels in the hallway outside, a Trump supporter wagged a finger in his face and scolded him for being "very rude" before adding, "This is not about you. Get out of my country. Get out."
"I am an American citizen," Ramos, a naturalized immigrant from Mexico, responded. But the man was not impressed. "Well, whatever. No. Univision? No."
That scene had to bring heartburn to the Republican National Committee leaders. President Obama won re-election with 71 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2012. Recent research shows Republicans will need to win 40 percent or more of the Hispanic vote to win next year. Trump boasts that he will win Latino voters. Right. I doubt that even he is that good of a salesman.
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(E-mail Clarence Page at cpage@tribune.com.)
(c) 2015 CLARENCE PAGE DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
