In Politics, the Shameless Succeed

Now the billionaire blowhard has done it again by raising the question of whether Ted Cruz is really a natural-born citizen and thus eligible to serve as president under the Constitution. Cruz's critics, including supporters of Marco Rubio, insist that the Texas senator, who was born in Canada to a mother who was a U.S. citizen, is more accurately described as a "U.S. citizen born abroad."

You can bet that Cruz supporters despise Trump for bringing this up. You can also bet that Trump doesn't care. Whether they're on the right or the left, the real estate mogul doesn't need people to love him. He loves himself enough for everyone.

Meanwhile, Democrats are loving that the GOP is going through its own birther drama. It's poetic given the ruckus that many Republicans -- including Trump -- kicked up for years by questioning Barack Obama's citizenship.

But Democrats aren't so thrilled about what Trump has to say regarding the Clintons. After all, Hillary has some nerve accusing Trump, or any other man, of treating women disrespectfully. Did she sleep through the 1990s? People who choose to live with a serial philanderer accused of sexual harassment and worse ought not to throw stones.

The left is going ballistic, insisting that what it delicately refers to as the former president's "indiscretions" should be off-limits.

That's absurd. Here's the real issue: Do Americans really want Bill Clinton back in the White House, with nothing to do and time on his hands?

The Clinton campaign doesn't really want to run against Trump. And the Clintons are certainly no longer eager to get into a morality contest with the Republican over his treatment of women. Because you can never be sure what he is going to say.

After all they've been through, and put other people through, the Clintons know shamelessness when they see it. And they respect its power.

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Ruben Navarrette's email address is ruben@rubennavarrette.com.