On NBC, Detroit Free Press' Henderson Says Trump's Explicit Racial Comments Echo What Other Republicans Say “In Coded Ways”

Stephen Henderson: “What He's Doing Is Appealing To Race, And Republicans Have Done That For A Long Time”

From the March 6 edition of NBC's Meet the Press:

Video file

STEPHEN HENDERSON: There's also a substantive credibility problem here. You have Republicans saying Trump is not one of us, and yet a lot of the things that he's saying are said in coded language by other Republicans. I wrote a column last week about Paul Ryan, for instance, saying this is not a party that preys on people's prejudices. And yet you can think of lots of examples of Republicans doing exactly that, going back to Ronald Reagan giving a state's rights speech in Neshoba County, Mississippi, in 1980. This goes on all the time in coded ways. Trump is saying some of these things more explicitly and that makes them - I know it makes you uncomfortable too.

MARY MATALIN: No, it doesn't make me uncomfortable, it just makes me want to choke you because it's ridiculous and it's the creation of Trump. Because conservatives do not consider themselves bigots or homophobes or misogynists, okay? Cruz won at CPAC and he won overwhelmingly. He is expanding the electorate by bringing in like-minded libertarians, young people. Trump is expanding the electorate by getting people who are sick of being called bigots because they want to secure the border. This is not a race race okay, let's not go there.

HENDERSON: I think it is. I mean, I think there's no question that what he's doing is appealing to race, and Republicans have done that for a long time. 

Previously:

LISTEN: Donald Trump Jr. And Pro-Confederate White Nationalist Complain About “Political Correctness”

NBC's Matt Lauer Calls Out Mitt Romney For Previously Embracing Donald Trump's Endorsement

ABC News Report: Trump Spoke About David Duke In 2000