Trump's Transformation at AIPAC Should Scare You
Writing for a Jewish publication, it is tempting to cast Donald Trump’s speech at AIPAC as a purely Jewish story. It was, after all, delivered at the annual gathering of the world’s premier pro-Israel organization. But whatever the reception to Trump’s speech says about Jews and AIPAC—little of it good—it pales in comparison to what the speech tells us about Trump as a viable politician and presidential candidate. And what it does tell us should frighten every American.
This is not because of the speech’s specific contents. The address, which you can read here, consisted of traditional Republican pro-Israel talking points. Rather, what was so disturbing about the speech was that it demonstrated that Trump can comport himself like a traditional politician—and do so very well. Reading a political address off a teleprompter for the first time, Trump jettisoned his race-baiting and incitement for boilerplate bromides on Israel, Iran, and the Middle East. Drawing on his years of television experience, he came across like any other talking head, adeptly delivering his text without a single serious stumble. In other words, it was Trump’s first presidential campaign speech that sounded remotely presidential.
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