In what has become a cartoonish campaign rife with inflammatory and derogatory rhetoric, particularly targeting Latinos, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reversed his decision to participate in a question-and-answer session with the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) slated for October 8, snubbing the Chamber after vowing more than once to engage in the event. This adds but another layer to the spiraling saga of real estate tycoon-turned candidate that has played out on the biggest stage of politics, saying he was concerned of being “put on trial” by the USHCC and its questions.
“The USHCC refused to change the format of the forum, show any favoritism, exclude any issues or topics, or grant any immunity from objective scrutiny of his policies. As a result, despite having agreed on numerous occasions, Trump has now reversed his position and has elected to not participate in the Q&A Session — making him the only candidate from either party to do so,” read a statement from the USHCC.
For his part, Mr. Trump will instead be speaking to “capacity crowd” in Nevada, according to his campaign, despite last month inviting USHCC CEO Javier Palomarez to meet and clear the air following his now-infamous “drug dealers” and “rapists” presidential announcement over the summer. And coupled with his ongoing anti-immigration rhetoric, his ticking time bomb of a campaign seems to have, for now, once again evaded genuine, objective scrutiny.
“Withdrawing from the Q&A can only suggest that Trump himself believes his views are indefensible before a Hispanic audience,” the statement from the USHCC read. To be sure, if Mr. Trump is worried about being “put on trial” in a Q&A in which a handful of other candidates from both parties have participated, something’s really got to give.
[NPR]
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