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Donald Trump Slams Mitt Romney In Response To ‘Trickle-Down Racism’ Claims

By Ernie Howell
Published on: 04:08 PST, Jun 11, 2016

Mitt Romney gave his strongest condemnation of Donald Trump yet, telling CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that the presumptive Republican nominee is making comments that could encourage “trickle-down racism” in America. As usual, Donald Trump responded in his casual 140-character style, Fox News reported on Saturday.

The comments Mitt Romney called into question involve statements that Donald Trump gave about the judge presiding over a legal case involving Trump University. Mitt Romney labeled Donald’s criticism of the federal judge based on his Mexican heritage “trickle-down racism” by calling into question if race would prevent the adjudicator to do his duties.

“Presidents have an impact on the nature of our nation. Trickle-down racism, trickle-down bigotry, trickle-down misogyny, all of these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America. I’m not looking for Mr. Trump to change a policy that more aligns with my own. This is not a matter of just policy. It’s more a matter of character and integrity.”

When asked if Donald Trump was a racist, Mitt Romney did not hold back. “I think his comments time and again appeal to the racist tendency that exists in some people, and I think that is very dangerous.”

Trump could not pass on the opportunity to call out Mitt Romney for his “trickle-down racism” comments. In an early-morning tweet Saturday, Donald compared Mitt Romney to a dog while calling himself the “least racist person there is.”

Trump later tweeted that diversity of his political supporters suggested he was not racist, an attempt by Donald to further distance himself from the “trickle-down racism” comments by Mitt Romney.

What started the latest controversy was the comment Donald made as he called into question if Judge Gonzalo Curiel could be impartial based on his Mexican heritage despite hailing from Indiana and being born to parents who are naturalized U.S. citizens. Politifact highlighted the claims Trump made in multiple interviews last week, including one on CBS’ Face The Nation, where host John Dickerson questioned Donald about whether Curiel’s race gave him a biased view.

“I think it has a lot to do with it… He is a member of a club or society, very strongly pro-Mexican, which is all fine. But I say he’s got bias. I want to build a wall… But just so you understand, this judge has treated me very unfairly, he’s treated me in a hostile manner. And there’s something going on.”

That’s not the only interview that Trump gave where he restated his claim. Mitt Romney used comments the GOP’s presumptive nominee gave on CNN’s State of the Union to further his claims about “trickle-down racism.” The show’s host, Jake Tapper, asked Donald several times if he thought race was the reason for the rulings Judge Curiel had administered in his courtroom.

“I think that’s why he’s doing it,” Donald Trump said in response to one of the questions. “Jake, if he was giving me fair rulings, I wouldn’t be talking to you this way. He’s given me horrible rulings.”

After making such comments, Mitt Romney called into question the character being displayed by the GOP presumptive nominee. Donald Trump showed his true nature, leading Mitt Romney to implore Americans to vote for someone who would not “change the character of the generations of the Americans that are following,” the 2012 Republican nominee for president explained.

“He indicated what he believes in his heart about Mexicans and about race by the comments he made about Judge Curiel. He may and try and distance himself from that today, but we know what he believes based on what he said… He’s repeated it time and time again, and secondly, he’s never apologized for it. So he obviously sticks by what he believes.”

Mitt Romney brandishing the comments as part of a “trickle-down racism” characterization was not the only criticism of Trump’s statements. According to the USA Today, U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, “disavowed” the statements, calling them “the textbook definition of a racist comment.” Illinois GOP senator Mark Kirk also opposed the comments, going as far as publicly rescinding his endorsement of Donald Trump.

For his part, Donald said his comments were misconstrued by the media.

“I do not feel that one’s heritage makes them incapable of being impartial,” Trump said, “but, based on the rulings that I have received in the Trump University civil case, I feel justified in questioning whether I am receiving a fair trial.”

Do you believe Mitt Romney that a Donald Trump presidency would cause “trickle-down racism” in America? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

[Photos by Aaron P. Bernstein & Bill Pugliano/Getty Images]

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