This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/11/donald-trump-goes-to-hollywood-to-play-the-right-wings-star-rebel-hero

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Donald Trump goes to Hollywood to star as the rebel hero of the right Donald Trump and the Friends of Abe: tycoon brings immigration fight to LA
(35 minutes later)
Related: Fact-checking Donald Trump's recent claims, from Mexico to San Francisco
Donald Trump has built a presidential campaign around insulting Mexicans, so it was an ambitious play to come to Los Angeles, the city with the world’s biggest Mexican diaspora, seeking support.Donald Trump has built a presidential campaign around insulting Mexicans, so it was an ambitious play to come to Los Angeles, the city with the world’s biggest Mexican diaspora, seeking support.
But this is, after all, the dream factory. The Republican candidate swept into Hollywood on Friday to court politically conservative film-makers who gathered to cheer, hoot defiance and collaborate, at least for one sultry night, in the grand illusion known as president Trump. The Republican candidate swept into Hollywood on Friday to court politically conservative film-makers who gathered to cheer, hoot defiance and collaborate, at least for one sultry night, in the grand illusion known as President Trump.
Trailing outrage over his broadsides against immigrants, Trump played the role of rebel hero while the audience of actors, directors, producers and technicians in the Luxe Sunset Boulevard hotel put tinsel on the fantasy that their guest could win the Republican nomination and go on to claim the White House in 2016. A scrum of media and piñata-bashing protesters outside the venue completed the sense of circus around a radioactive presidential campaign which crackles between loopy and canny, surreal and deadly serious. Trailing outrage over his broadsides against immigrants, Trump played the role of rebel hero while the audience of actors, directors, producers and technicians in the Luxe Sunset Boulevard hotel put tinsel on the fantasy that their guest could win the Republican nomination and go on to claim the White House in 2016.
Related: Donald Trump says he 'will win Latino vote' despite calling Mexicans 'rapists' A scrum of media and piñata-bashing protesters outside the venue completed the sense of circus around a radioactive presidential campaign which crackles between loopy and canny, surreal and deadly serious.
“When it’s all said and done, I will win the Hispanic vote,” Trump said earlier at a campaign stop in Beverly Hills. “I will win the Hispanic vote because I’m going to create jobs. I’m going to take them away from China.”“When it’s all said and done, I will win the Hispanic vote,” Trump said earlier at a campaign stop in Beverly Hills. “I will win the Hispanic vote because I’m going to create jobs. I’m going to take them away from China.”
Flanked by relatives of people allegedly killed by undocumented immigrants in crimes and accidents, he then lamented foreigner mayhem: “People came into the country illegally and killed their children.” Flanked by relatives of people allegedly killed by undocumented immigrants in crimes and accidents, he then lamented foreigner mayhem.
“People came into the country illegally and killed their children,” he said.
Brenda Sparks, who blamed her son’s death in a traffic collision on an immigrant, said the tycoon had the guts to say what millions thought: “My taxpayer dollars are paying for all these illegals and their children. I’ve lost my child, how much more do I have to give?”Brenda Sparks, who blamed her son’s death in a traffic collision on an immigrant, said the tycoon had the guts to say what millions thought: “My taxpayer dollars are paying for all these illegals and their children. I’ve lost my child, how much more do I have to give?”
The event was a riposte to Latinos and progressives who have branded Trump a racist demagogue and to fellow Republicans who have begged him to cool it. “With Donald Trump the key word is always attention,” said Jack Pitney, a political scientist at Claremont McKenna college. The event was a riposte to progressives and Latinos who have branded Trump a racist demagogue and to fellow Republicans who have begged him to cool it.
Trump’s host in Hollywood was the Friends of Abe, a semi-clandestine group of rightwing film-makers that includes Clint Eastwood and Jon Voight. Having spent a decade in the shadows,banning photography and tweeting at events, the group was nervous about being caught in the spotlight – a possible first for Tinseltown. “We’re the only group in Hollywood that genuinely does not look for publicity,” its head, Jeremy Boreing, told the Observer. “We hope it’s a phenomenon that we endure and move on.” “With Donald Trump the key word is always attention,” said Jack Pitney, a political scientist at Claremont McKenna college.
Protesters with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles picketed outside holding “Dump Donald Trump” placards and chanting in English and Spanish. A smaller group of pro-Trump supporters, some wearing red, white and blue, responded with its own chants and “Trump Tells the Truth” placards. Police kept the two groups apart. Trump’s host in Hollywood was the Friends of Abe, a semi-clandestine group of right-wing film-makers that includes Clint Eastwood and Jon Voight.
By Saturday Trump had moved on to Phoenix, Arizona, where he was expected to give another immigrant-bashing speech and another spin to the news cycle. But LA was still digesting his visit. Last week the US Census Bureau confirmed that Latinos have edged past white people to become the biggest racial or ethnic group in California, a milestone underscoring a wider Latino demographic surge across the US. They are expected to grow from 17.4% of the US population to 30% by 2060, producing a burgeoning ethnic voting bloc that has already helped to clinch Barack Obama’s victories in 2008 and 2012. Having spent a decade in the shadows, banning photography and tweeting at events, the group was nervous about being caught in the spotlight – a possible first for Tinseltown.
A separate report found that America is now the world’s second-largest Spanish-speaking country after Mexico, with Spanish on course to be the mother tongue of almost a third of US citizens. “We are the only group in Hollywood that genuinely does not look for publicity,” its head, Jeremy Boreing, told the Guardian. “We hope that it’s a phenomenon that we endure and move on.”
With the largest Hispanic population of any county (4.9 million), Los Angeles is America’s de facto Latino capital. Why Trump chose to bring his toxic message about Mexican immigrants here reveals some strange dynamics of presidential campaigns. Related: Donald Trump's Latino comments are just GOP orthodoxy in a cruder shell | Jeb Lund
When the real-estate developer-turned-reality-television-host launched his candidacy three weeks ago, he said: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems. And they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” Dozens of protesters with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles picketed outside, brandishing “Dump Donald Trump” placards and chanting in English and Spanish. A smaller group of pro-Trump supporters, some wearing red, white and blue, responded with its own chants and “Trump Tells the Truth” placards, Police kept them apart.
Even for a nation accustomed to Trumpisms, this was too much. With #dumptrump trending on Twitter, business partners including NBC Universal, Univision, global sports channel ESPN, department store chain Macy’s, the Professional Golfers’ Association, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, and restaurant chefs cut ties. Trump’s mainstream Republican rivals – if after some hesitation – denounced the provocative comments. By Saturday Trump had moved on to Phoenix where he was expected to give another immigrant-bashing speech and another spin to the news cycle.
Related: Donald Trump's tirade on Mexico's 'drugs and rapists' outrages US Latinos But LA was still digesting his visit. Just last week the United States Census Bureau confirmed that latinos have edged past white people to become the biggest racial or ethnic group in California, a milestone underscoring a wider latino demographic surge across the US.
The backlash’s intensity startled the former Apprentice star, who conceded the lost business amounted to “a lot of money”. But he steamed ahead with fresh tirades, blaming Mexicans for “tremendous infectious disease ... pouring across the border”. Latinos are expected to grow from 17.4% of the US population to 30% by 2060, producing a burgeoning ethnic voting bloc which already helped clinch Barack Obama’s victories in 2008 and 2012.
Critics scorned him as a racist buffoon, but the strategy propelled him past many GOP rivals in opinion polls. The reason was on display in ebullient Facebook posts by Friends of Abe members, said David Stein, a former member who retains ties to some members: “Everyone is rallying behind him. He’s tapped into the angry white male element. They’re on fire. I see people pushing fairly offensive stuff. It’s about dropping the veneer, calling immigrants what they (supposedly) are.” A separate report found that the US is now the world’s second-largest Spanish-speaking country after Mexico, with Spanish on course to be the mother tongue of almost a third of US citizens.
With the largest Hispanic population of any county (4.9 million) Los Angeles is America’s de facto Latino capital. Why Trump chose to bring his toxic message about Mexican immigrants here reveals some strange dynamics of presidential campaigns.
When the real estate developer-turned reality television host launched his candidacy three weeks ago, this is what he said: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems. And they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
Even for a nation accustomed to provocative Trumpisms this was too much. With #dumptrump trending on Twitter business partners including NBC Universal, Univision, ESPN, Macy’s, PGA, Nascar and restaurant chefs severed ties. Trump’s mainstream Republican rivals, after some hesitation, denounced the comments.
The backlash’s intensity startled the former Apprentice star, who conceded the lost business amounted to “a lot of money”. But he steamed ahead with fresh tirades, blaming Mexicans for “tremendous infectious disease... pouring across the border”.
Related: Donald Trump: Mexican migrants bring 'tremendous infectious disease' to US
Critics scorned him as a racist buffoon but the strategy propelled him past many GOP rivals in opinion polls.
The reason was on display in ebullient Facebook posts by Friends of Abe members, said David Stein, a former member who retains ties to some members: “Everyone is rallying behind him. He’s tapped into the angry white male element. They’re on fire. I see people pushing fairly offensive stuff. It’s about dropping the veneer, calling immigrants what they (supposedly) are.”
Boreing, the head of the group (which is named after Abraham Lincoln), said the invitation to join Trump “for dinner and insightful discussion” did not signify endorsement. It was an opportunity for members to hear “unfiltered” views and make up their own minds.Boreing, the head of the group (which is named after Abraham Lincoln), said the invitation to join Trump “for dinner and insightful discussion” did not signify endorsement. It was an opportunity for members to hear “unfiltered” views and make up their own minds.
Stein compared passion for the tycoon to fleeting puppy love: “They think they’ve found their dream candidate. It’s like schoolgirls who see the jock score a great touchdown, but when they go out on a few dates they lose interest.” Pitney, the analyst, agreed: “It’s about expressing emotion. Trump provides an outlet for that. But he won’t be the nominee.” Stein compared passion for the tycoon to fleeting puppy love.
Too wacky, too unpredictable, too ideologically inconsistent, Trump will likely burn out like previous GOP insurgent candidates, such as Michele Bachmann and Herman Cain, goes the pundit consensus. But Republican leaders fear serious damage: that he will make the party brand completely toxic to Latinos; that angry white males will revolt at any attempt to marginalise Trump; or, the doomsday scenario, that Trump will break away to run on a third-party ballot and split the conservative vote, just as Ross Perot fatally weakened George H Bush against Bill Clinton in 1992. “They think they’ve found their dream candidate,” he said. “It’s like schoolgirls who see the jock score a great touchdown but when they go out on a few dates they lose interest.”
The man inspires such passions that it is unlikely the protesters outside Luxe Sunset Boulevard hotel, or the cheering crowd within, considered the possibility of him handing victory to Hillary Clinton. Maybe they should – it’s a twist worthy of Hollywood. Pitney, the analyst, agreed: “It’s about expressing emotion. Trump provides an outlet for that. But he won’t be the nominee.”
Too wacky, too unpredictable, too ideologically inconsistent, he will likely burn out like previous GOP insurgent candidates such as Michele Bachmann and Herman Cain, goes the pundit consensus.
Republican leaders, however, fear serious damage: that Trump will make the party brand completely toxic to latinos; that angry white males will revolt at any attempt to marginalise Trump; or, the doomsday scenario, that Trump will break away to run on a third-party ballot and split the conservative vote, just as Ross Perot fatally weakened George HW Bush against Bill Clinton in 1992.
The man inspires such passions it is unlikely the protestors outside Luxe Sunset Boulevard hotel, or the cheering crowd within, considered the possibility of Donald Trump handing victory to Hillary Clinton. Maybe they should. It’s a twist worthy of Hollywood.