Tom Tangney: Trump is doubling down on outrageous remarks

“Donald J. Trump is calling for the total and complete shut down of Muslims entering the United States,” Donald Trump announced on Monday.

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Trump is now under fire for making such bold recommendations, which would include keeping out Muslims looking to live or simply visit the country. At least one newspaper has gone so far as to call him “The New Furor.”

KIRO Radio’s Tom Tangney told Danny O’Neil that what Trump is saying is “definitely not politically correct.” Trump went so far as to compare it to former President Roosevelt’s executive order that authorized the internment of Japanese-Americans.

Tom Tangney: What happens when he says something outrageous? He doubles down. What he’s doing is reciting historical precedence. This wasn’t an off-the-cuff remark. He’s clearly done some research. He’s doubling down and not only grounded it in political argument, but believes it could give him political advantage.

Danny O’Neil: He’s going to compare his program and say it’s not as extreme as internment offered by FDR. What he’s saying, in his mind, is it’s not as extreme as that. There’s part of me that believes Trump’s entire run for president is based on a dare (you can’t be elected if you make fun of a prisoner of war, for example).

He’s defying any sort of rule or convention in electoral politics. He’s now to the right of the most right politicians that we have &#8211 Dick Cheney thinks this is dangerous.

The internment of Japanese-Americans is an embarrassment and it was a program that should be something we are eternally ashamed of.

TT: One of the things being suggested is Trump is responding to push-back by journalists. He’s doubling down on this and I don’t think it’s just a bet. I think he wants it. He’s not speaking for a majority of Americans, but he’s speaking to the emotional core of a lot of Americans.

DO: If there are other people who believe that… certainly it’s their right to vote for this candidate. I guess we’re going to see just how aggressive people want to pursue hostilities toward an entire religion via immigration policy. What he’s doing… he’s changing the way entire electoral politics works in our country.

TT: Is that bad? A lot of people think the country is in need of some kind of electoral fixing.

DO: Right now, he has a slice of the Republican base. Does his appeal go behind that slice?