Politics

Trumps proposal to keep out Muslims crosses a line for many in both parties
By Sean Sullivan and Jenna Johnson December 8 at 7:24 PM

RepublicanandDemocraticleadersleveledtheirmostforcefulcriticismyetagainstDonaldTrumponTuesday,widelydenouncingtheGOPpresidentialfront
runnerscalltobarMuslimsfromenteringtheUnitedStatesandsignalingthatTrumpsantiimmigrantandantiIslamicrhetorichasagitatedbothparties
morethanever.
AttheWhiteHouse,PresidentObamastopspokesmansaidTrumpsproposaldisqualifieshimfromthepresidency,markingarareadministrationforayinto
the2016race.OnCapitolHill,HouseSpeakerPaulD.Ryan(RWis.)andSenateMajorityLeaderMitchMcConnell(RKy.)saidtheideawasatoddswiththe
valuesoftheirpartyandtheUnitedStatesasawhole.
Inthespaceofaday,Trumpsroleasadomesticpoliticalprovocateurexpandedtointernationalagitatorashesentafirstofitskindsignalabroad:Theleading
presidentialcontenderintheoppositionpartywantstokeepMuslimsoutoftheUnitedStates.
LeadersacrosstheglobecondemnedTrumpasofficialsathomeworriedaboutthelongtermimplicationsofhisactions.TrumpcalledMondayforatotaland
completebanonMuslimsenteringtheUnitedStatesuntilwefigureoutwhatisgoingon.HereiteratedhisoverallviewonTuesday.
ItwasfarfromclearwhethertheproposedbanonMuslimswouldhaveanegativeeffectonTrumpspopularity,whichhasonlygrownashehasescalatedhis
rhetoricagainstillegalimmigrantsandahostofothergroups.Someofhisrivalstreadedcarefullyaroundhisremarks,andmanyofhismostvocalcritics
stoppedshortofrefusingtobackhimifheistheRepublicannominee.
WhiteHousepresssecretaryJoshEarnestsaidTrumpsproposaldisqualifieshimfromservingaspresident,declaringthathisrhetoricisharmfultothe
countryandmakesithardertoworkinpartnershipwithAmericanMuslimleaderstoidentifypotentialthreats.
EarnestsaidthatothercandidatesandRepublicanleadersshouldsayrightnowthattheywillnotsupporthimforpresident.

Ryan,whotypicallystaysoutoftheGOPpresidentialcontest,madeastronglywordedexception.
Freedomofreligionisafundamentalconstitutionalprinciple.Itsafoundingprincipleofthiscountry,Ryantoldreporters.Thisisnotconservatism.What
wasproposedyesterdayisnotwhatthispartystandsfor.Andmoreimportantly,itsnotwhatthiscountrystandsfor.
McConnellcalledproposalstobarvisitorsonthebasisoftheirreligioncompletelyinconsistentwithAmericanvalues.
ButneitherRepublicansaidhewouldrejectTrumpifhewonthenomination,andGOPsenatorsfacingdifficultreelectionsdodgedquestionsaboutwhether
theywouldsupporttheprovocativebusinessmanifhewonthenomination.AlmostallRepublicanswhowerequestionedtriedtoduckthatpossibility,saying
onlythattheywouldsupporttheeventualnominee.
HeknowsthatalotofAmericansagree,toacertainextent,withthingsthathesays,conservativeradiohostRushLimbaughsaidonhisshowTuesday.He
alsoknowshestheonlyonereachingthosepeople.
Sen.TedCruz(RTex.),waryofalienatingTrumpsupportersashetriestoconsolidatetheconservativewingoftheparty,emphasizedthathedifferedwiththat
specificpolicyproposedbyTrump.
Idisagreewiththatproposal.IlikeDonaldTrump.AlotofourfriendsherehaveencouragedmetocriticizeandattackDonaldTrump.Imnotinterestedin
doingso,Cruztoldreporters.
Sen.RandPaul(RKy.),alongshotnearthebottomofthefield,toldaNewHampshireradiostationthatitisamistaketobaseimmigrationormoratoriums
basedonreligion,butadded,Ivecalledforsomethingsimilar.Paulwasreferringtoameasurethatwouldsuspendtheissuanceofvisastorefugeesfrom
about30countriesthathavelargejihadistmovements,pendingstrictbackgroundchecks.
TheChristianBroadcastingNetworkschiefpoliticalcorrespondent,DavidBrody,wrotethatTrumpspositionislikelytoresonatewithChristianevangelicals,
aslongasheisabletoverbalizetheunderlyingtheologicalproblemswithIslamandtheQuran.SeveralprominentevangelicalleadersinIowaandelsewhere
whoareoftenquicktocommentonthetwistsandturnsoftheelectiondeclinedtocommentonTrumpsproposedbanonMuslimsenteringthecountry.

AfterannouncinghisproposalwhichhesaidwasaresponsetorecentterroristattacksinParisandCaliforniahewasgreetedwithadorationbyhislegion
offansonTwitterandataraucousrallyMondaynightinSouthCarolina.OnTuesday,Trumpconductedacontentiousroundofmorningnewsshowinterviews
inwhichhedefendedtheideaagainstcriticswhohavedeemeditunconstitutional,illegal,racist,dangerousandunAmerican.
AlthoughTrumpsaideshadinitiallysaidnoonewouldbeexemptfromthetotalban,thecandidatebeganlistingexceptionshewouldmake.U.S.citizenswho
areMuslimandtravelingabroadwouldbeallowedtoreenter,alongwithMuslimmembersoftheU.S.militaryreturningfromtoursoverseas.Muslimleaders
offoreigncountrieswouldalsobeallowedin,andexceptionswouldbemadeforathletesvisitingtheUnitedStatesforcompetitions.
Intheinterviews,Trumpperformedasheusuallydoesdeflectingquestions,avoidingspecificsandtalkingoverthejournaliststryingtoaskhimquestions.
DuringaninterviewonMSNBCsMorningJoethatlastedmorethan30minutes,hostJoeScarboroughtoldTrumptostoptalkingsothathecouldaskthe
candidateaquestion,thencuttoacommercial.
CoreySaylor,aspokesmanfortheCouncilonAmericanIslamicRelations,predictedthatTrumpscommentswouldmakeiteasierfortheIslamicState
terroristgrouptoradicalizepotentialrecruits.
IthinkthatTrumpsstatementisapropagandacoupforISIS,hesaid.Nodoubtinmymindaboutthat.
SomeDemocratssaidTuesdaythattheRepublicanPartyispartlyculpableinTrumpsrise.
RepublicanstodayarestillsayingtheywillsupportTrumpifheistheirnominee.Why?Becausetheyareintimidatedbyhissupportandhissupporters,said
PaulBegala,astrategistwiththeproHillaryClintonsuperPACPrioritiesUSAAction.Trumpmaybethemonster,buttheGOPestablishmentistheDr.
Frankensteinwhocreatedhim.

ManyRepublicansworrythatTrumpsproposalswhichhavedrawncomparisonstothoseofAdolfHitlerandtotheinternmentofJapaneseAmericanson
U.S.soilduringWorldWarIIwilldolastingdamagetoapartydesperatelytryingtocastitselfasmoretolerantandopenthaninpreviouspresidential
elections.
TomRidge,aformerRepublicangovernorofPennsylvaniawhobecamethefirstsecretaryoftheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity,saidTuesdayhewouldnot

voteforTrump.RidgesaidthathisangeroverTrumpspopularityhasbeenbuildingformonthsandthathewasfrustratedthatmanyfellowRepublicanstook
solongtodenouncethecandidatesrhetoric.
Ithinkthemanisanembarrassmenttomyparty,saidRidge,whosupportsTrumpsrivalJebBush.Hesanembarrassmenttoourcountry.Wedeserve
betterthanthis.
Trumpsactionsalsoholdimplicationsdowntheballot.Rep.DavidJolly(Fla.),acentristRepublicanrunningforU.S.SenatewhobacksBush,tooktothe
HousefloorTuesdaytocallforTrumptoendhiscampaign.
Ithinkitsbeenadarkdayforthecountry,Jollysaidinaninterview.HeencouragedotherGOPleaderstospeakup.
WhileTrumphasgonefurthestinhisrhetoricandproposals,othercandidateshavegivenvoicetoviewsthatDemocratshavecondemnedasantiMuslim.
TheirlanguagemaybemoreveiledthanMr.Trumps,buttheirideasarentsodifferent,DemocraticpresidentialfrontrunnerClintonwroteTuesdayonher
website.
AlloftheGOPcandidateshavecalledforatleastapauseintheacceptanceofmostSyrianrefugees.RetiredneurosurgeonBenCarsonhassaidthataMuslim
shouldnotbepresidentandhasarguedthatacceptingSyrianrefugeesintotheUnitedStatesisasuspensionofintellect.
Sen.MarcoRubio(RFla.),seenbymanypartyleadersastheGOPsbesthopeforcrosspartyappeal,hasequatedMuslimswithNazisanddismissed
complaintsofantiMuslimbias.

WhereistherewidespreadevidencethatwehaveaprobleminAmericawithdiscriminationagainstMuslims?RubiosaidonFoxNewsSundaynightafter
Obamasaddresstothenationurgingtolerance.
TheantiMuslimrhetoricTrumpandsomeofhisrivalshavebeenusingstandsinstarkcontrasttothetonestruckbythenPresidentGeorgeW.Bushafterthe
Sept.11,2001,terroristattacks.
InworkingtotampdownantiMuslimsentimentthateruptedaftertheattacks,BushrepeatedlytalkedaboutIslamasapeacefulreligionandsaidtheterrorists

didnotrepresentMuslimsaroundtheworld.HequotedtheKoranduringremarksattheIslamicCenterofWashingtonsixdaysafter9/11.Threedaysafter
that,hespokedirectlytoMuslimsduringanaddressbeforeajointsessionofCongress.
Werespectyourfaith,Bushsaid.ItspracticedfreelybymanymillionsofAmericansandbymillionsmoreincountriesthatAmericacountsasfriends.
OnTuesday,Trumpsmessagesoundedmuchdifferent.
IwouldwanttoengagetheMuslimcommunity,buttheMuslimcommunityhastohelpus,hesaidonMorningJoe.Theyrenothelpingus.
JulietEilperin,GregJaffe,MikeDeBonis,PaulKane,KarounDemirjian,KelseySnellandDavidWeigelcontributedtothisreport.

Sean Sullivan has covered national politics for The Washington Post since 2012.

Jenna Johnson is a political reporter who is covering the 2016 presidential campaign.

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