OTHER VIEWS White House on the fringe

Until now, the best way to deal with America’s lunatic fringe was to keep it there — on the fringe. 9/11 truthers? Sandy Hook hoaxers? Just roll your eyes, feel sorry that some people are suckers for conspiracy, and try to ignore it.

But what happens when the lunacy comes from the White House?

Americans got another disturbing glimpse of its birther-denier-truther president on the weekend. Donald Trump, in a three-tweet rant Saturday, accused former president Barack Obama of “tapping my phones” at Trump Tower in October. On Sunday, the president doubled down on the nuttiness by calling for Congress to investigate.

Never mind that Trump had no evidence to back up his accusation, just unfounded claims by Breitbart News and conservative talk-show hosts that secret warrants were issued authorizing the taps. Never mind that he chooses to believe those outlets over the denials of former director of national intelligence James Clapper and the FBI, who would know about all wiretaps. Allegations of such are not surprising for the conspirator in chief.

It’s telling — and troubling — that Trump’s tweets show a glib assumption that illegal wiretapping of a presidential candidate is something a sitting president might do. It’s also concerning that Trump has once again widened the fissure between his office and the intelligence community, which needs to trust that it can freely provide the president with critical information about urgent global affairs.

What’s additionally disturbing is that this latest trip down Crazy Lane is yet another demolition of presidential norms, another stain on the office Trump occupies. How far toward the fringe will Congress let him take the presidency — and the country?

The Charlotte (North Carolina) Observer