Don’t be fooled by “new” Trump

Do you remember when Donald Trump crudely mocked the disability of a New York Times reporter, and then lied about having done so?

No? That’s just as the Republican candidate might hope. Now that he is nearing the Republican nomination, he says he will become more “presidential.” After winning the New York primary, he referred to “Senator Cruz” instead of “Lyin’ Ted.” You can expect multitudes of office-seekers and sycophants to follow Chris Christie’s craven path to believing, or pretending to believe, in a presidential Trump. So it is important to remember. Remember that Trump said that Mexicans crossing the border are rapists, though “some, I assume, are good people.”

Remember that Trump falsely claimed that thousands of American Muslims had celebrated the destruction of the World Trade Center on 9/11.

Remember that Trump insulted Carly Fiorina for her appearance: “Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that?”

Remember, now that Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly has sought to make peace with Trump, that he insinuated that she had asked him a tough question because she was menstruating: “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.”

Remember that he called her a bimbo, sick, overrated and crazy.

Remember that Trump lashed out at Kelly in the first place because she had recited some of the other names he has used for women he disliked: “‘fat pigs,’ ‘dogs,’ ‘slobs’ and ‘disgusting animals.’ … You once told a contestant on ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ it would be a pretty picture to see her on her knees.”

Remember that Trump, who never served in the armed forces, said that Sen. John McCain was “not a war hero.” McCain, after being shot down over North Vietnam, endured 5½ years of torture and solitary confinement as he repeatedly refused offers of liberation unless all of his fellow prisoners would also be freed. “I like people who weren’t captured,” Trump said.

Remember that Trump promised to order American soldiers and intelligence officers to torture their prisoners.

Remember that Trump said he would like to punch a protester in the face.

Remember that Trump defended his campaign manager after the campaign manager roughly grabbed a reporter and then denied having touched her and called her “delusional” when she complained.