What’s personal, what’s political?

Peter Suderman,

Reason. com: “Donald Trump’s press conference was not a press conference. ... It was another extended infomercial for his newly opened hotel in Washington, where the event was held. Trump previewed his remarks by tweeting that he would be ‘ going to the brand new Trump International Hotel D. C.’ and opened by touting its grandiosity. ... All of this, of course, was broadcast live on cable networks. ... Only at the very end did he deliver on his promise of an announcement about his position on President Obama’s place of birth. ... What Trump showed then was an even clearer version of what he has shown so often throughout his campaign: that ... he sees no distinction between his political efforts and his personal business dealings.” David M. Drucker,

Washington Examiner: “Rather than show contrition or explain his reasoning, Trump ... delivered a terse statement accusing Hillary Clinton of fomenting the birther conspiracy and taking credit for putting it to rest. Democrats were incensed, and Clinton now has an opportunity to use that anger to energize her base. ... Obama eventually released his long- form birth certificate to quell any contro- versy. Trump responded by suggesting the document was a fake, and for the next five years — until Friday — pointedly refused, when periodically asked, to disavow the conspiracy. Democrats, and some Republicans, don’t view this as a form of harmless showmanship used simply as a tool for Trump to boost his political fortunes among Republicans after years of supporting Democratic politicians and their liberal policies. They see Trump’s promotion of birtherism as a sinister form of racism intended to delegitimize Obama because he is African American.”

Paul Begala,

CNN: “This isn’t about Trump winning African- American votes. It’s about convincing college- educated white voters that he is not a racist. ... When Clinton built a sizable lead this summer, it was due in large measure to her strength in this traditional Republican cohort. A main reason the race has snapped back to a dead heat is because he’s improving among the white college crowd. ... Can Trump succeed in this effort to hold his base and expand his appeal? ... You can go far in life by simply telling people what they want to hear — even if it’s two completely different things at the same time.”