Donald J. Trump’s behavior in recent days — the political threats to the House speaker, Paul D. Ryan; the name-calling on Twitter; the attacks on Hillary Clinton’s marriage — has deeply puzzled Republicans who expected him to move to unite the party, start acting presidential and begin courting the female voters he will need in the general election.
But Mr. Trump’s choices reflect an unusual conviction: He said he had a “mandate” from his supporters to run as a fiery populist outsider and to rely on his raucous rallies to build support through “word of mouth,” rather than to embrace a traditional, mellower and more inclusive approach that congressional Republicans will advocate in meetings with him on Thursday.
Why has this “deeply puzzled” anyone? Trump continues to be Trump. What a surprise. It’s wishful thinking to believe he’ll shift into something else now that he’s going to be the nominee. All these cowards who were extremely hard on him during the primary but who are now changing their tune should be ashamed. If he was a danger before, he’s a danger now, and he’ll be an even greater danger if he wins in November.