Omarosa's Dangerous Game

Donald Trump famously bragged on the campaign trail that he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not lose his political support. But let's be clear. If Donald Trump said anything like the kind of things Lyndon Johnson used to say in the White House, his presidency would be over. He has survived a lot of uncomfortable statements, but the deliberate derogatory use of the "n word" would end him.

At this point, few take Omarosa Manigault Newman's allegations seriously. Whatever she may have heard Donald Trump say on tape, she knew about it prior to her vocal support of Trump during the campaign. That is why the mainstream media quickly moved on from the issue after failing to find a "gotcha" moment in Omarosa's book or released tapes.

But why is no one calling out Omarosa for how dangerous her behavior is? Conservatives seem content to discredit her. But, in my opinion, they should go further.

Celebrity presidencies are extremely powerful. The president's image can determine the course of the country. Barack Obama shifted the Overton Window to the point where Americans now debate whether conservatism itself is racist. Republicans have good reason to hope that Donald Trump can shift it back.

Thus far, much of the debate over Donald Trump's supposed racism has really been about conservative policy on policing and immigration. Pundits who insist that Donald Trump is a bigot are typically using him as a proxy for an attack on one of those two policies, or both. When these pundits discuss anecdotal, insensitive remarks by the president, they interpret them through a pre-existing biased lens which assumes that law and order policy is inherently racist.

Claims like Omarosa's muddy these waters in a dangerous way. A small number of Americans will inevitably be convinced by her that Donald Trump is an overt racist, thus interpreting his continuance in office as a sign that America itself is a racist institution. Those on the alt-Right will feel emboldened. Left-wing Antifa types will feel that their violence is justified.

America cannot afford to be confused about such an inflammatory issue. Omarosa, if you have the "n word" tape, release it. If you have nothing and are playing off America's sensitivities in order to sell your book... well, not even a dog would do that.