He hires the best people. https://t.co/2U3El785ex
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) May 10, 2016
Hey, did you hear the news about the Trump campaign choosing a white supremacist for its slate of California delegates?
THIS JUST IN: Trump Selects a White Nationalist Leader as a Delegate in California. https://t.co/U7hxCALLlq pic.twitter.com/eMCJRFyFdu
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) May 10, 2016
[William] Johnson applied to the Trump campaign to be a delegate. He was accepted on Monday. In order to be approved he had to sign this pledge sent to him by the campaign: “I, William Johnson, endorse Donald J. Trump for the office of President of the United States. I pledge to cast ALL of my ballots to elect Donald J. Trump on every round of balloting at the 2016 Republican National Convention so that we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” After he signed, the Trump campaign added his name to the list of 169 delegates it forwarded to the secretary of state.
…
Johnson got the news that he had been selected by Trump in a congratulatory email sent to him by the campaign’s California delegate coordinator, Katie Lagomarsino. “I just hope to show how I can be mainstream and have these views,” Johnson tells Mother Jones. “I can be a white nationalist and be a strong supporter of Donald Trump and be a good example to everybody.”
Johnson says that in his application to be a delegate for Trump he disclosed multiple details about his background and activism, though he did not specifically use the term “white nationalist.” The Trump campaign and Lagomarsino did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Whether or not Johnson was vetted by the Trump campaign, the GOP front-runner would have a hard time claiming ignorance of Johnson’s extreme views: Johnson has gained notice during the presidential primary for funding pro-Trump robocalls that convey a white nationalist message. “The white race is dying out in America and Europe because we are afraid to be called ‘racist,'” Johnson says in one robocall pushed out to residential landlines in Vermont and Minnesota. “Donald Trump is not racist, but Donald Trump is not afraid. Don’t vote for a Cuban. Vote for Donald Trump.”
Wow, he does sound like someone who could serve as “a good example to everybody”!
Well, anyway, Team Trump is facing an understandable backlash, which means it’s time for some serious damage control. Here’s what they came up with:
FWIW, before blaming “database error” here’s what Trump spox Hope Hicks emailed first: "The report is totally false" pic.twitter.com/mEaElFdAkw
— Cameron Joseph (@cam_joseph) May 10, 2016
OK, scratch that. They’re going with this:
Statement from Trump campaign: https://t.co/1wFoZBBGN2 pic.twitter.com/iR0aILYx5W
— Philip Bump (@pbump) May 10, 2016
Trump camp says "database error" led to inclusion of white supremacist on CA delegate list https://t.co/wVJs099SoO pic.twitter.com/lafEFu3h4X
— Ali Vitali (@alivitali) May 10, 2016
Just a glitch, you guys! Lotta those going around lately …
It seems our database of white nationalist leaders was unintentionally merged with our database of delegates. Could happen to any campaign.
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) May 10, 2016
Databases are notoriously tricky.
@pbump ain't that always the way
— Ben Mathis-Lilley (@BenMathisLilley) May 10, 2016
@BenMathisLilley databases! who can even figure those things out
— Philip Bump (@pbump) May 10, 2016
This may come as a shock to you, but some people out there aren’t buying the Trump campaign’s explanation.
https://twitter.com/SonnyBunch/status/730153825630355457
"Database Error" LMFAOOOOOOOO https://t.co/YmHU2vY2a7
— Maѵus (@mavus15) May 10, 2016
Hahahahahaha- catches breath- hahahahahahaha https://t.co/OgFRM53hDe
— ThisChristmasMimsy? (@MimsyYamaguchi) May 10, 2016
The excuse of just another politician. Sad! https://t.co/DU0Ehh4fBX
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) May 10, 2016
@MimsyYamaguchi Yeah, just like my taxes last year were late because of a "database error."
— BuckyKatt (@BuckyKatt) May 10, 2016
https://twitter.com/SFTennisFreak/status/730151132308246529
@alivitali hmmm.. Sure.
— sandismall (@SmallSandi) May 10, 2016
Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure, database error. https://t.co/3SSUiuIPYs
— Mike (@vidae01) May 10, 2016
"Young Intern" strikes again https://t.co/QEiNiTSsBW
— Aaron Sankin (@ASankin) May 10, 2016
"Database error".
Yes, sure, very believable, no worries at all. JFC. https://t.co/6pCqmCoWhG
— Alison Rose (@alisonrose711) May 10, 2016
"Database error" because who among us hasn't misplaced a decimal thus bestowing nominating power on a literal Nazi. https://t.co/5cDRcCpoXV
— Zeddy (@Zeddary) May 10, 2016
@pbump How does a prominent white nationalist get close to a delegate database, such that it is possible to erroneously include him?
— Oliver Griswold (@originalgriz) May 10, 2016
@Yair_Rosenberg @laurakcurtis The same farmer who has been doing robocalls for him? Hmmm, doesn't sound quite so accidental.
— Smitten by ? Reviews (@beverleykendall) May 10, 2016
Are you suggesting that the Trump campaign would intentionally court someone with a less-than-stellar reputation? Wherever would you get that idea?
https://twitter.com/FirstTeamTommy/status/730151606860296193
Was that whole "Mexicans are rapists" thing a database error too? #NeverTrump
— (((Dan Meisler))) (@danmeisler) May 10, 2016
https://twitter.com/Yair_Rosenberg/status/730149509385293824
@Yair_Rosenberg trump making menstrual jokes during debates…
— Adam Rosenfield (@adamrosenfield) May 10, 2016
That stuff doesn’t count. All that matters now is DATABASE ERROR.
https://twitter.com/petersuderman/status/730155791982968833
https://twitter.com/skunkwerks16/status/730154966661398528
Here are a few theories:
Let me, a technical person, translate for you: "database error" means "we don't want to identify the person who screwed up."
— Derek Willis (@derekwillis) May 10, 2016
.@alivitali @davidharsanyi A database error in the sense of "we prefer to ignore the data about who our base is"
— IWantNothingHat (@Popehat) May 10, 2016
"Database error" = "Damn, someone noticed!" https://t.co/T5mcIydGGn
— Radio Angie ? (@AngieCoiro) May 10, 2016
That sounds more like it.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional text.
***
Update:
William Johnson, the white nationalist Trump delegate, says he has resigned from the position. https://t.co/HLhj4oOGcr
— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) May 10, 2016
More from the Daily Beast:
After the news broke today, Johnson was contacted by Tim Clark, Trump’s California chair, and was told “you are not being considered for a delegate position,” he told The Daily Beast.
Johnson then sent an email stating he understood, and that he “hereby resigned as a delegate” and said he hadn’t discussed the matter further with anyone else from the Trump campaign. Looking back, he understands why he got thrown under the bus.
“I don’t want to negatively impact Trump’s efforts,” he told The Daily Beast. “And his campaign has determined that my involvement is not best for his efforts. So I accept that. We live in a society where white people hate white people who like white people. And me being a white nationalist doesn’t sit well with some people…So I understand his campaign’s concerns, and I support…[Trump’s decision to] not having me as a delegate.”
***
Related:
Nice going, ‘young intern’! @RealDonaldTrump offers up corny excuse for this retweet
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