33 people to blame for the rise of Donald Trump

(Image credit: REUTERS/Tami Chappell)

published 10 March 2016

Donald Trump is bulldozing his way to the Republican nomination. The leaders of the GOP establishment, meanwhile, are finally trying anything they can to stop his seemingly inevitable coronation — from attacking his foreign policy pronouncements, business acumen, and delicate hands, to spending millions on attacks ads, pleading with the electorate, making robocalls, and on and on. And yet, there Trump stands, the victor in 15 of 24 GOP presidential contests.

So what's a desperate party, perplexed media, and humbled punditry to do? Why, blame someone else, of course! But who, or what, is responsible for Donald Trump's rise? Here are 33 options.

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Lauren Hansen produces The Weekâ€™s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.

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