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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5. Career Republicans and Democrats
9. Christians
11. The P.C. Police
12. Class politics
14. President Obama
15. Jeb Bush
16. The Bush dynasty
17. John Boehner
18. Newt Gingrich
20. Al Franken
21. Lorne Michaels
22. Jon Stewart
23. David Brooks
24. Fox News
25. The media
26. The internet
27. "Facebook envy"
29. Seattle
30. American culture
31. America
32. Americans
33. Everyone
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‘The money to fix this problem already exists’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
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Has Zohran Mamdani shown the Democrats how to win again?Today’s Big Question New York City mayoral election touted as victory for left-wing populists but moderate centrist wins elsewhere present more complex path for Democratic Party
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Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
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Ghislaine Maxwell: angling for a Trump pardonTalking Point Convicted sex trafficker's testimony could shed new light on president's links to Jeffrey Epstein
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The last words and final moments of 40 presidentsThe Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
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The JFK files: the truth at last?In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
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'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
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Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
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Democrats vs. Republicans: who are US billionaires backing?The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
