Sunday on CNN’s “Reliable Sources,” journalist Carl Bernstein said Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was a”neo-fascist” who is appealing to “nativism,” “racism” and “bigotry.”
Bernstein said, “The word Neo meaning new has a lot to do with it meaning a new kind of fascist in our culture dealing with an authoritarian, demagogue point of view, nativist anti-immigrant, racism bigotry that he appeals to. I think we need to look at the past. And I’m not taking about Hitlerism and genocide, I’m not making a parallel to Mussolini. But kind of American fascism we haven’t seen before. Different to George Wallace that was merely a racist. This goes to authoritarianism it goes to despotism point of view and the desire for a strong man who doesn’t trust the institutions and Democracy and government. My point is we need on cable news to have a historical debate on what fascism was and is and how Donald Trump fits into that picture. Because it is something very foreign to our political culture It’s in terms of ta major candidate in the 20th, 21st century. That’s going on in print and online but not part of our debate on cable. No interviewer as far as I know has asked Donald Trump what is fascism, Mr. Trump, how are you different from the fascist message?”
He added, “I think he’s a neo fascist in the sense of his appeal and methodology that has to do with authoritarianism nativism and incitement which we’re seeing now.”
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