National

So, the media, and the American people, got played. All this talk of softening, of a pivot, was pure grade A horseshit, from only the best and most beautiful horses. Trump did three things yesterday. He wilted like a coward in front of an adversary who told him in no uncertain terms that he can stick his demand that Mexico pay for his wall up where the sun don't shine. And then he lied about being coward to the American people, because, bullies who are revealed as cowards don't like to admit it. And then he doubled down on mass deportation gestapo force in a crazed racist speech in Phoenix last night. Donald Trump “made his immigration policies clear: Mexico will fund an impenetrable, beautiful border wall, and the Republican presidential nominee’s administration will begin its construction on the first day of his presidency,” Politico reports. Said Trump: “On Day One, we will begin working on an impenetrable, physical, tall, powerful, beautiful southern border wall. We will use the best technology, including above and below ground sensors. That’s the tunnels. Remember that. Above and below. Above and below ground sensors. Towers. Aerial surveillance and manpower to supplement the wall. Find and dislocate tunnels and keep out criminal cartels and Mexico will work with us. I really believe it. Mexico will work with us. I absolutely believe it.” “Trump outlined other planks of his policy position, including a promise to return all detained undocumented people to their home countries and zero tolerance for immigrants who commit crimes. It amounted to a massive deportation program.” He noted: “You can call it deported if you want. The press doesn’t like that term. You can call it whatever the hell you want. They’re gone.”

Josh Marshall didn't think Trump could be this stupid, regarding making the trip to Mexico:

This is such an outlandish idea it is not easy to make sense of it or predict its outcome. But a few key points are worth bearing in mind. It's a general rule of politics not to enter into unpredictable situations or cede control of an event or happening to someone who wants to hurt you. President Nieto definitely does not want Donald Trump to become President. He probably assumes he won't become president, simply by reading the polls. President Nieto is himself quite unpopular at the moment. But no one is more unpopular than Donald Trump. Trump is reviled. Toadying to Trump would be extremely bad politics; standing up to him, good politics. Put those factors together and Peña Nieto has massive and overlapping reasons to want to embarrass Trump. At a minimum since he's probably not eager to create a true international incident, he has zero interest in appearing in any way accommodating or helpful. The calculus might be different if Trump seemed likely to be the next US President. Mexico is a minor power with the world colossus on its doorstep. But a Trump presidency seems unlikely. Far likelier, Peña Nieto will need to build a relationship with Hillary Clinton. These factors combined make for an inherently dangerous political situation for Donald Trump, especially since the atmospherics of this meeting will be the backdrop for Trump's evening speech which is itself an incredibly important moment and one in which he has set for himself what is likely an impossible challenge.