Trump and sarcasm

In the least surprising turn of events this week:

Donald J. Trump tried to quash the latest controversy engulfing his campaign on Friday by claiming that he was not serious when he insisted several times this week that President Obama and Hillary Clinton were the “founders” of the Islamic State terrorist group.

Come again, Donald?

After making the suggestion at a rally on Wednesday night, Mr. Trump doubled down on the assertion on Thursday, insisting in interviews that he really did intend to say that the president and Mrs. Clinton had ISIS. But in an early-morning Twitter post on Friday, Mr. Trump said that he was just being sarcastic.

Teh Donald has pulled this stunt several times. If you're musically inclined you might call it a leitmotif.

Supporters are inclined to shrug off all the consternation over his inflammatory remarks. After all, his fans adore his willingness to flout what they call "political correctness". It tickles them even more when he turns around and says that of course he didn't mean it, that he was just being sarcastic. It makes the rest of us look like the hypersensitive sissies he and his most loyal supporters caricature us as in their private (and increasingly, public) conversations.

Teh Donald wasn't being sarcastic.

For sarcasm to work, you have to know, or believe you know, what the speaker's real attitude is — and that attitude has to be different from the one he expresses.

There is nothing different between the non-sarcastic sentiments Teh Donald spews, and what he calls his sarcastic comments.

His racism toward President Obama and his misogyny toward Hillary Clinton, as well as his fondness for quick solutions centered on violence, are at the very core of who he is.

For Teh Donald to claim he was being sarcastic is equivalent to giving the standard non-apology apology: "I apologize to anyone who was offended ...".

Fuck your evasion, Donnie.

You say hateful, vile shit. One day you will choke on it and leave the world a better place.

Oh, did you take me seriously? You short-fingered silly. I was being sarcastic.