iowa

Donald Trump Jokes That His Popularity Is Murder-Proof

Not to be outdone by any man or blizzard, Donald Trump came up with something newly outrageous to say at an Iowa event on Saturday, announcing to a crowd that his supporters are so devoted to him, he could gun someone down and it still wouldn’t affect his popularity. Speaking at a Christian college in northwest Iowa, Trump suggested that “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, OK? It’s like, incredible.” The crowd of Trump supporters laughed in response, of course:

The context for the Johnny Cash–like assertion was Trump trying to differentiate himself from his rising rival, Ted Cruz, who Trump suggested had much softer support, i.e., the kind that would be horrified if you shot someone.

ABC News adds that “a student volunteering for Trump’s campaign at the event said the point was clear — that he would keep his supporters no matter what the media, other candidates and attack ads said about him.”

Also this weekend, the influential Des Moines Register endorsed neither Trump nor Cruz, but GOP-establishment darling Marco Rubio for the upcoming Iowa caucuses. They said Rubio “represents his party’s best hope,” though they interestingly did not indicate whether their support was conditional on Rubio not trying to murder anyone.

Trump Jokes That His Popularity Is Murder-Proof