The world’s modern populists are discovering a common trait that seems to serve them more than the voters they claim to champion.
When scandal strikes, it’s just fresh evidence of their self-fulfilling prophecy that a shady cabal of “deep state” elites bent on suppressing democracy is out to get them.
On both sides of the Atlantic this week, politicians seemed to ask themselves WWTD: What would Trump do?
In Maine, former Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner blamed the collapse of his campaign over allegations of sexual assault and dating violence, which he denies, on distant party grandees plotting to kill his progressive movement.
In Britain, Brexit leader Nigel Farage quit his parliamentary seat amid questions over his personal financing that he dismissed as an “establishment” ruse. He will put the question of his conduct to “the people” in a special election that has taken on a surreal turn, since his chief opponent may be a man dressed as a trash can.
