CASPER, Wyo. — DONALD TRUMP has a new target for political attacks and scapegoating: transgender people. Trump spoke for over 90 minutes at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper on Saturday. It was ostensibly a speech in support of HARRIET HAGEMAN, his hand-picked candidate to take out Rep. LIZ CHENEY (R-Wyo.) in what Trump described here as "the most important election" of 2022 — and one that comes after a string of embarrassing primary defeats for Trump's picks in Nebraska, Idaho, Georgia and North Carolina. Trump meandered into issues far afield from the Wyoming race. In fact, if you haven't tuned in lately, little has changed at a Trump rally. The former president appears to have put put on some weight, but he still looks younger than his 75 years, and the familiar mix of exaggerations, lies, sometimes hilarious mockery, dark conspiracies, personal grievances, perplexing asides, stream of consciousness riffs — all delivered in his uniform of a blue suit and long red tie — remains unchanged. How much the event benefited Hageman was unclear. The parking lot was filled with license plates from Idaho, South Dakota, Montana, Colorado and Utah. On the security lines and in the hall, fans costumed in red ties, bedazzled MAGA dresses and at least one Trump-inspired catsuit traded notes on how many Trump rallies they've attended across the country. Numerous non-Wyoming MAGA celebrities, such as Rep. LAUREN BOEBERT (R-Colo.), who appeared before Trump, repeatedly pronounced Hageman's name incorrectly. As his recent losses make clear, Trump seems to understand now that people come to see him, and may ignore whatever candidate he's hawking that day. "What's more fun than a Trump rally?" he asked. The crowd cheered. After an hour of Trump delivering many familiar hits — on Russia, impeachment, Jan. 6, the 2020 election, how he told NATO members he would not defend them if they didn't "pay," trade with China, CHUCK TODD'S alleged lack of sleep, the relative merits of the journalists CHRIS WALLACE and his father MIKE , his conversations with the Taliban, the Durham investigation, and how, "sadly," White House physician-turned-congressional candidate RONNY JACKSON knows Trump's body better than MELANIA does — Trump turned his attention to a newer obsession. "No teacher should ever be allowed to teach transgender to our children without parental consent," he said, just as some of the MAGA faithful started to trickle out. "Can you imagine?" On the perimeter of the arena, some attendees headed for their cars stopped and began listening again on an outside monitor. Trump briefly got distracted when he caught a glimpse of himself on a video screen and noticed his hair was thinning in the back. But he then returned to the subject. "We will save our kids and we will also keep men the hell out of women's sports. Is that OK?" he said, using what's become a common GOP refrain. He continued with an animated tale about a female swimmer about to start a race who turned and noticed a new opponent, a "huge person who was a guy recently." Trump paused for effect and then reflected on the fraught nature of his commentary. "See? I'm politically correct, I said 'recently,' They can't get me," he said. "You have to be very careful, this is a hornet's nest." He continued. He said the trans woman set a new record that would stand until "some guy comes along and breaks it again." He pantomimed his way through a story mocking trans women in weightlifting competitions. He imagined himself as a women's basketball team coach recruiting players, such as LEBRON JAMES: "Did you ever have any thoughts, LeBron, about one day becoming a woman?" He congratulated himself. "Everybody's afraid of not being politically correct," he said. "I'm the only one that talks about it." These long riffs mocking trans athletes were received with thunderous applause. The only other objects of derision that tickled the crowd with similar enthusiasm were mentions of undocumented immigrants or Cheney and the appearance of House Minority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY, who was booed when he showed up in a video at the rally. Trump is wrong that he's the only one in politics caricaturing trans people for political benefit. Transgender women have been allowed to compete in women's categories in the Olympics since 2003 and the NCAA since 2010. Yet Republicans say new laws are needed to protect women's sports and GOP candidates have been using Trump-like language in campaigns and policy around the country for years. It's having an impact. Here in Wyoming last week, a local school board voted to remove sexual orientation and gender identity from its non-discrimination code. Trump is like a standup comedian. He uses rallies, especially in the offseason, to work on material. He tests the reaction among his diehard fans and watches the mainstream media's coverage. He then rewrites the lines, calibrating them for maximum effect inside the arena and minimal blowback outside of it. You can tell he believes he's onto something with his mocking of trans people. There is a cynical strategy at work here. Targeting marginalized groups for ridicule forces more responsible actors to stand up for them. As Democrats have learned, Trump's goal is to get them to spend their time outraged and defending the targets of his attacks rather than talking about their own message. This dynamic creates a built-in political advantage to any party that no longer sees it as taboo to scapegoat certain groups. Trump, of course, knows this and he has found a new target for 2022 — and perhaps beyond.
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