Rampant vulgarity, lies — and a street named Trump Way — overshadow best-run GOP debate | Opinion

Hallmarks of the Donald Trump rally in Hialeah: Stolen election lies at every turn. Constant projection on the subject of “liars and leeches” and who’s “crooked.” Debatable claims of what constitutes “b---s---!”

The F-word used as a political battle cry.

“F--- him up!” the crowd chanted when President Joe Biden’s name was said, his duly-elected democratic government referred to as “this regime,” with not a care from dwellers of the largest Cuban city outside of Havana about how the term’s misuse downplays the real regime across the Florida Straits.

As expected, Hialeah confirmed the mental state of supporters of a major political party whose front-runner is a criminally charged chronic liar who fuels right-wing conspiracies.

The thousands who showed up in all manner of creative Trumpwear proved that they thrive in delusion and find comfort in the swashbuckling fantasy delivered Wednesday night — with a dash of multicultural MAGA chusmería.

Vulgarity was delivered by cowboy-hat-wearing comedienne Rosanne Barr, who held up a golden yellow sweater depicting Trump as a Spanish matador who slays a bull with the American fag.

“Trump is the magador✓,” she clamored, “and this is the deep bull state.”

“Kill that damn bull! And the b------!”

Alucinante.

Hallucinatory, as it was for Trump to say, playing to the crowd: “Love Cuba. We were going to be taking it over very quickly — and then, they blew it. We had it just where we wanted it, and they blew it so badly.” (Read in his man-boy voice).

“They” being Biden and his administration. The historic, island-wide demonstrations took place in 2021, his watch not Trump’s, only to be brutally quashed by the ruthless Miguel Díaz-Canel. He, the dictator who answered Trump sanctions by enacting some of the most repressive measures the island had seen, doubled down after the protests.

But this was a gullible crowd, subservient to partisan politics, not homelands and heritage, so unaware of the damage they do to themselves and their families that they cheered Trump’s vow to wholesale deport ”domestic” immigrants.

Cult members self-harm.

Same ol’ meander

As for solutions to American problems, Trump had no fresh ones.

He waddled through deranged talking points, meandering all over the place and deflecting attention from the lack of substance with references to his foes. Hillary Clinton, he said, isn’t “crooked” anymore but “beautiful.” He made fun of “Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff’s neck and shoulders and mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

He purposely timed his arrival at the Ted Hendricks Stadium to the start of the GOP debate in Miami — which he declared boring with “Ron DeSanctimonious” in the house.

“President Trump is the best president in many generations,” he self-praised.

Sadly, the crass Trump & Co. spectacle — which included his wealthy, entitled son Don Jr. calling Democrats “elitist” — was only good for laughs.

“I’m the son of a billionaire from Manhattan and I’m pissed off,” was about the only half-way honest thing Trump Jr. said. (Forbes dropped Trump from its billionaire’s list.)

From Trump solo to GOP choir

By comparison, the five GOP presidential candidates at the Arsht Center in Miami, who tackled serious questions from the best moderators we’ve seen in these three debates, were a sanity-restoring change of pace.

Former ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley again displayed insider skill on foreign affairs, mincing no words when she called Putin “that thug” and explained the need to fund Ukraine and Israel’s defense capabilities. DeSantis, repeatedly alluding to his service in Iraq, couldn’t match her abilities.

“As a veteran, I will get the job done for you,” he said.

Service didn’t help a true hero, the late John McCain, win the presidency. It’s a resume line that appeals to parts of Florida where military bases sit, but it only helps DeSantis avoid close examination on the national stage of his extensive, extremist record in Florida.

Policy-wise, he’s Trump-like cruel, but without the celebrity charisma that keeps voters hooked on the ex-entertainer-in-chief. But, in this debate, DeSantis gets credit for defending the Everglades against the other candidates’ runaway promises to frack and drill for oil all over the country.

READ MORE: DeSantis was strong, Haley was sharp, Ramaswamy just loud — and Trump won | Opinion

If the Republican Party were the serious entity it once was, Haley would be its secret weapon. She knows how to capture the attention of Democratic moderates unhappy with the party’s left wing. And she handled with wit and aplomb infantile entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy’s repeated attempts by to shame her.

He doesn’t care for military service, but like his idol Trump, loves to display boorish behavior.

He called Haley “Dick Cheney in three-inch heels.”

She corrected: They’re five inches and their purpose is “ammunition” for self-defense.

A slam-dunk.

For these debaters and moderators, Israel and Ukraine, rightfully so, were top of mind, not Cuba. The candidates differed on defense funding and war strategy — and there was much for voters to learn and consider in minutes. When they criticized Biden, except for disrespectful Ramaswamy, they were grown ups about it.

Unfortunately, neither Haley or DeSantis — battling for second runners-up to Trump — could answer NBC News anchor Lester Holt’s first and ultimate question: “Why you and not him?”

They won’t make a dent on changing GOP minds until they convince voters that the cases against Trump are legitimate — and that he’s not above the law.

Meanwhile, in a Hialeah uninterested in being swayed by anyone but Trump, the MAGA throngs were euphoric.

Everyone acted as if Trump isn’t facing 91 criminal charges and four indictments. The lawyers who helped perpetrate the election lie abandoned him and pleaded guilty.

Yet, Miami-Dade Republican leaders celebrated Trump, pretending that criminality and vulgarity are normal. The Hialeah mayor gifted the GOP king his name on a street. “Donald Trump Way,” he called it while holding a sign that said “President Donald J. Trump Avenue.”

Ninety miles from Key West, a white-haired tyrant was surely smiling.