Trump’s victory love-in was the most cringeworthy moment of the campaign so far
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As Donald Trump took to the stage at his results party on Tuesday night, it was clear he is now relaxed about winning his party’s presidential nomination.
Storming to victory in Iowa and then New Hampshire, the former president has become the first Republican in 50 years to win both of the first two primary votes. If he loses the nomination now, he will be the first ever candidate to throw away such a commanding lead.
So confident was he that Mr Trump had time to spend a few minutes humiliating his former rivals by making them compete for his affection on live television.
Six months ago, Tim Scott and Vivek Ramaswamy were running against Mr Trump in this race and each had criticised him.
Mr Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, once described the former president’s comments about the 2017 Charlottesville white supremacist march as “indefensible” and said his “moral authority” had been compromised. Mr Ramaswamy often implied he is too old to serve again as president.
But after their own campaigns floundered, the two men withdrew from the race and endorsed frontrunner Mr Trump. On Tuesday, they stood by the former president’s side as he addressed the crowd, each waiting for their moment to pay homage to the king.
Mr Ramaswamy was given a chance to speak first, under a strict time limit. “One minute or less, Vivek!” Mr Trump instructed, standing aside.
“You know who delivered a double digit victory tonight?” Mr Ramaswamy asked the crowd. “This man. Donald J Trump. The leader of America First. And that means something.”
As Mr Trump stepped over to take back the microphone, he protested “I’ve got 30 seconds left!” and was allowed to continue his adulation for a further half-minute. The former president nodded thoughtfully as his old rival lavished him with praise.
Next, it was Mr Scott’s turn. The 58-year-old, who has spent 11 years representing five million people in the US Senate, was first congratulated by Mr Trump on his recent engagement – a dig at his long-mocked bachelor status.
Then he was asked: “Hey, Tim, you want to say something?” The senator nodded and grinned.
Stepping up to the microphone, Mr Scott declared: “It’s time for the Republican Party to coalesce around our nominee, and the next president of the United States: Donald Trump!”
The crowd cheered. Returning to centre stage, Mr Trump remarked: “What a good guy.”
This ritual humiliation of his rivals is one of Mr Trump’s favourite pastimes. On Tuesday night, he smiled faintly as he played off the men who dared to stand against him, knowing each bit of praise he gave one would wound the other.
The reason for all this toadying, of course, is that Mr Trump has yet to pick a running mate.
With his stonking poll lead and fondness for flattery, it is now common wisdom in the Republican Party that the quickest way to a job in government is to spend as much time as possible courting Mr Trump.
Mr Scott and Mr Ramaswamy are the most high-profile examples yet, but they are not alone. The campaign trail is littered with minor politicians who have tripped over themselves trying to be the most enthusiastic about a second MAGA administration.
So many “surrogates” have been out to campaign for him that Mr Trump has had time to voluntarily attend trials in New York and Washington and relax at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
In one of the more toe-curling events of the campaign season, Tuesday’s most cringeworthy moment came as Mr Scott took the fawning routine too far.
Mocking him again – this time for being disloyal to Nikki Haley, who first appointed him to the Senate in 2013 – Mr Trump told Mr Scott: “You must really hate her.”
In response, he began to approach the microphone uninvited. Mr Trump looked horrified. “Uh, oh,” he said.
Smiling to the man who just ridiculed him on national television, Mr Scott replied: “I just love you!”
Even for Mr Trump, it was too much. With a cringe and an avuncular pat, the senator was returned to the back of the stage.
