Nastiness of Trump's 'bottomless well of zingers' is biggest threat to democracy: analysis

Donald Trump views himself as a comedian first and a leader second, argued Alexander Karin for Salon — and the problem is that Trump's sense of humor is getting darker and more twisted as time wears on.

This comes after a campaign that ended in controversy over a right-wing comedian's attack on Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage" at Trump's rally in Madison Square Garden.

"The contrast between Trump’s policy ineptitude and his razor-sharp comedy is remarkable," wrote Karin. For example, when Trump was asked how he would reform the Affordable Care Act, "Trump sputtered lamely about 'concepts of a plan.' When pressed for a specific proposal on how to provide affordable child care to American workers, Trump rambled incoherently through an embarrassing list of non-sequiturs."

And yet, "the election results show us such stumbles can be excused. That’s because when it comes to lambasting his opponents and tickling the funny bone of the MAGA base, the incoming comedian-in-chief pulls from a seemingly bottomless well of zingers."

But, Karin wrote, Trump's "jokes" are getting more hateful and more violent.

For instance, "at a rally days before the election, Trump brought the house down once again by declaring open season on members of the press. 'Weaving' through an imagined assassination scenario, Trump explained that political violence sometimes has an unexpected upside: 'To get me, somebody would have to shoot through the fake news, and I don’t mind that so much.' In a video from the event, audience members can be seen roaring at the thought of a media bloodbath."

ALSO READ: It's time for Democrats to declare class warfare

Ultimately, he continued, "Trump is a jester inside the palace, playing at the role of king, but mocking the very idea of principled leadership in the process. Flouting the rules is his schtick, and it seems MAGA cannot get enough."

And that represents a deeper rot at the heart of what we are as a country, he wrote.

"Political fences can be mended, if there is goodwill on both sides," Karin concluded — but "cultural rifts, on the other hand, can be impossible to bridge. American democracy cannot survive four more years of derisive laughter at the expense of our unity."