Say this for the Pennsylvania Republican Party: They've got some attention now.
A variety of voices are calling for the GOP to dis-invite presidential front-runner Donald Trump as the featured speaker for its fundraising luncheon during next week's Pennsylvania Society bacchanal for state business and political leaders in New York.
The party announced late on the afternoon before Thanksgiving that Trump would be coming, and it did not stir much notice over the long holiday weekend. But critics were weighing in Monday.
The Harrisburg Patriot-News called in an editorial for the party to dump Trump because of the real-estate tycoon's record of "appalling remarks about undocumented immigrants and women."
Trump announced his campaign with a screed calling Mexican immigrants "rapists and murderers." He since has suggested a registry for U.S. Muslims, mocked a reporter's disability, and insists (despite evidence to the contrary) that he saw Muslims in New Jersey celebrating the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11.
"By choosing Trump, Republican leaders have simply decided to embarrass themselves," the Patriot-News wrote. "They should rescind Trump's invitation and make clear there is no room in the party for his brand of rhetoric."
He's to speak at the annual Commonwealth Club luncheon at The Plaza Hotel in Manhattan on Friday, December 11. Tickets are $1,000 each; $2,500 for a VIP reception and photo with The Donald. The luncheon is closed to the press.
A variety of Democrats also piled on the GOP. State Sen. Daylin Leach (D.,Montgomery) slammed the "disturbing" move in an interview with BillyPenn.com. He said Trump is "flirting with fascism."
Katie McGinty, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, even demanded that Sen. Pat Toomey (R.,Pa.) use his intra-party influence to get the event canceled.
As our Senator, Toomey needs to represent all Pennsylvanians, but he can't do that if he stands next to Trump who has insulted women, POWs, African-Americans, Latinos and Muslims," McGinty said in a statement.