The headline on Page 1 of the Jan. 10 Maine Sunday Telegram said it all: “Outrageous words, once a politician’s bane, now resonate.”

Unfortunately, the fine reporting by Kevin Miller and the incisive opinion columns by Bill Nemitz and Cynthia Dill only succeeded in “preaching to the choir.” Those of us who have been both embarrassed and outraged by this latest in an endless string of Gov. Paul LePage’s blunders could only hang our heads in shame.

We must not forget that LePage was elected and re-elected by a fractured electorate. A hardcore of ultra-conservative devotees of their candidates, encouraged by these victories, morphed into a cult with LePage as their idol and role model.

This lowest denominator of Maine’s population not only shares LePage’s ideology but also approves of and endorses his behavior no matter how outrageous. Once again he is portrayed as the victim of a hostile media maligning their champion.

In this presidential election year, a similar segment of our national population has united to support Donald Trump as their potential candidate. As I listen to Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric and watch his arrogant performance on television, I hear and see a caricature of our own governor.

When you strip away their false facade, LePage and Trump are revealed in their true image, as egotistical bullies, spouting brash language, possessed of a never wrong attitude and making the same vows “to tell Obama to go to hell.”

Present-day Republicans corrupted by a minority tea party do not seem to care about their leaders making outrageous statements, much less not making amends for their errors in judgment.

Our state has been forced to endure the outrageous behavior of a LePage as governor; I fear we may have the same shameful experience with a Trump as president in our future.

Sam Kamin

Cumberland

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