‘Everything that we hold dear’: From race to plastic straws, Trump dials up culture wars in divisive play for 2020 votes

Washington Post logoGeorge W. Bush had “freedom fries,” Sarah Palin had the “Big Gulp” and Dan Quayle had the Hollywood portrayal of an unwed single mother named Murphy Brown.

For President Trump, it’s paper straws — the latest addition to an ever-growing list of cultural flash points his campaign is seeking to highlight as part of a base-focused reelection effort.

As cities and coffee chains across the country have adopted policies aimed at limiting environmental damage, the president’s campaign has targeted what it calls “liberal paper straws.” It’s selling a Trump-branded plastic version as a fundraising tool.

View the complete August 12 article by Toluse Olorunnipa and Ashley Parker on The Washington Post website here.