Dom Giordano Column: Why The FOP Picked Trump
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Fraternal Order of Police's endorsement of Donald Trump is important and an interesting breakthrough for a Republican candidate. It's not only that Trump not only appealed to the cops' sense of law and order but the sense they had that he would support their other needs. Other Republicans can learn from this.
John McNesby, the president of the Philadelphia FOP, told me at the Democratic National Convention that he was part of a select committee that would recommend whether or not to endorse a presidential candidate and if so which one to endorse. I had a sense then that there was a good chance that Trump would get the endorsement.
The select committee did recommend Trump and the FOP larger group voted universally to endorse Trump. I've seen the questions asked of the candidates and in the past Republicans have not met the FOP's needs on labor issues. I think that Trump did and I'm supportive of that. The police like the military need to know that we support them and their families.
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I'm told that Mrs. Clinton did not even answer the FOP survey questions. I think she was afraid that answers that were supportive of the police would anger Black Lives Matter. She is boxed in on this and as we see more attacks on police and more protests against police, Trump will benefit.
I think that in addition to Trump's positions on law and order issues and the labor issue, his personality and connection to blue-collar guys is much better than Republicans like Mitt Romney. This is the secret sauce that has really helped him.
It will be interesting to see how far the police push their support. If I were running, there is no endorsement I'd rather have.
