About That Trump-Russia Data Strategy . . .

So we've learned a few things recently.

1. Manafort's lawyers say that Mueller says that Manafort lied about his (Manafort's) hand-over of Trump insider polling data to a Russian. 
2. Phillip Bump of WaPo notes that, even though this is collusion (it may or may not be conspiracy--the criminal charge) there isn't any resounding evidence of a tip-top data targeting campaign by Russia. After all, he says, THIS is one of the most successful ads that ran in Michigan (and other places) just before the election.

He notes "Not exactly a strong exhortation to vote for Trump."

Or is it? Today we revisit THIS story:

Yes, a Texas county has an appointed long-time Republican, stand-up-guy doctor who was appointed vice chairman--and the county is holding a vote to remove him--because--and only because (explicitly) he is a Muslim.

It is possible that Team Trump know something (obvious) about the Trump-curious electorate that more refined pallets like Phillip Bump can't really allow themselves to know. 

Remember all the kerfuffle over Obama saying the words "Radical Islam"? Conservatives complained that we could not defeat that which we could not name! This, of course, was bullshit. Obama didn't say it because an American president invoking Islam--of any type--was a problem both abroad where Americans (and especially American presidents) are not trusted--and at home where . . .

Wait for it . . .

A certain segment of the population is darn certain that any Islam is Radical Islam. So when these guys see the graphic, how do they respond? 

"We don't want those terrorists coming in from those countries!" This was the genesis of Trump's shambolic Muslim-Ban (whatever it was, Rudy called it a Muslim Ban, so anyone who wants to quibble can call Rudy and do it with him). 

In other words? Not only was this an ad for Trump--for people in the target demographic--it was a brilliant one.