Peggy Noonan's Dominican Friend, Cesar, Works at the Deli Counter
If there is anyone able to understand the vast and ever-changing cultural diversity of this sprawling nation of ours, it is elderly white Reaganite Peggy Noonan, who once met a Mexican. Now, mi amigos, she has met a Dominican as well.
In the past, America has turned to Peggy to learn how Latinas talk, and what life is like on the terrifyingly diverse streets of Brooklyn. As an upper class relic of 1980s conservatism, she just has a natural rapport with all types of people in this great nation of ours—which we call America, as did the Gipper. In her Wall Street Journal column today, Peggy does not simply opine on Donald Trump’s popularity; she goes out and finds out what the people think. She turns, of course, to her very, very close personal friend:
Something is going on, some tectonic plates are moving in interesting ways. My friend Cesar works the deli counter at my neighborhood grocery store. He is Dominican, an immigrant, early 50s, and listens most mornings to a local Hispanic radio station, La Mega, on 97.9 FM. Their morning show is the popular “El Vacilón de la Mañana,” and after the first GOP debate, Cesar told me, they opened the lines to call-ins, asking listeners (mostly Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican) for their impressions. More than half called in to say they were for Mr. Trump. Their praise, Cesar told me a few weeks ago, dumbfounded the hosts. I later spoke to one of them, who identified himself as D.J. New Era. He backed Cesar’s story. “We were very surprised,” at the Trump support, he said. Why? “It’s a Latin-based market!”
My friend—the one who works the deli counter at the grocery store. That guy loves me! Anyhow, he likes Trump. It really makes you think.
Two pounds of sliced turkey please, Cesar.
[Photo: Getty]