John Burton: Donald Trump is a ‘phenomenon’
John Burton, chairman of the California Democratic Party, has spent a lifetime in politics and still never seen anything like Donald Trump.
“He’s a phenomenon,” Burton, a former longtime state and federal lawmaker said after opening the state party convention Friday.
“He said it himself: He could shoot a guy on 5th Avenue and his vote goes up.”
Burton compared Trump, the businessman-turned GOP presidential frontrunner, to Huey Long, the populist former Louisiana governor and U.S. senator. And he predicted that California Democrats could benefit should Trump appear at the top of the ticket.
“I don’t know what he gives people,” he said.
“He sells people, not even a dream ... I don’t know. He sells them horse s--- and calls it chicken pot pie.”
Christopher Cadelago: 916-326-5538, @ccadelago
This story was originally published February 26, 2016 at 10:06 PM.