–There has been talk about Trump pivoting to the center, which he surely will do if he effectively wraps up the nomination soon. He will portray himself as a non-ideological deal-maker (this will have the advantage of actually being true). But his brand as a toxic bomb-thrower has already been set, and there is ample video, tweets, etc. to back it up that will provide endless fodder for Democrats in the Fall if he’s the nominee.
–Maybe last night was a one-off. But it is much more likely that left-wing protestors will keep at it, and this will get even uglier and more intense as the campaign progresses.
–There has been well-founded doubt about whether Hillary Clinton, a grind of a campaigner, will be able to turn out President Obama’s so-called coalition of the ascendant that she needs to win in the Fall. A Trump nomination will erase almost all doubt on this score–he will be the best turn-out operation she could possibly hope for.
–There is no justification for a mob to disrupt a political rally, but, that said, Trump’s exhortations to rough up protesters have been shameful and thuggish. I’m glad that the other candidates are calling him on it. They should stand up for basic political norms and civility, even if a plurality of their own party doesn’t seem to care or want to hear it.