Americans, it’s time we ask ourselves a serious question. How deep into the gutter are we willing to let the Trumps drag us?
Some of my Facebook friends hit a new low over the weekend when they got into a heated debate over Ivanka Trump’s perfume.
It began when an obvious Donald Trump supporter posted this snarky bait:
"THANK YOU, HATERS: Ivanka Gets The Last Laugh, As Her Fragrance Hits #1 On Amazon!"
Apparently, Trump fans are claiming victory for taking Ivanka’s 3.4-oz eau de par fume to the top spot on the online retailer’s list of best-selling beauty items.
(Take that you liberal Nordstrom shoppers!)
My friend went on to thank the "haters" for encouraging Trump supporters to "even new levels of strength and fortitude."
Really, a $39.37 bottle of perfume did all that?
As the comments poured in, it became painfully obvious that this debate was about more than perfume. Ivanka’s virtue was in question.
Trump vowed to isolate family businesses, but they have seeped into White House Noah Bierman and Joseph Tanfani
Twenty-four hours before taking the oath of office, President Trump strutted into the presidential ballroom of the Trump International Hotel to toast congressional leaders, top donors and the people he had picked to fill out his Cabinet.
Trump joked that “a total genius must have built this place,”…
Twenty-four hours before taking the oath of office, President Trump strutted into the presidential ballroom of the Trump International Hotel to toast congressional leaders, top donors and the people he had picked to fill out his Cabinet.
Trump joked that “a total genius must have built this place,”…
(Noah Bierman and Joseph Tanfani)
Is she a "classy, intellectual, well-spoken" woman — traits Trump lovers evidently think she inherited from her dad? Or is she "a blonde liar" who tried to paint herself as a victim — another trait Trump haters suggested she might have picked up from her father?
It is probably unfair to begrudge Ivanka of her entrepreneurial prowess. We should applaud any successful young women who makes a name for herself in the competitive world of business, even if she happened to get a nudge from her billionaire dad.
But if we’re going to talk about virtue, let’s be honest. Ivanka’s a long way from flawless.
Last year, the Italian footwear company Aquazzura filed a federal lawsuit against Ivanka, claiming that her company stole its shoe designs. The suit accuses her of knocking off Aquazzura’s $785 "Wild Thing" heels with her "Hettie" sandals that sell for $145. (You might want to Google the two shoes and decide for yourself.)
In a counterclaim, Ivanka didn’t deny that the design was copied but argued that Aquazzura’s shoes aren’t subject to trademark protection because they’re "in the public domain." In other words, Ivanka apparently doesn’t see anything wrong with profiting from someone else’s work.
Trump family’s lavish lifestyle could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions over 4 years Drew Harwell, Amy Brittain, Jonathan O'Connell
On Friday, President Donald Trump and his entourage will jet for the third straight weekend to a working getaway at his oceanfront Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.
On Saturday, Trump’s sons Eric and Don Jr., with their Secret Service details in tow, will be nearly 8,000 miles away in the…
On Friday, President Donald Trump and his entourage will jet for the third straight weekend to a working getaway at his oceanfront Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.
On Saturday, Trump’s sons Eric and Don Jr., with their Secret Service details in tow, will be nearly 8,000 miles away in the…
(Drew Harwell, Amy Brittain, Jonathan O'Connell)
And what savvy businesswoman wouldn’t try to make the best of the free publicity that goes along with having a dad who’s the leader of the free world?
Remember when she tried to get people to go out and buy the blush pink sheath she wore when introducing her father at the Republican National Convention last summer?
The next day, she sent out a tweet telling folks to "shop Ivanka’s look" and included a link to the $138 dress at Macy’s.
And don’t forget when she appeared on 60 Minutes with her father and other family members in their first televised interview after the election. She made sure her gold and diamond bracelet got plenty of airtime.
And just in case the media missed the $10,800 piece of jewelry, her company sent out a "style alert" to journalists with the picture of Ivanka wearing her "favorite bangle from the Metropolis Collection" on the show.
In all honesty, it was the anti-Trump side that started this retail battle with its #grabyourwallet campaign urging shoppers to boycott stores that do business with the Trump family. Nordstrom was the first to announce that it would no longer carry Ivanka’s brand due to poor sales. Neiman Marcus followed.
Many upscale shoppers applauded the move. So Trump supporters, many of whom are working class, fought back by buying up her less expensive perfume on Amazon.
Meanwhile, as regular Americans are battling it out on social media, the billionaire Trumps just keep getting richer. That apparently doesn’t matter to Trump supporters who believe that he will make America great again.
In the product review section on Amazon, shoppers made it clear that their purchases are more about politics than perfume. If anybody has any doubt about that, just look at what Amazon says these customers also bought:
"Trump Success" eau de toilette spray for men, "Donald Trump The Fragrance" and "Trump Success" after-shave.
A suggested purchase — the Donald Trump-style blonde wig — apparently isn’t so popular, though. No one has posted any reviews.
dglanton@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @dahleeng
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