Padma Lakshmi calls Donald Trump a 'racist buffoon'

Image
Press Trust of India New York
Last Updated : Apr 07 2016 | 4:22 PM IST
"Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi says she would never vote for Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump from being elected.
"Even if he wasn't the racist buffoon that he is making himself out to be, I probably wouldn't vote for him," Lakshmi said.
"But as an immigrant, I obviously don't see his worldview as mine," she told Variety.
Lakshmi, 45, who moved from India to New York as a child, said she is particularly bothered by Trump's controversial views on immigration.
"We are a country of immigrants, so to say you should put a wall up or limit certain ethnicities is sort of antithetical to what this country is about," she said.
"He himself is an immigrant of immigrant decent. Unless you are from the Cherokee nation, your ancestors are immigrants so you may be an umpteenth generation immigrant but there you are, squatting on someone else's land."
The former wife of author Salman Rushdie noted that because she runs the women's health organisation, she has been paying close attention to Trump's recent comments on reproductive rights - specifically, that women receiving abortions should be punished.
"I think he is insane. I think he's blabbing, I don't think he really knows what he is saying, I am not even sure he really believes that a woman shouldn't have a right to choose. But I can only judge someone by what they say.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Apr 07 2016 | 4:22 PM IST

Next Story