In a new editorial on the pardoning of Joe Arpaio, The Arizona Republic, which has traditionally backed Republicans, writes:

He resurrected Arpaio’s rhetoric and made a hit on the national stage. He used Arpaio as a warm-up act during campaign rallies and modeled his own speeches on Arpaio’s rambling populist routine.

Many hoped the country would tire of this toxic folly – just as Arizona had.

After Trump was elected, many hoped he would abandon his habit of appealing to the worst instincts of disaffected white Americans who have been left behind by economic changes that had little to do with undocumented immigration.

Many hoped Trump would decide to become the president of all the people.

But Trump spent last week demonstrating that he wants to be president of the few.

By pardoning Arpaio, Trump made it clear that institutional racism is not just OK with him. It is a goal.

That should trouble every American who believes that our duty as a nation is to continue working on behalf of equal justice.