“Whatever” is The Donald’s response whenever or wherever he confronts something that he doesn’t like or understand. It’s a way out of taking a position: Does he support D.C. statehood? He’ll do “whatever is good for the District of Columbia.” (Whatever that is.)

It’s a way of ending discussion on a topic he can’t remember, or never knew in the first place. (“I stand by whatever I read.” Next.)

It’s a stand-alone, irritated dismissal. (Mr. Trump, what say you to the argument that most of your proposals are legally or politically or geophysically impossible? Whatever.)

Imagine a Marco Rubio or a Jeb Bush explaining that his position on Iran is to do whatever is terrific. It’s not simply that they couldn’t get away with it. It’s that it wouldn’t occur to them to try. And that’s the great disconnect of this current race. The conservative electorate is thrilling to a “whatever” moment just as it is finally getting the quality candidates and substantive debate it has spent years demanding.