The Logic of the Trump Supporter

F LoBuono

Just when I thought I was out . . . they pull me back in!

I think that I know exactly how Michael Corleone in "The Godfather III" might have felt. Having just covered EVERY minute of both the RNC and DNC, I've been barraged by an seemingly endless tide of political rhetoric (I was going to say BULLSHIT, but I thought that impolite). It's making me (more) crazy! So, I thought that I'd give myself a break and leave that arena behind.

But, I can't. I just can't.

It happened again today. I was speaking with a neighbor about my experiences at the Conventions when he asked what I thought of both candidates. I answered honestly. Of course, I asked him his preference. With little hesitation, he answered "Trump". Then he qualified: "mostly because I don't trust Hillary". First, I pressed him on what he saw as a candidate in Mr. Trump. It was the standard GOP partly line, which is reinforced by the likes of Faux News, and goes mostly like this: "well, I don't like a LOT of what he says. But, I do like some of it". Of course, the some of it usually involves God, Guns, and Country. HE will make us safe again. HE will return us to "traditional values". Really. Next, I pressed him with simple logic: If you don't like A LOT of what he says, how can you support him at all? His answers at this point, as if the case with EVERY Trump supporter I have had this conversation with, lacked any coherent reasoning, AT ALL! They use much of the same bombastic rhetoric that is uttered by the man himself. It usually lacks ANY basis in fact or reason. It's ALL SOUND AND FURY, SIGNIFYING NOTHING!

It simply does not make any sense! But, then again, these people are showing their lack of AWARENESS by supporting a man who does not speak well, does not act properly, and shows an alarming lack of political savvy and basic human traits like compassion and empathy. What is so frightening about this is that it's not just HIM - it's THEM. He has given voice to the mobs' mentality of FEAR and LOATHING. Too many people have felt like him for too long. Now, they have a foil with which all can find VOICE for their petty prejudices and indiscretions. 

It's as despicable as it is terrifying. And, it is, sadly,  American.

At the Conventions, I had a number of deep conversations with some of the foreign correspondents. To a person, they ALL expressed their concerns, in the strongest terms possible, about the rise of Donald Trump and the possibility of his Presidency. Most ended the conversation with a quote from Winston Churchill: You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else. We can only hope, Sir Winston. Only hope. . .