Today's MOZEN: Are You DEPLORABLE?

F LoBuono

Unfortunately for Hillary Rodham Clinton, it became one of the defining moments of her campaign for President in 2016 and could have conceivably cost Clinton that election - calling her opponent Donald J. Trump's most hardcore followers "a basket of deplorables".

Never a big fan of the Clintons for various reasons, I was still supporting Ms. Clinton over a candidate I saw not only as woefully inadequate for the position, but morally bankrupt, as well. Certainly, Ms. Clinton's qualifications and over-all approach to governing were far more satisfactory to me than Mr. Trump's. In my mind, I saw the choice between a supremely qualified woman vs a Reality TV show host as a no-brainer.

However, I also was aware that Mr. Trump was gaining traction, particularly with a certain segment of the population. At the same time, I had to acknowledge that Ms. Clinton was NOT connecting to many people in ways that her experience in government should have. In other words, Mr. Trump was firing up his base by telling them what they wanted to hear while Ms. Clinton was still struggling to elicit the same type of fanatical loyalty, particularly with those who had not yet committed to either candidate, i.e. Independent Voters.

Then it happened.

Ms. Clinton uttered the ill-advised comment: "basket of "deplorables."

I remember cringing when I heard it and thinking, she's referring to his hardcore minions, those who care little for his lack of experience, lying and moral failings. But, NOT all of the people thinking about voting for him are deplorable.  They are just looking for someone different. This will cost her with those people.

Those who struggled with connecting with Ms. Clinton would find even less in common with her now. It may have been true in the crux of its meaning but, was it politically expedient?

No, it was not. And, yes, it did cost her.

Even though Ms. Clinton won the popular vote, she lost the election. Perhaps, many of the people she alienated (and, she DID) with that comment provided the margin of victory to Mr. Trump. Certainly, it is debatable if they would have provided an insurmountable lead that even the Electoral College could not have erased.

Well, now I have to marvel how prescient her comment actually was.

After nearly 2 years in office, Mr. Trump's performance has lived down to my expectations. He is a bigoted, bellicose, bilious bore. He lies CONSTANTLY. His grasp on reality seems to be tenuous at best. His constantly erratic behavior has thrown the Federal Government into a state of chaos. His Foreign Policy has largely failed. His fight for a needless border wall has caused the Government to actually shut down. And, now, his attacks on a dead war hero (see John McCain) have exposed him to be the petty despot I always knew him to be.

So, I suppose that Ms. Clinton's description was ACCURATE. After everything I mentioned in the previous paragraph means nothing to you, than you are indeed DEPLORABLE. There is no other explanation or word to describe it.

In a recent CNN interview, I saw former Senator, Rick Santorum, parrot the GOP company line - well, he does say some crazy things like his criticism of John McCain, but you shouldn't listen to just what he says, we should support what he DOES.

REALLY?

What Mr. Santorum said, echoed by millions, is that what he said is MEANINGLESS. When he mocks a war hero (or, a disabled reporter - as he DID) or anyone that DARES oppose him, we should simply ignore it. Well, you are asking me to suspend my INTEGRITY for a PACK OF LIES and a BARRAGE OF INSULTS.

If you STILL think that way, my friends, then you earned the title: DEPLORABLE. You've sacrificed your soul for a good economy. If you continue to support this megalomaniac who doesn't have an authentic bone his body (his hair is fake, his teeth are fake, his very skin is fake), then you must take responsibility for the mess this President has created.