Why many Democrats find this presidential campaign uniquely unsettling

[andym]

How does America move forward when so many of our fellow citizens embrace a candidate and a message so fundamentally un-American?
Oct. 19, 2024, 3:00 AM PDT
By Michael A. Cohen, MSNBC Columnist
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/democratic-panic-kamala-harris-donald-trump-polls-rcna176170

"There is one question that dominates every political conversation and every group chat in Democratic enclaves across America, and it’s not “Will Kamala Harris win the election?” It’s “How is Donald Trump this close to winning?”

--snip-- [section that states Democrats worry more than Republicans]

Emotionally, however, this is hardly a satisfactory answer. For many Democrats, Trump’s continued viability as a presidential candidate speaks to something more fundamental and concerning: How can someone as odious and malignant as Trump maintain so much popular support?

It’s not just that Trump’s four years in office were defined by unimaginable incompetence, venality, chaos and cruelty. It’s not just that he is a convicted felon who spurred an insurrection and still refuses to accept the results of the 2020 election. It’s not just that many Democrats can’t comprehend why anyone would want to return to those days. The larger and more disquieting issue is the campaign Trump is running right now: one that is as vile and as openly racist as any campaign in perhaps all of American history — and that includes his previous runs for the White House.

--snip-- [read more of Mr. Cohen's arguments talking about how Trump is demonizing immigrants, minorities and opponents using fascist and NAZI rhetoric]

Even if Trump loses, he will still likely get 45%-47% of the popular vote. How does America move forward when so many of our fellow citizens embrace a candidate and a message so fundamentally un-American? Defeating Trump is obviously essential, but as this presidential election, like the two before it, has made clear, America is a very different place than many of us imagined."
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Trump's level of support to even 45% of the electorate is very bad news for the USA. How can this be rectified? A serious counter movement to MAGA is needed. Another question is how do some folks vote, based on very little actual information they possess, still able to disregard widespread knowledge of how vile Trump is as a person and how un-American are his proposals.