King of the Illiterate

Yesterday, the New York Times ran an editorial supporting Hillary Clinton for President. 
Today, it ran an editorial itemizing why Donald Trump should not be President. 

I'm not sure who those people are out there who are so isolated from political discourse in this nation they have not made up their minds about Donald Trump. 

I sincerely hope anyone who hasn't made up his or her mind by now will not vote on November 8, because anyone who still cannot see through Mr. Trump has no business voting. You really have to wonder about the mind of a person who cannot see  through Mr. Trump. 

It's just not that difficult.

This morning, on NPR they interviewed a Trump supporter in Georgia, an auto mechanic who was proud his wife was a stay at home mother because that is the way you produce good children. Okay, so far. But then he mentioned he took down the Confederate flag because his kids' friends were "made uncomfortable by it," although he still has a full length portrait of Robert E. Lee hanging above his mantel in his living room and and he has joined a militia because if Hillary Clinton is elected, he foresees a civil war between patriots who will defend the Constitution (presumably the 2nd Amendment) and those of the power elites who want to destroy it.

So he is in that basket of deplorables. A 20th century head of state exhorted his people: Do not be guided by thinking. Think with your heart: It will never lead you wrong. 

But can there be enough of these predictable deplorables to elect a President in a country of 300,000,000 people?

There are people who get their news and entertainment from Rush Limbaugh and Fox News--we always knew that.

Cokie Roberts told a story about interviewing people after the Ronald Reagan/ Jimmy Carter debate. Ronald Reagan came across as funny, benign, congenial and that was enough to convince them that he would be a good alternative to Jimmy Carter, who had worn out his welcome.

My great fear is that Donald Trump can pull off the same trick. 

The man who exhorted people to think with their hearts did it.  He took off his brown shirt and Swastika arm band and dressed up in a respectable, conventional suit and walked with Hindenberg and looked safe for a day. Then he reverted to form. 

People see what they want to see.