I’m seeing some criticism of this story but I think it’s important. After all, the biggest q about Trumpers is: how can they support him despite him saying all these terrible things? Answer: they don’t believe he means it. Or say they don’t. www.nytimes.com/2024/10/14/u...
When the former president endorses violence and proposes using the government to attack his enemies, many of his supporters assume it’s just an act.
What I don't get: ok, so they don't think he will actually do all the fascist stuff. He is just saying it as a bit. Why would they want to elect someone to office who does fascism as a bit?
Nazis support fascism??? How revealing.
I will not resist the temptation to point out that these same people take everything Harris says literally.
plausible deniability allows him to ratchet up the newest atrocity -- he creates permission by providing reasons later (maybe it'll be an immigrant criminal or something) like jan 6 -- Trumpy folks were appalled until he conflated support for him with support for his coup
Something something leopards faces
If Trump had died in 2014 we would still have had 50M people in the US willing to vote for fascism, no matter who the standard-bearer was. The pump had been primed. Trump saw that and, having no morals, took advantage. They may not believe what he says but they know what he is, and they like it.
Relevant content: www.newyorker.com/cartoon/a20072
Or don’t cre. Or support it.
This is what they listened to. NYT could have linked to any number of similar clips, but didn't. x.com/mattyglesias...
I firmly believe they say that to cover themselves, but deep down they want the racism and bigotry.