Confessions of a Never Trumper

I do not know when I first became aware of Donald Trump, possibly in the 90’s in glitzy photos, always with some “Trump brand” object large or small, building, plane, tie, wine, steak.  It could have been one of his divorces or affairs or when he took a full page add condemning the Central Park Five or his bankrupt Casino.  Maybe I was flipping through the channels and saw him on his TV show the Apprentice.  In every incident the same feeling came to me…. What an arrogant self-absorbed con-man/sleezeball.

When he started talking about running for President in the 90’s, I chuckled at the absurdity that anyone would fall for this egomaniac.  He changed his party affiliation from Republican to Independent to Democrat and back to Republican.  His “Birther Movement” was political genius that finally found traction over a large swath of angry voters in American.  From there he fed the flames on immigration, job stagnation and rust belt and coal country rot.  He fed the narrative of Christian Conservatives that they were the real victims of Liberalism.  Spreading fear of having guns confiscated, immigrant invasion, multiculterism and US global involvement.  He embraced Right to Life, I believe, because he saw the importance to Evangelicals and Catholics not because of any moral imperative.  

I began to wonder what my father, a Union man and factory worker would think or say about Donald Trump.  In my mind, he wouldn’t have liked him.  He had a well-developed bull-shit-o meter.  He was also a dyed in the wool Democrat.  He stood on the principles of honesty and his word was his contract, not to be broken.  He held us to the same high standards and was stingy with praise.  Dad would never tell somebody what he or she wanted to hear just to get what he wanted.  He was generous with his money even though we didn’t have a lot.  I never wondered if he loved us even though he rarely said it.  He was everything Trump is not.

When he famously came down the escalator and announced his bid to a mostly paid crowd, I was amused.  There was such a strong field of Republican candidates, I thought, this shouldn’t last long.  But it did, excruciatingly.  I had my favorites in the crowd.  I wanted to feel good, no matter who was elected.  I was not a fan of Hillary.  She had her faults.  Bernie’s Socialist agenda was popular with a minority.  One by one, the Republican candidates lost ground to Trump and his puffery, The Republican Convention rolled around and crowned him king.  His face glowed like the Harvest Moon with a wisp of cloud passing over the top.   I was suspicious when the Republican Platform on Ukraine and  Russia was changed at Trump’s request, less support for Ukraine and less criticism of Russia for invading Crimea was hard to understand, especially from Republicans.  It was odd and dark.  Then there was Trump asking Russia to go after Hillary and the Democrats and crowing about WikiLeaks.  

Still, no one believed he could win, including Trump himself.