Before James Comey’s reckless disclosure a little more than a week ago, it was clear that Trump’s most passionate supporters, goaded by him, would cry “rigged” if he lost. Now Clinton’s supporters are poised to do likewise if she’s defeated.
The arc of this election has been one of disillusionment, bending toward disarray. Trump’s initial window of opportunity was so many Americans’ belief that Washington, Wall Street and the media had been irredeemably corrupted by self-interested elites. More than a year later, the number of Americans gripped by such cynicism has undoubtedly grown.
How could it not? Consider what we’ve learned about the inner workings of the Democratic National Committee; about the ability of plutocrats like Trump to cheat the I.R.S.; about the fraudulence of his supposed philanthropy; about the disparity between Clinton’s private and public words; about the unprincipled avarice of her husband’s post-presidential days; about the shady interactions between newsrooms and campaign offices? The America on display in this election isn’t a fair or ethical place.
And it seethes with hate. Trump has certainly shown us that. His incendiary words and unconscionable silences gave a green light to bad actors who existed before him but were never so encouraged….
Frank Bruni, “Why This Election Terrifies Me”, The New York Times (6 November 2016), SR3.