The 2016 presidential election was popularly framed as a contest between a human being and a machine. Hillary Clinton’s difficulty with spontaneity made her easy to portray as an automaton, a bloodless robot incapable of breaking script. Oh, how we laughed at her tedious recitations of statistics, her inexplicable interest in the minutiae of welfare policy.
Donald Trump was the polar opposite. His supporters revelled in his flamboyant ignorance, his raw aggression, and above all, his contempt for civility. Everything repulsive about him merely reinforced his “authenticity”. Even his critics interpreted Trump’s appeal this way. Yes, he may be arrogant, venal and full of shit – but he’s real.
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