After such knowledge, what forgiveness?

What happens to the feelings, the mental health, the spiritual state of Trump voters when the circus tent comes crashing down -- as it will eventually, perhaps sooner rather than later? They will be exposed to the world as, at best, morons (at worst, vicious racists and misogynists). There will be no escaping from the knowledge that they were not only snookered into backing a disaster, but that the civilized world holds them in contempt. The Trump voter will forever be the Yahoo Laureate of Planet Earth. The shame and humiliation will be intense -- and will certainly be exacerbated by the we-told-you-sos from the media and the elites they thought they were defeating.

Where, then, do those feelings go? Is this the seed of shame that will, after some interval, grow into an American Reich? an American Al Qaeda?

Trump truly is a body blow to the American experiment -- one whose effect will not end when he is eventually gonged offstage. We may need some avatar of Lincoln and Mandela if we have any hope that government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.

Stop spreading the news

Frank Bruni had a brief period of lucidity, but seems to have reverted to his wonted gossip column vapidity.