Sometimes I watch at least portions of Trump's rallies. His anti-intellectualism and anti-elite rhetoric is very noticeable. I assume, maybe incorrectly, that the supporters attending these rallies are the core of the core where his followers are concerned. I mean, this is not a bright man they are listening to, he rambles on stupidly, he spits out lie after lie, and they in turn keep chanting "lock her up". The Q or QAnon tee shirts and signs show many of these rally attendees are irrational conspiracy believers, every bit as much as Trump himself. These are people who are part of a cult of personality. For these followers it's likely true that he could shoot somebody in the street, and they would not walk away from that cult.
I think we should also keep in mind the extent to which Trump helps promote alternative reality conspiracy theories, repeats "fake news!!" until it's a mantra, and helps create a mental/emotional anti-liberal hatred that is an integral part of this cult. When you see him describe, as he did the other day, an interpretation of midterm elections in which his fearmongering includes warnings of extreme violence by his opposition, should they win, this too is crafting that alternative reality in which he is the victim. The victim of elites, the victim of "fake news" media, the victim of an evil Deep State. The Democrats become the enemy of America in this worldview. He didn't invent the attitude of tribalism that has both liberal and conservative seeing the other side as the enemy, but he has done more then anyone to make this an attitude near impossible to escape from by now.
Repeat a lie often enough, and quite a few will believe it. Nobody knows that better then Trump. He's created this cult right in front of our eyes, in plain view. So, especially at his rallies, I see a lot of really irrational people, who are so absorbed into this cult, there is simply no way they will ever see the demise of Trump, via impeachment or ballot box, as anything but part of a vast conspiracy of the Deep State, with Democratic-run pediphile rings thrown in for good measure. These are not rational people. And neither is Trump. And he is not a good candidate for good decision making the more like a cornered animal he becomes.
It's almost like the core of his supporters, represented by the attendees of his rallies, will need deprogramming strategies to erase the foundations of the conspiracy, fear mongering, alternative, looney tune reality in which they live. That will be one tough nut to crack once Trump is gone. And he is not going to go quietly into the night.
So maybe these Trump rally attendees are a real minority among his supporters. But they are the ones he enjoys appealing to the most. They are the ones whose adulation he seeks out. And he sure doesn't appeal to their rational minds. And they sure act like it's the looney tunes he sings that most appeal to them.
