General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I believe it is correct to criticize Bernie when he disrespects my party. [View all]StevieM
(10,499 posts)means. And the reason why most party regulars did or did not like her at various points is because they followed the sentiments of the American people.
Hillary had fantastic poll numbers for many years. Politicians followed the polls, as they often do. It wasn't imaginable that the damage from the fake email scandal would be as bad as it was. And they certainly couldn't allow themselves to believe that Benghazi could be legitimately used to cause lasting damage.
2016 was not as much an anti-establishment year as 2008, or even 2012 when the Great Recession was dragging on. If it was then Trump would not have been facing such a major defeat had it not been for repeated efforts by the FBI to destroy the Democratic candidate.
When the state of the election flipped after the Comey intervention people took advantage of it to act like Trump had been racking up support all along and we just didn't see it until Election Day. The evidence clearly contradicts that IMO.