THIS INAUGURATION IS A FRAUD

For decades, Hillary Clinton has been ridiculed for her sterling qualifications, her public service, and the indiscretions of her husband. When sensationalism and sexism conspire in the news, sleazy soundbites are amplified.

One key word is ‘projection’ — a tactic used to turn tables and malign the reputation of any challenger. Briefly defined, a bad actor blames his bad actions on an opponent. The bully belittles, berates, defames, and smears his adversary with such frequency and ferocity, the repetition of cheap shots creates a phantom reality. Horse and rider change places as projections turn an innocent person guilty and a guilty person innocent.

That Hillary chose to salvage her marriage is a personal and private choice (and none of our business). We may even argue that her forgiveness of Bill is a credit in her favor. Yet, we hold Lewd Gingrich, Rudely Giuliani, Snark Sanford, and Groper Don to a lower standard. All are infamous scoundrels untainted by their indiscretions.

Condemnations in the kangaroo court of public opinion. Suspicions and derisions. Witch hunts without merit. From Bill to Benghazi and beyond, Hillary has been blamed for misdeeds she never committed (but the taint of hearsay never goes away). “Crooked Hillary.” “Lock her up.” The words of a reprobate and Pawn of Putin confirm the double standard: American culture is steeped in misogyny and sexism.

How do partisan cheap shots stick glue-like in the minds of the public? Perhaps this tendency of people to react irrationally in binary terms: Tribe against tribe, us versus them, better him than her. Binary reasoning is the wellspring of bigotry, divisiveness, sexism, verbal abuse.

Repetitious soundbites build over time and play continuously in the mind like an old radio jingle. In American politics, this is how the mendacious and disputatious demagogue won.