Gerry Mander’s excellent book Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television points out that we take in television as if it is real: we believe it in a way we do not believe either movies or books.

Another thing I have noticed is that I form attachments even to villains, on television shows.

Those two things together help explain why so many people actually believe that Trump is in any way shape or form qualified to even be considered a candidate for ANY public office. Except town crier. Or jester.