For the nominee of a major political party, Donald Trump didn’t have a lot of committed supporters. In fact, major factions of the GOP elite opposed his campaign. But there was a hardy band that stuck with him through the scandals and tweetstorms. Since Trump prizes loyalty above all else, this group stands to reap the rewards of his presidency.
Here’s a list of six winners for whom Election Night meant a big boost to their political fortunes long after they should have expired.
Putin ran the most successful effort by a foreign power to interfere with the American electoral process ever. The steady drip of leaks from Clinton’s emails was courtesy of Russian hackers, according to U.S. intelligence agencies. But not according to Trump, who claimed otherwise even while encouraging Russia’s hacking. It’s clear that Trump loves Putin, and Putin returns the favor. The Russian leader was quick to congratulate Trump, via telegram, calling for improved ties between the U.S. and Russia. Oddly, for a political party that was once the greatest foe of Putin and authoritarian Russian governments, Republicans will do nothing to punish this outlandish attack on American democracy.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Ok, so he’s not straight. But he still deserves a place on this list. The Facebook billionaire is no lover of democracy either, so he placed his bets on the candidate most likely to disrupt it. Even while most respectable figures were fleeing from Trump last month, Thiel doubled down with a $1.25 million donation and an incomprehensible defense of Trump at the National Press Club. In a statement, Thiel said Trump will need “all hands on deck” because “he has an awesomely difficult task, since it is long past time for us to face up to our country’s problems.”
The Religious Right
The family values leadership had no problem standing by Trump when he boasted about sexually assaulting women. Their focus has always been on the Supreme Court, and they will be rewarded for their loyalty. But they will hardly be satisfied with only that. “Our nation has an opportunity over the next 4 years to make freedom mean something again.” Family Research Council president Tony Perkins said in a tweet, suggesting the scope of the right’s ambitions.
Breitbart and other crackpot media sites
One thing this election proved was how much clout the mainstream media has lost. Lunacy works, and the Trump campaign proves it. Breitbart.com, with its endless promotion of Trump and crazy headlines, is a big winner. Its leader, Steve Bannon, take a leave from the site to act as the Trump campaign’s CEO. It’s not just Breitbart that wins. A slew of lesser known but influential sites, like Alex Jones’ Infowars, have all been Trump boosters and are now gloating about their candidate’s success. TrumpTV anyone? He could be the first American president to have his own propaganda arm–much like Putin does in Russia.
White nationalism was once a declining fringe belief. Not any more. “We’re the establishment now,” Richard Spencer, who has called for “peaceful ethnic cleansing,” tweeted. Trump regularly retweeted from alt-right accounts and adapted many of its themes, including anti-Semitism. It didn’t hurt that Breitbart (see above) served as the communications channel for alt-right ideas. Needless to say, the rise of white nationalism is not a good thing for us.
Yiannopoulos, the gay Breitbart troll who claims to be sexually attracted to Trump, turned up at the Trump victory party to lord it over the losers. “American progressives should be thanking their lucky stars that Donald Trump is the worst thing that happened, because you have been lying to and about people for decades,” he said. A Trump presidency gives Yiannopoulos a bigger platform from which to troll (and undoubtedly monetize).
IDoNotHaveToAgreeWithYou
Well democrats have done everything they can go villainize and force out whites the last few years. Did you think they weren’t going to take their votes with them?
Mo Bro
Such an easy oversimplification to refer to Trump voters as “angry white men.”
Were Obama’s supporters “angry black men”?
Were Hillary’s “angry white women?”
Nope. Lots of women, gays and other minorities were smart enough to see through Clinton’s corruption and the false promises of the Democrats.
joeyty
John Gallagher and Queerty’s simplistic fantasies. I suppose all the Asian doctors behind Trump were angry….Cinnamon Males ?
joeyty
@joeyty: Actually…only the Indians were the Angry Cinnamon males. Asians were Lemon Males. Angry or not. Straight or not. Queerty gets dopier and dopier or not ?
joeyty
And, when I think of some of the benign creatures I knew who voted for Trump (often just because they so distrusted the other side) I realize how contemptible John Gallagher is to write such a dishonest condemnation of voters like this and still not show his face or contact info.
Charlie in Charge
@IDoNotHaveToAgreeWithYou: Oh yes how we poor benighted white people have suffered under Obama! It’s simply been a nightmare for us all what with all! What a day of celebration this must be for you and the rest of the KKK as you celebrate the end of the unfair oppression of white folks.
joeyty
Trump visiting with Obama today. Cool. But I’ve been wondering if the White House might actually be too much of a step down if you’ve been living too wealthy for too long.
Hermes3X
That folks go to such great lengths to take offense at the phrase “Angry Straight White Male” is another reason Hillary lost. It is a colorful, but not inaccurate, description of Trumps base. Middle class, white males who have felt the pinch of the economy and are reasonably upset by it. While Obama has produced jobs, the income levels have flat lined for the last 10 years even though inflation and cost of living has risen. That equals a wage cut across the board. Many people are angry about that, among them is a vocal group of white men who voted for trump, some as a protest to the economy.
But of all-eligible-voters (AEV), they represent a minority. Trump created a coalition of radical fundamentalist evangelicals (who vote how their preacher tells them to) and “alt” right Nazis. But even that coalition isn’t close to a majority of (AEV).
If ALL-eligible-voters actually got off their ass and voted, then Hillary would be president elect and she would be working with a Democrat controlled house and senate. Angry Straight White Men didn’t vote Trump into office, they simply got off their collective asses and voted.
Of course, there was a very low turn out among black voters, who would have voted for Hillary, and young voters, who would have voted for Hillary. If anyone is to be given credit for Trumps win, it isn’t White Males, but young and black voters who chose to cast their vote for Trump by not showing up. But we can’t say that because it would be politically incorrect, and that is why the Democrats are f-ed.
The only power that Angry Straight White Males, and neo-Nazis and Anti-gays have is the power to stand up, go to the polling station and cast their vote. Unfortunately, that super power didn’t exist for enough of the Hillary supporters.
joeyty
@Hermes3X: No, credit should be given to Hillary for being a corrupt lying homophobe. Who the fuk wanted HER in office ? A lot of folks didn’t want Trump but knew she was worse.
joeyty
http://listverse.com/2016/09/23/10-dark-secrets-of-hillary-clinton/ Yet Queerty wanted HER in office ?????
1EqualityUSA
Often when one is close to dying it is not uncommon for the person to rally. It fools those on death-watch. Trump is surrounding himself with oddballs. After this circus leaves town, the GOP will succumb.
Stilinski26
Trump had more Latino and black votes than the Romney!and Milo is not white he is a Jew
IDoNotHaveToAgreeWithYou
@Charlie in Charge: You personally are responsible for Trump winning with that garbage right there. You and all the other drama queens that not only didn’t offer whites a reason to vote for the democrats, you made sure they had reason not to.
1EqualityUSA
The rust belt would have adored Obama were he not blocked at every turn by the do-nothing, GOP Congress with whom he dealt. They didn’t want a black man to be gloriously successful. What President Obama accomplished, despite their reindeer games, was amazing.
prober59
@joeyty: I actually read today that he may not want to reside there! That would be something. Lol
1EqualityUSA
The ghost of Lincoln is smiling.
joeyty
@prober59: Really ? THAT would be interesting. I think every President since John Adams lived there.
joeyty
@1EqualityUSA: LOL.
Bob LaBlah
It seems ironic but of all people the neocons are still not behind Trump. They did not support him before, during nor post election. Nor did ninety-seven percent of the governors across the country.
James Hart
@Hermes3X: By the way, a majority of Catholics voted for Trump and Catholics are NOT radical fundamentalist evangelicals; so did a majority of white women.
James Hart
@Stilinski26: Milo is Roman Catholic.
James Hart
@1EqualityUSA: And MOST of what Obama did will be UNDONE by Trump. 🙂
1EqualityUSA
Bin Laden is coming back?
joeyty
@James Hart: Indians (Hindus) too.
stadacona
Queerty calling another site…’crackpot’…priceless.
JessPH
At the least, millennials will now get to realize how terrible a Republican president is.
Brian
Straight-identifying men are far more sexy than gay- identifying men. All straight-identifying men can be seduced by another man. Start with a neck massage and nip at his neck for starters.
I love it that MHD (male homosexual desire) will now take precedence over gay.
We’re in for a new era. Dump gay and embrace MHD.
1EqualityUSA
Brian’s NOM talking points. Endless shrimp.
Kieran
An African-American expresses his feelings about Trump’s election:
https://youtu.be/xNbF9PI9Gjo?list=FLTtgRqjamnYx8wHNOqjcJpA
Alistair Wiseman
@1EqualityUSA:
Well, they have already realized how terrible a Democratic president is.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-11/inconvenient-truth-behind-donald-trumps-victory
Alistair Wiseman
@James Hart:
Well, they have already realized how terrible a Democratic president is.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-11/inconvenient-truth-behind-donald-trumps-victory
Stilinski26
@James Hart: He is of Jewish ethnicity
1EqualityUSA
Zero Hedge! Is that where you mine your gems, Alistair? Hahahahaha!
Zero Hedge has been characterized in the mainstream media as conspiratorial, anti-establishment and pessimistic,[3] occasionally producing misleading information.[4] Critics have alleged that the site “reliably peddles Russian propaganda”.[5] Former Zero Hedge writer Colin Lokey claimed he was pressured to frame issues in a way he felt was “disingenuous,” summarizing its political stances as “Russia=good. Obama=idiot. Bashar al-Assad=benevolent leader. John Kerry=dunce. Vladimir Putin=greatest leader in the history of statecraft.”[1] Purported Zero Hedge founder Daniel Ivandjiiski countered that Lokey could write “anything and everything he wanted directly without anyone writing over it.”[1]
Alistair Wiseman
@1EqualityUSA:
This article was not meant for you nor James Hart. It was for jessPH, but the reply button malfunctioned twice and chose you two. After two times, I gave up on trying to get it to the right person.
I noticed in typical liberal fashion you didn’t respond to the actual factual information of the piece. Too daunting?
“Zero Hedge has been characterized in the mainstream media….” Hahahahahah!!! As if I care about what the biased, lying, corrupt “mainstream media” has to say!!! Have you learned nothing!?!
1EqualityUSA
Zero Hedge! Hahahahaha!
1EqualityUSA
No one reads these Tripe Times articles you post, Alistair.
Kieran
An emotional African-American expresses his feelings about Trump’s election:
https://youtu.be/xNbF9PI9Gjo?list=FLTtgRqjamnYx8wHNOqjcJpA
1EqualityUSA
Dr. Harold Bornstein, Trump’s gastroenterologist, is likely prescribing Pepcid to his patient. (Buy stock in antacids, people.)