ABSTRACT
While Western European democracies have election seasons of 4–6 weeks, in the United States in 2016, it was 15 months. Our interminable campaigns are an essential element of our civic religion. Presidential candidates have political rallies that resemble revival meetings. Successful nominees frame their appeal in semi-religious terms: we are in dire straits and need a religious-type leader who can redeem us through their inspired personality. Trump played all these political cards well by denigrating existing officeholders and his Republican rivals, and then promised to Make America Great Again. He was aided by appealing to those most harmed by the 2008 Great Recession and who had yet to benefit from the end of this downturn. In a time of discontent and distrust, his own branding and denigrating others spoke to many who felt disenfranchised.
