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As with his less sophisticated followers, the sheer scale of the outrage Trump excites becomes for his apologists an argument in his favour: in the former case, because they despise those who despise Trump, and support whomever they despise; in the latter, out of a reflexive mistrust of media wisdom. But in either case, the result is a kind of nihilism: the worse that Trump behaves, and the more widely he is condemned for it, the more he cements his support.

But none of this would be possible were people not seeing in Trump what they want to see. They are carrying around in their heads an imagined version of him so vivid as to withstand every assault of fact.

One wants to ask these people: what is it you think you see in him? What do you suppose he stands for? Balancing the budget? But his tax plan would add $6 trillion to the debt over the next decade, while he stands four-square against any cuts to entitlement programs, which is to say most of the budget. Getting tough with America’s adversaries? But he is in the pocket of the Kremlin, an admirer of the Chinese dictatorship, a recruiting poster for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Beating back the forces of political correctness? But he is the best thing that ever happened to them, proof positive of everything every identity-politics zealot has ever preached about the unbridgeable divisions of race and gender.

Or perhaps you are one of those Republican dissenters who, while finding Trump personally objectionable, must ruefully concede his message finds an echo among a working-class base too long ignored by the party establishment. Fine. What is that message? Cracking down on illegal immigration? But he has been on every side of the issue, ending up at a position not far off Barack Obama’s. Raising taxes on the rich? But his tax-cut plan would benefit them most of all. Coming to terms with Obamacare? But he’s promised to replace it. With what, he hasn’t said, but still.

And so to his personal qualities. The candidate who tells it like it is? But he lies constantly. A successful businessman? The record is one of failure, bankruptcy and unpaid bills. A populist who will fight for the little guy against the elites? As Obama so trenchantly put it this week: Come on, man.

It’s no use. The actual man has long since been displaced by the fantasy. One might as well argue with the rain.