The claim that people would like him if he was not a republican is one of the stupider pieces of cope they’ve come up with.

From their perspective, it makes sense. They hate Democrats because they're Democrats. And if one of them switches sides to become a Republican, they'll suddenly find excuses for them, forgive everything they've ever done, and support them no matter what.

They're so baked in tribalism that they can't understand disliking a politician for any other reason. So they think of course things would be reversed if he was part of the other tribe. They, of course, would instantly hate him if he became a Democrat.

It's also a self-report that they like him only because he's a republican.

For them, it is. So they assume it is for everyone.

It's more that these morons actually behave this way. They trust anyone with an "(R)" at the end of their name.

Well tbf, he got a stroke and basically that's how he turned conservative

Republicans aren't the root of every problem we're facing today, but I'd bet a lot of money that they're probably responsible for the majority of them.

He’s the archetype of the 80s movie developer who wants to tear down the old skate rink or whatever.

How the Hillary Clinton campaign deliberately “elevated” Donald Trump with its “pied piper” strategy

He only made it through the Republican primary because the Democrats helped him through it.

The punchline of the last decade has been how neoliberals and reactionaries within the liberal party laid the foundation for a Permanent Republican Majority. Even now, they're more interested in beating back an insurgent popular progressive movement than ousting fascists in their own backyards.

1. It puts legitimacy behind their statements. You are no longer discussing with an internet no-name weirdo, the person you are writing with has a name and face.
2. They weild authority in the field or bear respect assigned to them and are thus using it...or simply used to writing under their name due to that.
3. They're one of "I have nothing to hide" folks. And I don't mean surveilence apologists - I mean folk who have such weirdly strong ego (without being egoists. At least most of the time) that their belief in who they are is unshakeable. They tend to rawdog the world.

Some combination of the three above is most common in my perspective.

Quick reminder that a significant chunk of the MAGA base that isn’t wildly misinformed love him for exactly the reasons you just mentioned. Republican vitriol loves that he spews hated. They delight in how his policies make the right people hurt.

I would rather have George Bush back than more Trump. Not that I think he was any good at all.