Matt Driscoll: For parents, finding hope in Trump vs. Clinton election isn’t easy

Last Friday night, slumped on my couch, overcome by a feeling that can only be described as mix of disgust, frustration and embarrassment for my country, I did what any decent product of the digital age would do.

I took to social media and tweeted a tweet. It was a very therapeutic 140 characters.

“I would like to take this opportunity to officially apologize to my 9-year-old daughter for the world we're leaving her. #Election2016”

The news that brought me to this low point has been discussed exhaustively since then: revelations that Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump, already no stranger to espousing dangerous and indefensible views, was recorded in 2005 on a hot mic while aboard an “Access Hollywood” bus brazenly bragging about actions that can only accurately be described as sexual assault.

Specifically, Trump regaled a goading Billy Bush with talk of how his fame allows him to do things to women — like grabbing them by the genitalia — that aren’t just uncouth, they’re illegal.

In the moment Friday night, my doom-and-gloom outlook from the couch seemed warranted. Whatever your feelings are about Hillary Clinton, this latest low for Trump’s candidacy felt monumental, which is remarkable in itself, given everything he’s said and done.

While I have no doubt that other candidates for office have said equally vile things through the years, this candidate, and the path he’s taken to reach this point — fearmongering and praying on insecurities, blatantly disregarding facts, mocking a reporter with a disability and the list goes on — has the distinct feeling of an unfortunate nadir.

And that depresses the heck out of me. Sure, we can have heated and even contentious debates about political policies — that would, in fact, be welcome — but the division this election has exposed feels like something much more dire.

And whatever happens in this year’s presidential election, it’s hard for me to see how all of this gets walked back gracefully to some sort of decency.

So, yes, I do fear for the world my kids will be left with.

Still, the reaction to my tweet was mixed. Many seem to feel similarly, or at least commiserate with the sentiment.

Others offered the obvious glass-half-full rebuttal:

“Why? I'm happy my daughter will grow up in a country she could be elected President of the United States.”

This is true, and perhaps it’s the optimistic tone about all the progress we’ve made that’s needed. In the face of Trump’s overwhelming darkness, maybe it’s appropriate that Democrats at the party’s convention in July tried to rally people around a common good in all of us, and how far we’ve come.

Which brings me back to my daughter, at 9 years old, experiencing the first presidential election of her lifetime that she’s old enough to appreciate.

As Sunday night rolled around, she was antsy for the second debate to get started. While she’s only in fourth grade, she’s clearly picked up on the importance of the political process. She seems to know what’s at stake and wants to be involved.

She wanted to watch. She was excited to watch.

But, knowing the subjects that would likely dominate the debate — Trump’s grabbing comments, as well as Bill Clinton’s infidelity and the history of accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior that hang over him — it gave my wife and me pause.

In the moment, I again wished we had a better example of democracy to offer her. I signaled that it was time for dinner, but we eventually gave in and watched the last half with her. I repeatedly found myself stammering things about this being a “very unusual” election.

For her sake, I hope I’m right.

After the kids went to bed, my wife and I were left to discuss the state of the race and the week’s news. There was no way Trump could be elected now, I said, given the remarks he made about women on that bus.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said. “I mean, roughly 37 percent of the country will still vote for him, but ...”

Perhaps I’ll work on finding a way to explain Trump’s remaining supporters to my daughter next.

And I’ll probably fail just as miserably.

This story was originally published October 12, 2016 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Matt Driscoll: For parents, finding hope in Trump vs. Clinton election isn’t easy."