Election: I empathize with crestfallen Trump voters

Saturday was a happy day for this Democrat. I was elated that my candidate was projected to be the next president of the United States.

Then I watched “Saturday Night Live” and something that host Dave Chappelle said struck a nerve. Seventy million people in my country were not happy that their candidate lost.

It made me recall my feelings four years ago when my candidate lost. It was like a gut punch. I never got over it.

There are 70 million fellow Americans feeling now like I did then. Some are very close friends and family who I love and respect.

I do not understand how they could support such a person to be the leader of the free world, but I do not understand calculus either. Yet I know it exists.

These friends and family are all sane, reasonable people who have well thought out reasons for supporting their candidate.

If we are to close the deep divide in our country, we need to understand and respect all opinions. If not, the gut punch will not go away.

This story was originally published November 10, 2020 at 12:09 PM with the headline "Election: I empathize with crestfallen Trump voters."