Looking at both this dialogue and some posters on this thread, it continues to frustrate me that many people are continuing on the line that Clinton lost only because of racism. As a Black American living in Florida from Brooklyn, I can't help but roll my eyes enough on this mantra. I can't tell you how many times I was dismissed or laughed at for suggesting that Clinton was not as strong a candidate as she promoted herself to be, or that Trump had a fair chance on this. There was a lot of arrogance on the left, and I think we still have not owned up to it.
To note, I have absolutely seen here in rural Florida how much prejudice and discrimination played in the minds of voters here. Not all of them, mind you, but it absolutely played a role in Trump's win here. The fact is, Clinton was never really able to convince voters that she was the custodian of their dreams and futures as a working-class president. For all of his faults, Sanders was able to convince regular folks that he had a background and legacy that showed them he was serious. A lot of people here in Florida were burned by decades of Democrats and Republicans promising to make their lives better, and doing little. This was the view for a lot of White voters, while Black voters like myself saw a lot of positive changes.
Another issue here is the fact that Liberals have not been able to sell their ideas. As comedian Jonathan Pie showed in his own reflection of the election, "the Left" lost the art of engaging in people. If you had a rural, Conservative Christian uncomfortable with gay marriage or political correctness, they were dismissed and insulted. I saw it personally, especially from university-level students and voters. As much as I vociferously disagree with them, you need to engage with these people and make your argument. Unlike a lot of Gaffers here, I don't have the luxury of living in a Blue state. I have to engage with Republicans and conservatives EVERY DAY, so it taught me the importance of understanding their background and patiently engaging them. It hasn't always worked, but we can respect each other and have different viewpoints. I managed to win over some hearts, but its tough work.
I still feel that a lot of Clinton people have not owned up to their faults, and simply blame white supremacy on a multifaceted issue. Personally, I voted for Clinton but had no enthusiasm or hope that she was going to do much. A lot of minority friends of mine in Miami, Tallahassee, Tampa, and Jacksonville either sat home or had to drag their feet voting for Clinton. Obama was able to personally touch persons in a way Clinton never did, and honestly, I never felt genuinely tried to do. Listening to Palmieri is also bewildering, given that Clinton spent so much time away from swing states as the election went on. Heck, even Obama threw a little bit of shade on that regarding how much he was in Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina and other swing states. There is a lot of work to do, but we do ourselves an injustice by simply throwing all the burden on people being racist, and them not being engaged or motivated to vote for their candidate.