Like millions of others, I was shocked and deeply disappointed that electoral votes only determined the winner of the presidential election. Letters to the Leader since then have offered some local perspective. The most disturbing was from Steve Crosby, who said: “A stupefying delusion exists in the media echo a delusion exists in the media echo chamber that Trump is a racist and white supremacist. There are two sources for this delusion: ignorance and malice.”

There is no delusion, no ignorance and no malice. The proof of this is Trump himself. The media did not make him what he is – he has illustrated it over and over in his own words, in his own actions. What you see and what you hear is what you get. To further confirm this, he is filling his administration with like-minded cabinet members who directly share his frightening agenda.

Another reader said lies were spread about Trump, and Hillary’s “scandals” ignored. The exact opposite was true, spawning thousands of fruitless hours and millions of dollars to turn up nothing. Our so-called “highly flawed” candidate has won the popular vote by 2 million votes, and counting. That is not a small margin by anyone’s standards, and it does not give Trump a mandate. Hopefully there will be a recount on several states, and the true numbers and truth about other efforts to suppress the vote can be presented. Revisiting our opposing opinions is academic at this point. The real proof will now be how a hateful and bigoted candidate can possibly be a wise and compassionate leader.

NANCY MANN

Port Townsend