to be one of hatred, greed and ignorance. Trump embodies those traits and yet we are surprised at his ascendancy over that party?

A xenophobic, racist, misogynistic, blowhard who denies the truth when it is presented to him in either black and white or living color, a man who can't be tasked to know immediately that alliance with the KKK is inherently wrong, a man who thrives on extolling the vastness of his wealth, who craves the spotlight and who seems to delight in crude and cruel expression, one who belittles and insults any with a differing opinion, a man who repeatedly calls for war crimes, torture, direct violations of constitutional law and silencing the press has moved to the head of the class; at least as far as the majority of voting republicans seem concerned. 

He is who they want. He's not an aberration, he's a reflection of their darkest fears and traits born from decades of pandering to the most base and selfish instincts from war hawking representatives padding the pockets of themselves and their cronies through war profiteering to trash jocks on right wing radio - constantly stoking the flames of rage and indignation against all that is "other".  And in the end this is where they find themselves.  This is what the party asked for, and now they've nowhere to turn.  They are all in on a demagogue; he is the realization of their path.  The face of Chris Christie on that podium was easy to laugh at, but should Trump win this election almost all of us will be wearing that same expression sometime in the future; wondering how we got to such a place and what can be done to end it.

Sure this is hyperbole, but when Trump is a serious candidate for President what else is left?