From the Preface

For me, the transformation begins nearly a decade ago, when somebody asked me to name my favorite public servant. “Hillary Clinton,” I said, without even thinking. I admired her that much.

Today, the very mention of her name turns my stomach. I ask myself, how could I have admired that woman so much, knowing all the things she’s done, the lies she’s told, and how she has sold out our country so utterly?

But the truth of the matter is, the media told me to admire her, and as a feminist “true believer,” I had no way of knowing any better.

In this, I was no different than so many other women, and men. Our perceptions of public figures are normally shaped by information that is made available to the public. Since the media portrayed Hillary Clinton as a role model for women, my own personal perception followed suit.

Sadly, just as my admiration for Hillary Clinton came crashing down during the 2016 U.S. Presidential campaign, so did my idealistic beliefs about so many other well-respected political leaders, celebrities, and influencers in contemporary American public life.

While many have suffered such a downfall, it is especially disheartening to learn that the people who were supposed to be good, have turned out to be totally evil, preying on innocent victims until they are absolutely forced by the spotlight to stop.

In this bleak landscape, the shining bright spot and ray of hope has been the candidacy and Presidency of Donald J. Trump. The candidate, and then the President, stepped full-footed into an environment of rampant disillusionment, distrust, and disdain for public figures of all kinds.