At the Fullerton Public Library (FPL) on November 18, four local political scientists discussed what happened in the recent election: Matt Jarvis, Robert Robinson, Scott Spitzer from CSUF, and Jodi Balma from FCC (she knows more about politics in OC than almost anyone).

I did not take notes because I was not covering this for the Observer. I went to hear what my former colleagues had to say. They are more knowledgeable about political matters than I am, as that is their profession, while I no longer engage in it. Without notes, what follows is mainly my impression of the evening. The 50 or so people who attended heard about all the major factors that affected the election: the issues, the candidates’ strengths and weaknesses, the mood of the country, the strategies, turnout, etc.

And yet there seemed to be a feeling of uncertainty among some of the panelists about why what just happened just happened. In other words, they knew what elements were at play in the election but were not always sure how to weigh them. Some key questions were: Were issues more important than performance? Were perceptions more important than reality?

Why did perceptions diverge from reality? The simplest answer to what just happened is that it’s complicated. Indeed. And they did a good job of trying to untangle those complications. While they agreed that inflation and immigration were the key issues, they also agreed that there are some things we may never understand:

• How is it that Trump can commit so many indiscretions that would have sunk any candidate a few years ago and still get elected? Have we entered a new era where any candidate can lie, cheat, and steal and still be successful, or is Trump sui generis and not to be judged by the standards of mere mortals?
• Did Trump win, or did Harris lose? Why did Harris get fewer votes in this election than Biden did in 2020? Why was turnout down? Why did Harris have trouble connecting with voters and getting her message across? Would she have done better if she had more time to campaign?
• Why are voters so dissatisfied when, by long-used measures, the economy is doing well and inflation is subsiding?

These questions were addressed if not resolved. And more: what role did sexism and racism play; would the Democratic Party have done better if there had been a process to select the candidate rather than an uncontested appointment; why didn’t Biden do a better job of selling the many policy successes of his administration; why are so many people so dissatisfied with the state of the nation?

There are no easy answers to some of these questions, but one clear answer was provided by a disgruntled Trump supporter in the audience: he was not happy with the direction the country was headed, and it was Biden’s fault. He additionally felt that Harris got the nomination only because she was Black, not because of her qualifications. More important, he wanted a strong leader to get us back on track.

If nothing else, Trump portrays strength, even if, at times, it is the strength of a bully. He has certainty in his beliefs. He latches onto red-meat issues and has the​ answers. He, and he alone, can make America great again. And for a couple of years, he dominated the media and the internet, exuding strength and knowing what must be done, while the White House was strangely quiet. And when Harris became the nominee, she was far too tentative about what she thought and what she would do.

Not to simplify things – it is still complicated – but there are many who share the feelings of the Trump supporter in the audience: that the country – or their own lives—are headed in the wrong direction and a strong leader is needed to right the course. Also, there are many who have “Trumpnesia,” forgetting how things were four years ago. Harris did not exude strength, and neither she nor Biden were able to get a positive message across. Abortion and the fear of fascism were not effective issues to counter economic perceptions and the cost of eggs.

It is still complicated, but the panelists at the FPL presented the known facts, and while their interpretations might not be the same as mine, they gave the audience a lot to think about, once again showing the value of our public library in our community.