I just think we all distrust people and institutions much more than we once did. And we tend to think elites run everything and are looking out for themselves at our expense. Add it up and you get LOTS more conspiracy theorists.

Of course, with the last ads shipped and the last polls conducted, there'€™s not much to do but try to read the tea leaves. And from what Democrats are seeing, it doesn't look good. At all.

[Paul] Ryan won kudos both within his membership and the party base for not giving in.

I do think that even if the average person doesn't care, it IS a big deal. Like, it's been a foundational principle of our democracy for 240 years.

I think Mike Pence figured that best case scenario he is vice president and worst case scenario he can say he tried to rein Donald Trump in for the good of the party.

[Donald] Trump won fair and square! He got 13.3 million votes. He won all over the country. He won when the race was crowded and when it was a one on one against Ted Cruz. There's just no reasonable way to keep Trump from the nomination while insisting that the will of the Republican voter is being respected.

I am not convinced that means [Donald] Trump is a lock to be the next president but it does suggest that what he has tapped into is both lasting and powerful.