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Chris Honoré: Is it possible Trump could win? Monday Sep 12, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Chris Honoré  Someone asked me this morning, “You don’t think Trump will win, do you?” I found myself hesitating, not immediately responding with, “Absolutely not!” Finally, I said, “I just can’t imagine — not if people are listening.” There’s been a litany of statements that Trump has made from his political podium that should give voters serious pause. But then again, I’m nudged constantly by uncertainty. This election has seemingly morphed into a surreal event and finding comfort regarding the outcome is elusive. Didn’t Trump recently say, “If she (Hillary) gets to pick her judges (regarding gun rights), there’s nothing we can do, folks.” He paused and then said, “Although the Second Amendment people — maybe there is, I don’t know.” It was a chilling moment. Didn’t he insist, repeatedly, that President Obama “founded ISIS”? Which somehow, weirdly, fits into his delegitimizing, born-in-Kenya-birther rant about our first African American president. And yet, the recent polls tell us that what was at the beginning of August a lead by Clinton of 7.6 points has narrowed to 4.3 points (according to RealClearPolitics). I took some comfort in reading that she still shows a lead in what is referred to as the “Battleground States,” (Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania) where the election will likely be decided. But all seems fraught with uncertainty. Clinton is, of course, still fighting a familiar battle regarding her unfavorables. Many people insist that they don’t trust her — she seems secretive, guarded, never forthcoming. But on balance she has spent decades standing under the klieg lights of public scrutiny, buffeted by rumors, innuendo, her private life public fodder. Her reflexive reluctance to be open regarding her emails (and the reason she installed a personal server) does make some sense. But, still, how to understand why the poll numbers wouldn’t reflect the fact that Trump has just gone dark in his most recent hires? First there was Paul Manafort, touted as the consummate campaign manager. Polished and poised and favored until it was discovered that there was a paper trail of $12.7 million, paid to him and his crew for services rendered to pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarchs. Manafort soon left. Team Trump then quickly hired Stephen Bannon, the former executive director of Breitbart News (a website news agency), to be his campaign’s CEO. Breitbart News mines the fringes of political discourse and has aligned itself with the likes of Roger J. Stone, who authored the book, “Clinton’s War on Women” wherein Stone reportedly accused Hillary of being a lesbian and shaming her husband’s female accusers. Breitbart/Bannon has circulated rumors about Clinton’s health (she lacks the physical and mental stamina to be president) while it’s suggested she has had “bizarre seizure episodes”, and uses a “feminist code,” calling it “Hillary’s special language.” The news agency has suggested that Khizr Khan, whose son was killed in Iraq, should blame Hillary; it has vilified Black Lives Matter; it described Muslims in the West as “ticking time bombs.” Bannon, it’s been reported, was charged with domestic violence stemming from a divorce. Also inside Team Trump’s tent, said to be serving in an advisory role, is Roger Ailes, the former chairman of Fox News who was ousted due to sexual harassment allegations, as well as David Bossie, the president of a conservative advocacy group, Citizens United, as deputy campaign manager. Citizens United has been linked by the Clinton campaign to the most extreme elements of the fringe right. Breitbart News has also been connected to what is referred to as the “alt-right,” meaning it is to the right of the right. It has been referred to as the voice of white supremacists and anti-Semites, and is, decidedly, nativist, meaning it is against multiculturalism, immigration, feminism and “political correctness.” Some refer to it as the home of those political trolls who weaponize Twitter/online responses, sent to those who have not joined them in going tribal. These are the people Trump has brought on board and who have, in effect, taken over the leadership of the Republican Party, as evidenced by his recent post-Mexico nativist speech. And still the polls narrow. The gap closes. What am I missing? Could Trump seriously win this election? Is there not one true thing? — Chris Honoré of Ashland is a Daily Tidings columnist.