Now that the Republican and Democratic conventions are over, it’s plain to see that fear has become the driving force of the 2016 presidential election. Fear of ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks like we’ve seen in France, fear of Muslims and other “outsiders” somehow irrevocably altering “the American dream,” fear of guns or fear of guns being taken away, fear of “the other candidate” winning the presidency, and fear of the country’s theoretically declining greatness.
With fear on the brain, Uproxx asked DNC delegates and attendees about what they fear as we hurtle toward November. After we finished shooting, Hillary Clinton addressed the idea in her convention speech. She urged Americans to be “clear-eyed” about what’s to come. It echoed the sentiment of a button-wearing delegate who told me that he didn’t believe in “the politics of fear.” But for plenty of other Democrats, media pundits and protesters at the DNC, there were lots of things to feel frightened of.
Except for former President Bill Clinton’s possibly becoming the first First Gentleman. No one seemed to fear Bill the balloon lover. Per Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Bill “can’t wait to be First Gentleman.” So at least there’s that.