I think

The story of Trump becoming President requires understanding how a man with very few of the characteristics that anyone might have listed as important for a top leader, ran a very toxic campaign branding all his opponents with negative nicknames, whose many character flaws were proudly on display won.

Remember when every sane person gasped when he said McCain was not a hero ... because he was captured? Remember how over the top his announcement was. Consider he had NO governmental experience, no military experience. His business career was actually not all that successful. What he was successful at was reality TV. He created a persona that told right wing people that they were right - and they agreed! Our media is so completely channeled to our side or theirs, that most of us (including me) did not think Trump was remotely likely to win - even as he gained more traction than I ever thought possible.

He is already in his downfall -- even without impeachment. No American President ever polled significantly below people like Putin and Xi. His support here is extremely low for a first year President and he already has 10 aides, appointees, and former aides are lawyering up - as is he. Even if the Republicans keep him from being impeached and removed - this is a down fall.

The question is how do we regain being a normal country!

Very thoughtful post

I actually once imagined that might happen with Reagan - a civic soul-searching for how an inexperienced low IQ ACTOR became President

Ah well

If hacking/cheating is proven to have altered results or voter rolls, then that will be the primary explanation.

of America, weakened our Democratic values.

He may - and I think will inevitably - go down in flames. But we will always hereafter have the doubts in our mind about whether our votes are being counted and we actually have a Democratic society. We may get good Presidents after him, but there will always be the people who remember that this guy used the Oval Office as a piggy bank, and think that's something to strive for.

IF democracy returns....

Not only will there be a massive amount of work needed to FIX & reinstate all of the deconstruction...
There will also need to be some very SERIOUS modifications made in order to prevent copy cat attempts ....

History will be written as a critique of which lessons were learned and which were not....
• campaign finance regulations
• candidate vetting / background checks etc
• election tabulation/ vote recording & tally procedures / machines/ personnel/ oversight mechanisms
• Vetting of administration appointees same as for elected & senate confirmed
• Regulations pertaining to Media classifications as being either 'News' or 'social /entertainment ' or 'promotional /propaganda'
• Reconsider Supreme Court term lengths... say 10 or 15yr terms w/unlimited consecutive terms allowed
Etc.

... in their private schools before being told that Trump the Great ushered in a period of salvation from liberals and a media that was dishonest except for the only news source that still survives, FOX News. Their robot teachers, invented by corporate owners with no help from their parasitic human laborers, will teach them about the great purge of the useless humans, although some of them are still hiding in the dead parts of the world... dead because their ancestors failed to heed the warnings from Trump the Great about CO2 emissions. The children will then be told to read chapters from their history book, a compilation from Ann Coulter and other great minds, that covers everything since the beginning around 6,000 years ago.

This is a coup.

We are in the midst of a coup.

While political scientists might focus on partisanship and political timelines, I have a sneaking suspicion that this conflict driven era has been driven by media. Geraldo Rivera, Morton Downey Jr., Rush Linbaugh, Gotcha coverage of celebrities, Cable news with it's angry and argumentative format.... The Gong Show, and Reality TV where viewers enjoy watching people being humiliated. And, of course social media. The election of the first black president, and the political rancor that ensued by design.

Trump as president is not simply political, though. I tend to think the fact that he is president is a cultural matter, and that the society we all live in, as well as the ugliness we tolerate produced him. We may not be remembered well. Actually, I hope we aren't because that may mean there has been some advancement in intellect and compassion.