So first off I'm not american, I have no skin in the game so to speak. Every 4 or so years the US elections are always interesting given the high stakes and the passion most Americans appear to feel for their chosen candidates.
When George Bush was elected I think the reaction from Europeans was surprise, but that was just because he leaned far more to the right than most of our politicians at home. It was surprise that someone could win with those ideologies but of course America isn't Europe and I'm sure lots that happens here seems weird to other nations.
What is really hard to understand is why anyone paying attention would vote for Trump. He seems to be unclear on most of his plans, and those that he is clear on appear to be really hard on lower income families while benefiting the already wealthy. When you throw in all of the legal threats, treatment of those in the media, incitement of groups to violence etc on top of what should be unpopular policies then its pretty surprising that he has any support at all.
Now I get that, on some level, voters can rationalize away minor issues and get behind a strong leader with a big following but how does anyone justify voting for someone that can do this:
Here is the most important thing to understand about everything you have seen/heard so far: nobody has EVER voted for Trump.
EVER.
Every single thing you have heard for the last year about delegates, superdelegates, who "won" which state, etc, is total horseshit.
What has happened, is that a bunch of people who are seriously invested in the political process - but only account for about 0.02% of the US population - have stood up and said, "When it comes time to vote, I am going to vote for X person."
Now, there are two interesting votes: At each party's convention, where the people who show up get to decide which name they are going to put up for their candidate for President.
And then the real vote, on November 8th, when ALL Americans can go to their polling station and vote... but only about 22-27% of them actually do.
So all the "news" about "Sanders won X state" or "Trump won Y state" means that a tiny number of people - less than 100, in most cases - said that, at the Democratic Convention or the Republican Convention, when they get called on, they will vote for Sanders, or Trump, or whoever.
But they did not sign anything. They did not commit to that position. They can change their minds right up until the moment they raise their hand and have their vote counted at the Convention.
Which, again, only decides who is going to get the R next to their name, and who is going to get the D next to their name.
Then, when I walk into my polling place on November 8th, I will put a check mark next to one of those names. (Or I may choose any one of the other 6 or 8 people who may be listed there who the media have NEVER talked to, and are running for the Communist Party, or the Green Party, or the Truth and Liberty Party, or whoever. Or I can write in "Gary Busey", if I want to.)
So remember... NOBODY has EVER voted for Trump. EVER. He has never held political office. He has never been on a ballot. The first time he ever would be, is on November 8th, 2016. If he makes it that far.
The media wants to create a dramatic story. In the past, they never even mentioned either party until the Conventions, because there isn't any actual news until then. Nowadays, they have found a way to drum up vitriol and fantasy out of, quite literally, nothing.
Don't be sucked in.