It astonishes me, although it shouldn't after listening to years of on-air pundits abuse simple English worlds in order to make their points. So it didn’t surprise me that phase one of the January 6 Select Committee hearings had some commentators using the word “hero” despite the fact that many of these Johnny- come- lately “heroes” had supported the lies of the former twice-impeached president for more than four years.

Author’s note: This article reflects my interview with John Dean about his and Bob Altemeyer’s book, Authoritarian Nightmare: Trump and His Followers prior to the 2020 Presidential Election. John provides a deep analysis, particularly timely during the January 6th Select Committee Hearings. This article was originally published in 2020, prior to the Presidential Election.