The West
From Clinton’s Motorcade to Trump’s 2024 Vote
A former Clinton motorcade driver and lifelong Democrat shares why he left the party.
Michael J. Hout
Jan 20, 2025 - 11:44 AM
Jan 20, 2025 - 11:44 AM
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On November 5th, my vote was among those cast for Donald J. Trump for the first time in his three campaigns for president of the United States. From 2013 to 2016, I was an enthusiastic, engaged College Democrat.
In 2016, I served as a motorcade driver for Hillary Clinton during the final four months of her doomed campaign. I was at the first debate that year (mostly in the car), attended Clinton fundraisers on Martha’s Vineyard and throughout New England, and spent election night at the Javits Center, on a night that was shocking for nearly everyone. I stood thirty feet from the podium Clinton would never speak from.
Michael J. Hout with Hillary Clinton in 2016.
How the Democratic Party Lost Me
As I watched these cultural and ideological trends gain traction, my disillusionment with politics as a whole began to grow. I valued intellectual diversity and open debate, yet I found myself increasingly at odds with a party that seemed allergic to differing opinions. Witnessing how certain ideas became sacred within Democratic circles, particularly on college campuses, amplified my concerns. Moderate voices were often labeled as intolerant or outmoded, and the broader discourse seemed to discourage perfectly valid discussions about issues that were far from black-and-white. It became clear that the Democratic Party was no longer a place where someone like me belonged.
By 2020, I remained an Independent, uncertain of whom to support. For a time, I considered Howard Schultz, and even donated to Biden early on, but in the end, I couldn’t bring myself to support either major candidate. I wrote in a name that year, continuing to feel lost amid the shifting political tides.
Then came 2024. After a series of increasingly uninspiring and/or disappointing Democratic nominees—Obama, Clinton, Biden, and Harris—I found myself more inclined to support Trump. Biden’s presidency, in my view, had been a disaster; Harris, I was convinced, would be an even bigger one. Meanwhile, Trump was looking better and better with each successive candidate the Democratic Party put forward. I suspect many voters shared this sentiment. You may have disagreed with the entirety of Obama’s platform, but it is undeniable that he has significantly more raw political talent than Kamala Harris could ever hope to possess. I felt suspicious of her aversion to interviews or going off-script and unconvinced of her political bona fides. Who is Kamala Harris, really? I still don’t know.
The Cultural Shift
As I considered how I would vote this year, I realized that the issues that had concerned me in 2017 had only intensified. The cultural tides seemed to have receded; the general public no longer appeared as outraged about “white privilege,” “toxic masculinity,” “offensive” comedy, and so on as the Democratic Party continued to be. It felt as though the Democrats had grossly misjudged the sentiments of the American populace, relying heavily on abortion rights and anti-“fascism” rhetoric as their central messages.
Although Trump is a deeply polarizing figure, his willingness to challenge entrenched political norms is precisely what many find appealing about him. Where Democrats often seem to embrace what I see as out-of-touch elitism, Trump comes across as unfiltered, direct, and, frankly, rebellious. He calls out media bias openly, rejects politically correct language, and doesn’t cater to the usual political niceties. Even when he makes mistakes, his followers see him as someone willing to disrupt the establishment and speak candidly. This “outsider” status has made him a breath of fresh air to those disillusioned with both parties. Ultimately, Trump’s refusal to play by the standard rules of Washington marked a significant change from the kind of career politicians I had supported in the past.
One particular frustration of mine, even prior to supporting him, has been the broad-brush stereotype of Trump supporters as ignorant, bigoted, or blindly loyal. For most of us, the decision to support Trump isn’t rooted in extremism or a lack of awareness; it’s a deliberate choice, grounded in genuine concerns about the direction of the country. We don’t support him because we condone everything he says or does, but because we believe his policies align more closely with what we value. Many former Democrats, myself included, see Trump as the best available option for preserving freedoms, supporting the working and middle class, and challenging the increasingly authoritarian trends in the Democratic Party. Dismissing us as contrarians or opportunists entirely ignores the complexity of our decisions and dismisses a significant, concerned portion of the electorate.
The Only Real Choice in 2024
Over the past decade, popular media and social platforms have often seemed to dictate what is acceptable opinion, while dissent has been swiftly stigmatized. It was this shift—not just within politics, but within our broader culture—that made so many moderates, liberals, and independents feel alienated. Our society once encouraged dialogue and mutual understanding, but in this era, it has felt as though every topic is a minefield of potential offense. This change wasn’t gradual; it felt abrupt and left many of us questioning where we truly belong on the political spectrum. I believe many Americans continue to make similar deliberations.
Despite my decision to vote for Trump, I do desire a Democratic Party that can return to a more grounded and inclusive attitude. I’d love to see a Democratic candidate who champions intellectual diversity, respects free speech, and prioritizes practical solutions over divisive rhetoric. Rather than painting America as a nation deeply divided by immutable characteristics, they should emphasize shared values and focus on policies that benefit all Americans. A shift away from dogmatic ideological purity and toward a commitment to diverse perspectives would be a promising step. I think there’s a path for the party to reclaim past supporters, eventually, but it will require a shift away from what feels like academic theories over practical solutions.
Is it possible I might support a Democrat again? Perhaps, though not anytime soon. I do not loathe Democrats, these days, for being Democrats; I loathe them because I detest the path they have chosen to take, rejecting common sense in favor of uncommon nonsense. If they continue to talk down to ordinary Americans with the language of Berkeley sociology professors, they should, and likely will, continue to lose elections. For the good of America, I want a successful Trump administration; I also want a revolution of radical pragmatism within the Democratic Party for the same purpose.
Michael J. Hout
Editor-in-Chief | Liberty Affair
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