The most gratifying responses I receive via email, telephone and old-fashioned letters are not from readers who agree with me, although those are appreciated. The ones I like most are from readers who do not support President Trump but say I’ve helped them better understand those who do.

“I read your column on the Washington Post’s op-ed page today, and I have been yearning to understand some things about support for Trump.”

“This liberal continues to want to better understand the perspective of the other side, in hope that the gulf in the American political landscape can be bridged, because it seems that the extreme polarization will not be tenable for long.”

“As a person who did not vote for Donald Trump and finds it frightening that so many of my fellow citizens chose to do so, I have been trying to get an understanding of his appeal.”

“Thank you for your article in the Washington Post. It addressed many questions that I, an ‘East Coast elite snowflake’ have had about the Trump supporters. We wonder if and why people still support this president.”