Republican strategists focused on “nice” and “friendly” aesthetics to make Trump win

I don’t… this is so far removed from my experiences that I’m confused. I see that Trump supporters like that Trump is an aggressive, foul-mouthed bully. His supporters found it appealing that he isn’t a run-of-the-mill placating, conciliatory politician that Washington tends to produce; he wields whatever leverage he has like a barbed-wire baseball bat and calls it negotiating. Anyway.

The rest of your post I think I agree with.