They also happen to be afflicted with serious enough RAD (Attachment disorder) that they are exceedingly stubborn about being totally convinced that they are totally right and everyone else is wrong. There is no reasoning with them and no amount of evidence influences them to the least degree.
There's a list of things about Trump that are exceedingly positive and it is like somehow a wave of their hand makes that data disappear. Incredible. I don't know if they have been media lobotomized or what. Very curious.
President Trump has a past that could bothersome to some people, I know I was skeptical at first because I remembered him being in the news so much, I thought he was just a rich playboy.
He was also a democrat up until he threw his hat in the presidential ring. Add to that Mark Levin's tirades, and I can see where some conservatives can be against him still.
So, without intending to diss your friends, I'd say that although they are intelligent, they may not be able to think for themselves.
Note my comment which relates to people who appear to be intelligent and conservative (whatever that actually means now...) refusing to see the simple truth.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3694071/posts?page=939#939
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Progressivism is their religion. Virtue signaling is their sacrament. Part of their delusion is that this is rational.