In the press conference on the afternoon of the false alert, the governor and one other guy said the alert button (really, a mouse click) has to be done twice. Do it once and it says “do you really want to send this alert?” and you have to click it again. The press then asked, “ok, how did it happen, then?” They replied that they didn’t know but were going to find out. (I saw this in real time) It weren’t no accident, imho.
But clicking it again would be reflex wouldn't it? The guy would be thinking that he was sending the TEST alert, that he was intending.
I think we all have the experience of blowing off warnings, because we think ( usually correctly, ) that we "know better."
... Of course, this doesn't excuse anything! How did it come about that this poor sap was put on the spot like this?
I have, not a theory but an idea of how the whole general tenor and mood of the "Get Trump" ambience can lead to this sort of thing, even if none of actual actors is conscious of it. Whether there is some master manipulator behind the whole thing, I couldn't say. I remain doubtful, but intrigued.