Robinson: Don’t succumb to complacency or defeat; just vote

Nothing concentrates the mind like a glimpse into the abyss.

To state the obvious, this is not a normal election. Democrats have nominated the first woman to head a major-party ticket, a controversial figure with vast experience who has been on the national stage for three decades. Republicans have nominated the worst candidate in modern history, a know-nothing narcissist who lies constantly, treats women like possessions and appeals not to the better angels of our nature but to the worst bigotry and resentment.

That has to be the bottom line: Who’s going to be sitting in the Oval Office, making the life-or-death decisions that come with being the most powerful individual on earth? Do you want a lifelong public servant with an encyclopedic grasp of the issues, or a buffoon guided only by his own prejudices?

The fact that more than 40 percent of voters will choose Trump anyway, regardless of his many disqualifying faults, is depressing but should not be defeating. Our political leaders will have the task of finding some way to knit the nation back together. But the immediate imperative is keeping our fate out of Trump’s hands.

Ideal: A Clinton landslide

In that sense, this election has never been about Clinton, her history, her husband or her emails. It has never even been about her many exceptional qualities or her legions of enthusiastic supporters, as evidenced by the fact that she won nearly 16 million votes in the primaries — about 2.5 million more than Trump. Tuesday’s vote is primarily about the fact that she stands between us and the grave risk of a Trump presidency.

Fortunately, most voters seem to understand. In the Real Clear Politics average of national polls, since the candidates wrapped up their nominations Trump has held a lead over Clinton for all of two days — July 29 and 30, when Trump was enjoying a boost following the Republican Convention. Since then, Clinton has held a clear lead — sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller, but uninterrupted.

The ideal outcome would be a Clinton landslide in which the country thoroughly and unambiguously rejected Trump and all that he stands for. The unfortunate outcome of Comey’s announcement may be to make this less likely. Before last week, Trump was flailing and his supporters were becoming demoralized as defeat seemed certain. Now Trump has a closing argument and the crowds at his rallies can dream once more of stunning the political world.

But those who want to see Clinton win and those who want to see Trump lose also should be newly energized and motivated. They have a clear advantage in support. They have a vastly superior get-out-the-vote operation. They have far more viable ways to assemble the necessary 270 electoral votes.

So stop obsessing. Breathe. And vote.