To be clear, not defending one "side" or the other, just pulling a thread on the "without any politicized hysterics" line. Not sure how old you are, but look u

To be clear, not defending one "side" or the other, just pulling a thread on the "without any politicized hysterics" line. Not sure how old you are, but look up "hanging Chad". Gore didn't come out and say the 2000 election was stolen, but that was definitely part of the Zeitgeist on the left, and it did get pretty hysterical. Not to the level of 2020, but it was a level you only read about in history books Also, don't forget 2016 where Russian infiltration was the only acceptable explanation for why Trump won and not that half the population genuinely hated what the Democrats had to offer and were desperate for anyone different than the status quo in the aftermath of the uneven GFC recovery. There were definitely political hysterics then. Only difference between 2016 and 2020 was that the losing candidate didn't openly push the theory as forcefully in the aftermath of defeat. Luckily Obama won both his terms handily, otherwise similar controversies in 2008 and 2012 would have been likely.