General Discussion

Denial is a defense mechanism. A lot of people have this problem. They can't face up to the truth so they believe deceptively and lie to themselves and others--it's whatever makes them comfortable.

I'm not the best one to comment on this; we have DUers who have advanced degrees in psychology who could speak to it better. I did research it, though, because I was in a friendship situation where one of the three friends was lying to herself (and the other two friends) and it troubled me. It's very minor compared to what we get with trump, but here's what it was:

This person, who had a bit of a pot belly, was continuously telling the other two friends that she was doing great on her diet. She would even do this while munching on a bag of potato chips, expounding on her success straight to our faces. Chomp, chomp. "I'm able to get into some of my old clothes."

It's a rather crude defense mechanism. Not one that anyone who had even the slightest glimpse of insight would be able to use satisfactorily.