1. There's a consistent belief among some liberals & Never Trump conservatives that if challenged by figures of demonstrable patriotism, public service & heroism, Trump's followers will (or should) desert him. But that repeatedly hasn't happened. Why?
2. I think the mistake people are making is thinking that right-wing nationalism is about devotion to the country as a whole & to military service. Rather, it's devotion to the rule of a particular faction over the country.
3. The right believes that they are the nation, the true nation. So any soldier, no matter how demonstrably patriotic or heroic, who challenges them is an enemy of the nation. Hence Joseph McCarthy's attack on Marshall, swift boating of John Kerry, Trump's rubbishing of McCain.
4. Some more thoughts on why patriotism doesn't trump partisanship: thenation.com/article/trump-…
