I believe Trump initially though it was a joke.

I don't know if he did, but the Republican Party certainly did. Don't know if anyone has noticed, but the established Republican Party does not really like Trump. They just let him run out of total overconfidence in 1) their ability to dismiss him early and 2) they would win the White House with ease. In fact, the overconfidence of the party is to blame for a lot of the rollercoaster that was this election. With the Syria and ISIL fiascos and the rapid decay of Obamacare hanging over the established administration, the Republican Party had very good odds of winning. Knowing this they became so careless and cocky, I mean just look at the primaries! While the Democrats carefully tried to pick who they thought was most electable, the Republicans let any chancer have a go because screw it, the White House was a shoe in anyway. They had TWELVE candidates in the Primaries. TWELVE.

I think we're all surprised tbh. I thought Hillary was a garuntee despite not liking her.

After the Governator? Nonotreally.

Of course he ran as a publicity stunt. It was always about making Trump great. Trump is a brand, nothing more. Electing him as President is like electing Coca Cola or McDonalds as president. His whole short lived presidency will be about him...or his brand. A sad period in American history.
What's ironic is that if he somehow manages to stay in office for eight years, he might actually be president when China takes the lead in the world (it will happen eventually, and that's nothing we can blame on Trump). But what a legacy it would be for the Trump brand to always be remembered as the first American president to lose the title as the worlds mightiest man.

Nope. He's been talking about doing it for about 30 years now. He's waffled on a few social issues over time, but his core message has been the same since at least the first Bush administration.

I didn't really take him seriously, but I never doubted that he was serious.

Indeed, but in retrospect Hilary made a lot of bad moves.

Like being corrupt, lying, lying to cover up lying, wanting to continue the policies of president much of the country hates, too much hobnobbing with celebrites, shameless pandering to minorities, selecting a douche for vice president because he spoke spanish, attacking voters for not supporting her, etc. She left this election looking vile.

I believe South Park described Trump's candidacy best. Anyone who's seen the last few episodes will know what I'm talking about.

Trump made the same moves. You can't accuse Hillary of lying when Trump would contradict himself with everything he said to the point that the interviewers would call him out and he would flat out deny having said that.

Trump did a lot of pandering to minorities, let's not kid ourselves. And as if Trump's VP wasn't a bigger douche. One who would deny Trump said what he said. They didn't even have proper communication.

If anyone who should be accused of attacking voters, it's Trump. Let's be real.

Trump won simply because idiocracy is on the rise. You don't win with arguments any more. It's all about the "sick burn, bruh".

Trump has been serious about wanting to take the reins and fix America for years. I never had any doubt he was 100% making a run at the white house. What surprised me was that he was actually able to over throw the norm. Many successful Americans have tried to take their skills to Washington through the years, but very few have been successful.

Now that he has been elected, I think he is going to take it even more seriously. He has to prove that you don't have to be a royal family to run the country. I hope he can open the door, to more successful people from other backgrounds to making it to commander and chief. There may be hope for America still.

A debt free, profitable, and united America is something I hope to see in my life time.