You’re right.
Most Americans care a whole lot more about a candidates vision for the future than about how they got to where they are.
To borrow a bit of dialog from “Fargo” this past season which featured Reagan on the campaign trail in 1978, “He’s got a lot of charisma, I’ll give him that, but I’m not going to shake his hand”. “Why not?” “Because the man made a movie with a monkey - it wouldn’t be dignified”.
But when Reagan came past, the character above shook his hand and complimented him. Trump has the same kind of charisma that draws people to his side.
I will give Trump one thing: he can sure tickle a listeners ears. And most people like to have their ears tickled.
And a lot of people like vulgar. And Trump can be New York vulgar.
And Trump can tell the truth. And Trump can bear false witness. In the same speech. And moderates and weak conservatives can't tell the difference.
All they hear is that Trump has a vision of hope and change.