I think it was desperation. The main way you can be lied to is if you WANT to believe......and the fact that most people in this country are raised in religions, where this is demanded of them, That is, belief without evidence, they again clung to the words they Wanted to hear. Life is overwhelming for many people, the fantasy of a sky fairy that will save you is a comfort, a coping option. It can be and is transferred to anyone...who says the right words. The same people fall for groupthinking and identity politics....I wonder where YOU learned to avoid these traps, because they sure did not teach us in school....