(This is not about Trump.)

I have the impression that many Republican-leaning people not just think Hillary Clinton would be a bad choice as president. Their views seem to go beyond “oh no, she really isn’t qualified for this”, or “I really disagree with these policies over there that she’s advocating”.

Instead, I often come away with the impression that many Republican-leaning people truly hate her. As in highly-emotionally, viscerally, deep-down, very personally hate her.

Q1: I’m puzzled why so many people get so emotionally riled up by Hillary. Could you help me understand?

Secondly, thinking back to the Democractic presidents for a number of years, I cannot help but notice that she isn’t exactly the first Democratic president/ial candidate that has caused, probably the same people, to feel strong, negative emotions. Perhaps she gets more of it, but certainly Obama gets it quite frequently, and Bill Clinton gets it to this day.

Q2: If so, it appears that perhaps it’s not Hillary who is being hated here, but it would be anybody who is the Democratic front runner. Or is there a counter-example I don’t see?

The best “explanations” that I’ve come across so far are all along the lines of “they are all so corrupt / sleazy / law-breaking / unfaithful / … and I hate that”. I accept that, but it appears there are plenty of other people in power or in the public eye, many of them respected members of the Republican party, who arguably are no more moral / upright / law-abiding / faithful / … and do not get that kind of visceral reaction.

Q3: I hope there is a better explanation than this. If so, can you tell me what it is?