Michael Weiss writes: It was Philip Larkin, of all people, who once described the United States as two coasts separated by “vast deserts of bigotry” – not that the scabrous poet had ever bothered to visit and find out for himself.

Much has been written and said in the past week about metropolitan journalists espousing much the same wrinkled-nostril view of America and therefore failing to prepare the republic, and themselves, for the rise of a genital-grabbing demagogue to national prominence.

Liberal insularity and condescension towards “flyover country” and the white working class have given us the dreaded reality of President-elect Donald Trump.

Yet this argument, I think, misses a trick. Against all expectations, New York and Los Angeles have unleashed the false prophets upon the vast deserts. The bigots now come from the coasts.

Mr Trump has just hired, as his incoming White House strategist, his former campaign manager Steve Bannon, a man who in the 20th century might have been another object of the hatred and derision by the mob he incites and leads. [Continue reading…]