Read The Best Democracy Money Can Buy by Greg Palast for the combination of machine and human manipulation to create this current governing travesty.  A cabal of Republican Governors and legislatues in key states practiced voter purging and outright denial of voting rights to key humans all funded by the new Corporate Citizens created by the traitorous Scalia Court.  Despots throughout history have gained power through manipulation of the populaces through propaganda.  Religions were the earliest purveyors of fear and fantastical mythology to convince the illiterate populations to follow or be condemned to eternal damnation.  If they still didn't believe, a little torture inquisition put the final fear in place.  The traitorous Republican conspirators set up the system but got out-maneuvered by the Reality Prince of Darkness to hijack the nomination.  The nomination was destined to be another Bush, but the unleashing of fascist dogma inherent to win was won by the wrong guy.