There might be element of "strategic manoeuvring" here. Some people stake a position further out than their genuine views because they are trying to influence people's behaviour. I find myself doing it occasionally albeit not consciously. It's essentially related to the negotiation strategy of starting with a low offer so you've got room to move towards your real price.

Related: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window

Forgive me, but I don't think that your comparison holds any water. I don't think anyone would begin a salary negotiation by comparing their co-workers to a group that committed the most horrific genocide in human history.

It's simply a cheap tactic that is used in an attempt to de-legitimize opposing viewpoints and end conversations.

Nazi symphathizer is what a few of my friends think.

And the third of Americans that support him... are just idiots.

My friends and colleagues are more mellow than yours I guess.

Well, that might be because, you know, Trump himself took an apologetic stance when it came to a large neo-Nazi rally that happened during his Presidency...

> Trump is very very different from a mainstream Republican.

The key part of merpnderp's quote is "or agrees with any of his policies". There are tons things that are perceived as "Trump's policies" (and some are in fact his policies) that are just mainstream Republican policies. Just don't confuse "policies" with rhetoric, because in the case of Trump he says one thing and does another all the time. Of course it's a bit odd to me that people who think he's a pathological liar (a viewpoint I can totally understand!) always act surprised when his words don't match his actions...