I don’t like the word tolerance, because that’s kind of “tolerate,” [or] “put up with.” But [I think we need to] respect what they are thinking about, and try to find out why. This morning I was very tempted in the airport. These two women came up to me and one had their picture taken with me, and they had Trump buttons on. I thought, “Okay, we should have a discussion.” Then I thought, “It’s too early in the morning.” But I do think that what we need to do is find out what has motivated the people, and not just kind of put up with them.

I don’t know if there’s any set cycle, but there clearly are moments where democracy is stronger and democracy is weaker. It’s interesting because I’ve been saying two words that actually could appear contradictory. One is that democracy is fragile, and the other that democracy is resilient. I think both are true, and you don’t just kind of have [democracy] by virtue of saying, “I want democracy.” It does take work.

I do think [people must] feel that they’re participating in the democracy. I happen to think that what’s going on now [politically in the U.S.] is the social contract is broken. That people … gave up individual rights, in order to be protected by a government. What’s happened is both sides are not fulfilling their responsibilities. I do think there’s a cycle, I don’t know whether its cycles — or up and downs — but it does require work.