The common wisdom is that the public just isn’t all that excited about the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. But surveys would say the opposite: her supporters rank among the most enthusiastic in this election year, more enthusiastic than the enthusiastic throngs that show up at Bernie Sanders rallies. That’s a big disconnect.

In survey after survey, the American people rank Hillary Clinton at the bottom as far as “honest” and “trustworthy.” But if you ignore the gut reaction of the voters and look to the professionals who are tasked with fact-checking this current crop of candidates, the one who stands out head and shoulders above the rest where “truth” and “honesty” are concerned is – Hillary Clinton. More honest than Bernie Sanders. Certainly more honest and truthful than anyone the Republicans can put up against her. Another big disconnect.

In the 23 years that I’ve been aware of Hillary Clinton, there have been insinuations, suggestions, claims of impropriety and borderline (or over the line) criminal acts. She has been investigated countless times, she has been probed, poked, and hauled before Congress (how many different Benghazi hearings? 9?), and has come away each time unscathed. One Republican after another has sought to make his career by bringing down the evil Hillary, and she has vanquished them all.

The GOP would have us believe that the (just-closed) State Department and (ongoing) FBI probes into her use of a private email server will lead to Hillary behind bars. The Washington Post, itself, screwed up and reported that up to 147 FBI agents were assigned to the case. (147! Can you imagine? That’s more than worked the Oklahoma City bombing case.) They retracted that number and took it down to “less than 50.” (50! A terrorist attack might warrant 50.) A source close to the investigation says that the actual number is “around 12.” Right-wing news sources (and some Sanders supporters) continue to run out the 147 number, even after being corrected, because it has great shock value.

H.A. Goodman has a nice hit piece in Huffpost Politics, in which Clinton has already been convicted of one crime or another involving her email server, and Senator Sanders is now the President. (Sanders supporter much?) Like all Republicans and a good number of Sanders supporters, he believes that Hillary might as well be already tried, convicted, and perp-walked to jail. Guilty before proven innocent. Again.

I don’t have any answers. No idea why we always believe the worst of Hillary Clinton. (Google Clinton murders list.) It just gets crazier and crazier. See, I think Ted Cruz is evil, and apparently everyone else thinks Hillary is worse.

Chris Cillizza asks if the perception of dishonesty doesn’t hurt Clinton because another survey also suggests that Americans see her as the most qualified candidate in the field and the one they want in the Oval Office when things turn sour.

Bottom line: the American people view Hillary Clinton as a liar and cheat, someone who probably deserves to be in prison for one charge or another, and yet she’s the one that most people want as President.

Americans are fun.