Isn't it entirely plausible that, like many people, the candidates have friends and colleagues whose views they haven't previously examined closely over years of familiarity?

I know long term acquaintances and even friends of mine who, after years, have shocked me by exposing deep seated racism or sexism or homophobia. I've ditched a couple long term friends over certain issues that surfaced and then could not be ignored.

Sometimes it is possible to overlook such things because the friend is otherwise a good person whose mind might change. But, for example, I can't maintain normal social relations with a person who's likely to spew hate slogans or throw punches at the gay friends attending my kitchen party.

And I think powerful people, on some levels are not very perceptive; do not delve very deeply into the personalities that surround them. There is something (in my possibly paranoid opinion) a little (or a lot) sociopathic in many of the people who pursue great power, even if they handle it well.