Hail to the Chief

After making my views known on this blog leading up to the election and immediately after —when the results had been all but settled despite Donald Trump’s baseless claims and relentless attempts to overturn the results—I thought I was done discussing politics for awhile. But I realized the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris required some final words to close the book on the Trumpster and an opportunity to end on a high note.

First, leave it to Donald Trump to not simply end on as ungracious note as possible as the biggest sore loser in history, but to actually make things worse every step of the way, turning the end of his presidency and the country into a dumpster fire as he left office—and impeached for incitement to riot and nearly sedition. His actions included his attempts to pre-emptively declare victory on election night; pursuing more than 60 frivolous court claims that were just about laughed out of courts (including the Supreme Court), even by judges he had appointed; the hiring of the ridiculously incompetent Sidney Powell and Rudy Guiliani (he of Four Seasons Landscaping fame); pressuring state election officials to unilaterally overturn voting results through a combination of begging and veiled (empty) threats, perhaps in violation of election laws; and demanding that his party and own vice president not certify the results despite it being Constitutionally mandated; and having it spectacularly all blow up in his face by playing a huge role in inciting a riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 that, while completely incompetent, nevertheless led to five deaths and a failed coup attempt.

While I’m sorry for the loss of life, the terror rained down on law enforcement and legislators, and the threat posed to what we have discovered is a fragile democracy, these acts of insurrection at the close of a disastrous, tumultuous and lawless term finally completely laid bare Donald Trump’s narcissistic malevolence for all the world to see, adding a perfectly appropriate malignant exclamation mark at the end of a presidency that will surely go down as the worst in U.S. history.

I give Biden full credit during this time for not engaging with Trump and staying high above the fray. While many people (myself included) understandably grew progressively angrier in righteous indignation at every turn, Biden quietly, competently and professionally went about his work, occasionally coming forward to reassure the country, particularly after the Capitol riots (and well before Trump did). During the transition, Biden acted with grace—while allowing Trump to slowly and self-torturously hang himself by the neck—and, dare I say it, presidentially. Finally, a grown up.

The inauguration perfectly captured Biden and Harris’s goals to restore dignity and respect to the White House and the country, as well as unity and a return to truth. I already greatly enjoy the tradition, symbolism, pomp and circumstance of events like presidential inaugurations, but even without cheering crowds, I was glad to still find the inauguration of President Joe Biden a moving and uplifting experience. It was note-perfect and restorative, from Biden’s reassuring and heartfelt inaugural address, Lady Gaga’s soaring rendition of the Star Spangled Banner and, of course, Amanda Gorman’s thrilling recitation of “The Hill We Climb.” The parade, military review, the presence of former presidents from either side of the aisle at both the inauguration and, later, Arlington National Cemetery for a laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, were all moving celebrations of America and the peaceful transfer of power. And all of this happened only a few weeks after an attempted insurrection, albeit under the watchful eye of a a strong National Guard and law enforcement presence, but fortunately without any disruption.

I feel badly that Biden did not get to enjoy the trappings of a traditional inauguration, like the balls, but hopefully this is somewhat softened by the fact that Biden has been there before — both as a vice president and as a longtime member of Congress. The televised Celebration of America, hosted by Tom Hanks, nevertheless was a nice coda to the day.

Watching Biden in the leadup to the inauguration and his first few days of office, he actually comes off as one of the most humble and unassuming persons to be president. He has been generous in sharing the stage with Harris, a view I’m sure very much influenced by the unique partnership and friendship he formed serving as vice president under Barack Obama.

Will it be a successful presidency? Time and history will tell, and of course, the new President faces a much divided nation and a rival political party that has yet to reconcile with its own veer into radical extremism and cult of personality. But regardless, I just look forward to a presidency that is “normal,” inasmuch I do not have to be concerned and aggravated every day of the week, trusting that there is a responsible, mature and experienced individual in office who at least pays lip service and attempts to act in the interests of most honest, hard working people, and all Americans, rather than worry about what latest incompetence and self-serving misdeed has been committed in the name of pandering to a literally insane, cultish base that apparently prefers authoritarian rule over respect for our democracy and the Constitution.

As I said, being a glass half full kind of guy, I think we can take some comfort in knowing that, when it counted, our institutions held strong despite a relentless assault on our democracy. The courts and key election officials—including many from the GOP side—resisted the call to corruption and authoritarianism. And as the election both nationwide and, particularly, Georgia, showed, votes count. If people had not been energized and motivated, darkness and evil could have won. But it didn’t.

God bless America!