The return of Trump

Readers who had the opportunity of watching the YouTube report of the concession speech of Kamala Harris, defeated by Donald Trump at the Nov. 5 U.S. Presidential election, would have been treated to an exceptional performance by an exceptional woman, her voice hoarse from the whirlwind 13-week campaign during which she sought what is arguably the world’s most powerful job. Immaculately dressed and groomed as she always was during her term as Vice President to Joe Biden as well as during the campaign, she delivered a rousing speech at her Washington alma mater, Howard University, that moved many listeners, particularly young people to tears. She declared: “While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign. Hear me when I say the lights of America’s promise will always burn bright, as long as we never give up.”

Commentators and pollsters using the most advanced technology available were unanimous that the race was too tight to call. But they were terribly wrong though the authoritative The Economist has ex post facto pronounced Trump’s victory “no fluke.” Dead heat was the common prediction as the first Tuesday in November, four years after the last U.S. presidential election when Joe Biden defeated Trump decisively, approached. The American constitution mandates the holding of a presidential election on the first Tuesday in November every four years, an ironclad requirement. Both contenders had loyal, sometimes fanatical support with the liberal establishment and many more strongly backing Harris while the super rich led by billionaire Elon Musk threw their weight behind Trump. The winner also drew the support of those labeled “white supremacists” while the loser had to contend with the negative economic effect during the early years of the Biden administration not yet overcome.

Trump narrowly escaped death when a gunshot fired by a sniper from a rooftop grazed his right ear during the election campaign. The gunman was shot dead but the head of the U.S. Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, was forced to resign admitting a massive security failure. A second attempt some weeks later at a Florida golf course where Trump was playing was aborted with no damage done. The dangerously close shooting incident which united Trump’s supporters was effectively used by his campaign to maximum effect.

Trump won the election with a comfortable majority in the Electoral College as well as on the popular vote. This was unlike 2016 when he defeated Hillary Clinton in the Electoral College while losing the popular vote, something that had happened only once before in recent times (Al Gore vs. George. W. Bush in 2000). But it was different this time round and Trump’s victory at both the Electoral College and on the popular vote was convincing despite the heavy artillery he had to fight. These included dozens of indictments and a conviction in the courts for which he awaits sentence, two impeachment resolutions and barrels of sleaze flung at him. His rambling unfocused style of speech, ‘I know best’ attitude and vulgarity were all factors that weighed heavily against him. Despite Harris’ good looks and attractive demeanor, oratorical skills and much more, plus the wide endorsement of liberal America, she was roundly defeated by a rival strongly opposed by much of the American media with the exception of Fox News that threw considerable weight behind the Trump campaign.

The Democrats may have paid a price for Harris’ late entry to the race. Despite strident demands by his party and friends to stand down, the 81-year old Biden insisted on seeking re-election with Vice-President Kamala Harris as his running mate. As senator from California, Harris herself had sought the Democratic ticket for 2020 but stood down citing lack of funds. Candidate Biden named her his running mate and carried that election. But with the 2024 campaign taking off, Biden who would have been 85-years old at the end of a second term, was forced to stand down as his cognitive degeneration became increasingly visible even during a debate with his rival Donald Trump. Thus Kamala Harris, without the benefit of a primary of the Democratic Party, became its candidate for the just concluded election.

Harris scored brownie points in her concession speech saying that there will be a peaceful transition unlike four years ago when Trump, claiming that the election was “stolen” had his supporters march on Capitol Hill. His own Vice-President Mike Pence refused to be bludgeoned by his boss to refuse to certify the 2020 election result. In contrast, Harris as incumbent President of the Senate will certify these results in January enabling Donald Trump’s return to the White House. His election will affect people globally, wherever they may live. The Economist has called Trump “the most consequential American president since Frankly. D. Roosevelt.” How the self-proclaimed anti-war president will handle global conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East are questions that hang tantalizingly over the whole world.