Throughout a contentious campaign to win the White House, former VP Joe Biden repeatedly presented a platform prefaced by a message saying “here’s the deal…”
The Delaware resident promised an economic stimulus, police reforms, unification of the nation, expeditious actions to stop the spread of the coronavirus, return alliance with the World Health Organization, rejoin the league of nations fighting to improve climate conditions and at least propose sensible policies that could rejuvenate faith in the American government.
From early voting in September in some states to election day on Nov. 3, it became evident that a fusion of a multi-national coalition would help seal his deal.
People of color — 87 percent of Blacks and two thirds the Latino community along with Native Americans and Asians decidedly turned out in record numbers to ensure the Biden/Harris ticket would prevail.
East, west, north, south and central early voters staked a purposeful attempt to count on each other rather than rely on the post office or wait for Nov. 3.
In Georgia, after a crushing defeat in 2018, Stacy Adams avenged her defeat in losing her bid to become governor by mobilizing supporters to defeat President Donald J. Trump. Along with the force field mounted by Atlanta Mayor Kisha Lance Bottoms and life-long labored dedication to Civil Rights by former Congressman John Lewis, seeds sown harvested fruits the Democrats benefitted.
Adams a graduate of Spelman College, Lance Bottoms from FAMU, both aligned to support Harris who graduated from Howard University, another Historically Black College University (HBCU).
A quiet coalition united Black and brown Americans to create a surge of minority voters in Nevada, Arizona and other western states.
When Biden’s mandate was approved with a 279 to 214 margin, the president elect said — “African-Americans had my back and I will have theirs.”
If there was any doubt that the Constitution promised a commitment to guarantee the rights of “we the people” last Saturday it became clearer.
POWER OF THE PEOPLE!
“The people united will never be defeated…” was as common a chant at protest marches led by Black activists in the 60s as others signifying “power to the people” and “we shall overcome.”
Those words resonated with expressions of jubilation in cities all across the nation.
Dancing, singing, hugging in the streets, Americans resembled citizens of foreign lands reportedly joyous after winning a war, a coup or after ousting a tyrant.
Without any precedence spontaneous celebration marked victory and the power of the people to ensure defeat of an incumbent. History records Trump’s loss as the fourth in 100 years.
Another reason for the celebration also was that it was the most diverse election in America’s history.
Confirmation of a majority winner in the AM declared the 46th president of the USA and a spontaneous endorsement in the PM in Union Square, Times Square, Herald Square, Foley Square, Grand Army Plaza, Columbus Circle and cities where 75 million American reside.
Images of youths, elders, whole families – all Americans yearning to mingle and revel with joy with others — Black, whites and the rainbow that comprise citizenry. They banged pots, exhausted car horns, whistled, drummed, prayed, cheered, to express their euphoria.
Some poured champagne for strangers to share and sip.
Some took their children to bear witness to history.
Many draped themselves in Biden/Harris gear – from masks, eye-wear – and on a day covid-19 cases exceeded any previous infectious rates, Americans defied their anxieties to celebrate victory over hypocrisy.
Declaring “I can breathe” thousands exhibited relief they believe is ahead now that the most Twitter-friendly president has been formally denounced by a majority of the 150 million Americans who voted.
As the rest of the world watched, Americans redefined Democracy as they believe it should be.
BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING
Hillary Clinton hoped she could break the so-called glass ceiling women have aspired to crack. Because of Donald J. Trump and his Make America Great Again campaign her ambitious feminist ideal was foiled four years ago.
The hopes and dreams of members of the gender seemed impossible. But it was a dream put on pause only to be surpassed by Trump’s opponent’s choice to complete the Democratic ticket.
Kamala Harris won her seat in the senate on the very same night Trump won the White House. In four years, she emerged the first ever woman of color, the very first South Asian descendant, the first daughter of immigrants, the very first graduate of a HBCU institution, the first woman to break that much sought after glass ceiling and the first woman to earn the reputation for being ‘last in the room.”
Harris is a combination of Shirley Chisholm and Geraldine Feraro, two of the fiercest women who sought to shatter the seemingly elusive benchmark.
“What Joe did for Barack, I want to do,” the VP-elect said.
FEAR ANXIETY
Joe Morgan, a former football player and Harlem resident told his colleague Peter Noel, a reporter that he is in the process of penning a column titled: “Fear of a Trump Victory – How I talked My Friends From The Ledge.”
His theory that is that associates and personal friends were panic-stricken that Trump would garner a second term. He explained that the days following Nov. 3 were harrowing. Reeling with anxiety he said many friends feared the possibility of Trump’s reelection.
He said many associated his victory with a prolonged endurance of the coronavirus.
Morgan said some people suffered nightmares from thoughts of much longer lingering of the pandemic, restrictions on travel, quarantine, wearing masks, deteriorated employment, curfews, limitations on dining, never hugging, crowding or a speedy return to normalcy.
Noel said some experienced periods of hyperventilation.
OUT WEST – WEST-OUT
At the 2015 MTV Awards rapper Kanye West threatened he would run for political office. He said he would seek the highest office in America and in 2020 he did.
He registered to be on the ballot in 12 states.
The long and short of it is that West managed to convince 61,387 voters that he could ably preside over the people of the United States. West was often demonized for being a Trump supporter and maybe a spoiler encouraged to stunt Biden’s quest. Fact is that West won approval from voters in Orange County, California.
He won 10,216 votes in Tennessee. Go figure!
PONDERING LATE NIGHT COMEDY ON TV
I pondered my nights without David Letterman when he vacated his CBS platform. It was my custom to crawl into bed with him every night from Monday to Friday. I probably developed the habit from seeing my mother, a nurse whose shift ended at 11 pm always hastening home to catch Johnny Carson’s opening monologue.
When Carson retired I endeared myself to Letterman. The easy process nurtured from first seeing him back in the 70s — while stationed in the Army at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis studying military journalism – satiated the senses.
My instructors at Defense Information School (DINFOS) familiarized us with the awkward humor Letterman propagated doing the weather. Letterman delivered even more alluring qualities when he moved to NBC TV.
His perceptions were different from other comedians and the spectre of his vision, political insightfulness and poignant perceptions distinguished him from the competition.
After the Sept. 11 travesty, Letterman regularly booked Trump to sit to his left.
It probably was the start of a campaign to the White House.
Letterman often dared to delve past the façade of the so-called celebrity billionaire and ridiculed him asking “what is that on your head?”
During those interviews I wondered why Trump tolerated the brazen humiliation. It became clear that Trump’s quest for Letterman’s late night audience might expose him to a national voting demographic.
Perhaps by his irreverence, Letterman comprehended the strategy.
Trump never refused a booking.
Letterman’s exit was replaced by Stephen Colbert’s relentless focus on the former New York real estate magnate.
Every night Colbert provided cutting-edge comedic viewpoint on the state of the nation. Trump was the entrée to a daily diet filled with a menu of poignant irresistible levity.
I just cannot imagine late night without jokes about Trumpisms from Colbert, James Corden and Jimmy Kimmel.
Maybe Biden will be fodder for a new season with the 46th
Catch You On The Inside!
