– President Obama, November 8, 2016
Prior to Election Day:
But here’s what Trump actually says will happen if he loses to Hillary Clinton on Nov. 8.
First, he has said the nation could face a messy fight around the election results themselves. Trump declined to promise at the final presidential debate that he would accept the election results regardless of outcome. “I’ll keep you in suspense,” he said. The following day at a rally in Ohio, he elaborated: “I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election — if I win,” he said.
I wonder how Trump would have handled an election defeat. How would some of his supporters have responded? I’m glad we did not find out, this time around.
In 2008, I do not recall demonstrations and protests and destruction of property after the presidential election. I do not remember it happening in 2012. I do remember feeling dejected like I had my guts kicked out. I felt relief in 2004. Disappointed in 2006. Relief in 2010 and 2014. So I do have empathy for election losses when you are fighting for what you are passionate about; and to lose feels like a rejection of your values and your ideals by your majority countrymen.
When I woke up Election Day morning and checked into Facebook, I saw so many FB friends who were Hillary supporters, taking selfies, posting photos of their “I voted” stickers, and expressing patriotic fervor and gratitude over living in a country where they can exercise their constitutional right and a citizen’s privilege of voting for their next presidential leader. “I love my country”, they were saying.
Then Election night, as I came home in the evening and logged back onto FB from sundown into midnight- concern, disbelief, shock, horror, depression, anger; embarrassment of being American. I rolled my eyes at one photo of a friend who had a picture taken of her curled up in the fetal position. Good….grief!
Morning after? It’s like the Gestapo is going to come after everyone. Parents saying how they have to comfort their children. “Not my president”. On the news? Demonstrations and protests. Of what?! Election outcome results?! I see:
Constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley reacting to protests on college campuses.
So it was great to be an American until you didn’t get your way. I even heard one protester interviewed saying, “This is not what our military fought and died for!” Um….excuse me? They provided you the safe space to be able to exercise your right to vote and to protest. You’ve done both of those.
There’s screams about the popular vote and denouncement of the Electoral College system. Oh, I see: Where was this protest prior to Tuesday evening, when the shape of the Electoral map favored Democrats?
It’s like the end of days all over again. Didn’t liberals believe a Reagan presidency would take us into nuclear Armageddon? And before Trump was Hitler, there was Bushitler.
I’m not so sure most conservatives would have behaved the way the left does when outcomes don’t turn out their way.
2000 was certainly close and contentious. Still:
Not since Richard Nixon paraded down Pennsylvania Avenue in 1973 has a presidential Inauguration drawn so many protesters — and last time, people were out to protest the Vietnam War.
Demonstrators turned out in droves on Saturday — a miserably gray and drizzly day, with temperatures hovering in the mid-30s — to protest the Inauguration of President George W. Bush, whose election was contested all the way to the Supreme Court. Police would not estimate the size of the crowd, but many thousands of protesters were in evidence.
“The level of people on the streets shows that people are really upset about lack of democratic process,” says Liz Butler of the Justice Action Movement, the umbrella organizing committee responsible for the protest. “They took it to the streets. We saw tens of thousands. We saw far more protesting Bush than supporting him.”
They came out in scores, co-existing on the parade route with supporters of the new president and lining Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. Interspersed between Bush-Cheney signs and Texas flags were thousands of protest placards, bearing inscriptions such as “Bush Cheated,” “Hail to the Thief,” “Selected not elected,” “Bushwhacked by the Supremes” and “Golly Jeb, we pulled it off!” There were also plenty of R-rated signs, like “Dick and Bush” and “George Wanker Bush.” One poster included a caricature of a metaphorically toothless Bush in the image of Alfred E. Neuman.
The protesters were a who’s-who of lefty causes — from feminism and the pro-choice movement to anti-death penalty protesters (identifiable by their ubiquitous “Free Mumia” garb), gay rights activists and environmentalists. There were also dozens of youth wearing the vinegar-soaked, tear gas- and pepper spray-resistant bandanas that have become a symbol of the protest movement’s anarchist elements.
What do you suppose Trump’s inaugural will be like?
Right now, hate trumps love from the hate-filled, intolerant, sour-grapes, fear-mongering left:
This is what leadership looks like:
“Now, it is no secret that the president-elect and I have some pretty significant differences. But remember, eight years ago President Bush and I had some pretty significant differences. But President Bush’s team could not have been more professional or more gracious in making sure we had a smooth transition so that we could hit the ground running.
And one thing you realize quickly in this job is that the presidency and the vice presidency is bigger than any of us. So I have instructed my team to follow the example that President Bush’s team set eight years ago, and work as hard as we can to make sure that this is a successful transition for the president-elect.
Because we are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country. The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy. And over the next few months, we are going to show that to the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now, everybody is sad when their side loses an election, but the day after we have to remember that we’re actually all on one team. This is an intramural scrimmage. We’re not Democrats first. We’re not Republicans first. We are Americans first. We’re patriots first.
We all want what’s best for this country. That’s what I heard in Mr. Trump’s remarks last night. That’s what I heard when I spoke to him directly. And I was heartened by that. That’s what the country needs — a sense of unity, a sense of inclusion, a respect for our institutions, our way of life, rule of law, and respect for each other.
I hope that he maintains that spirit throughout this transition. And I certainly hope that’s how his presidency has a chance to begin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ A lot of our fellow Americans are exalted today, a lot of Americans are less so, but that’s the nature of campaigns, that’s the nature of democracy. It is hard and sometimes contentious and noisy and it’s not always inspiring.
~~~~~~ The point though is that we all go forward with a presumption of good faith in our fellow citizens, because that presumption of good faith is essential to a vibrant and functioning democracy. That’s how this country has moved forward for 240 years. It’s how we’ve pushed boundaries and promoted freedom around the world. That’s how we’ve expanded the rights of our founding to reach all of our citizens. It’s how we have come this far.
And that’s why I’m confident that this incredible journey that we’re on, as Americans, will go on. And I’m looking forward to doing everything that I can to make sure that the next president is successful in that.”
-President Obama, November 9, 2016
“We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought. But I still believe in America, and I always will. And if you do, then we must accept this result and then look to the future. Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.
Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power, and we don’t just respect that, we cherish it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now, I — I know — I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but some day someone will and hopefully sooner than we might think right now.
And — and to all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams.”
-Hillary Clinton, November 9, 2016
“Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division. We have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and Independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. It’s time.
I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans. And this is so important to me.
For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, I’m reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so we can work together and unify our great country.”
-president elect, Donald Trump, November 9, 2016
I still do not think much of Trump’s character. But he’s the man who will lead our country and whom my countrymen elected. So I hope he does have it in him to unite the country and be a president to both left and right and prove his critics wrong. Self included.
A former fetus, the “wordsmith from nantucket” was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1968. Adopted at birth, wordsmith grew up a military brat. He achieved his B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles (graduating in the top 97% of his class), where he also competed rings for the UCLA mens gymnastics team. The events of 9/11 woke him from his political slumber and malaise. Currently a personal trainer and gymnastics coach.
The wordsmith has never been to Nantucket.
I heard on the radio that an LA resident received a box of 100 ballots in the mail with different names listed for her address. She called the police and they directed her to LA politicians and the box of illegal ballots disappeared; it’s funny how that can happen in LA. Why take the outside chance of getting prosecuted in LA County, unless you wanted to elect some bottom feeding politician at the lower levels. Trump didn’t waste time and money in California. It is a lost cause if you aren’t a solid leftist. The point is, would you accept the results if this was a common occurrence in a state that cost you the election?
The lady should have called the FBI or the police should have called the FBI, but Comey is the Director, so that might be a lost cause as well. People don’t have faith in the voting system and I could see why a politician might be worried about the dead and their habit of voting Democratic.
We shall see, this is going to be good or not, I have high hopes low expectations.
So you worthless little snowflakes say Trump is not your president?! well then just GET THE H+++ OUT of america go live in the European(Soviet)Union or Casrtos Paradise(Cuba)maybe canada just dont ever bother coming back becuase your NOT WELCOME ANYMORE
Was it ”Democrats” protesting?
The signs printed for that photo say, ”SOCIALISM ALTERNATIVE.”
Other signs I saw on TV and in other media photos said, ANSWER COALITION.
George Soros is said to be behind the expensive props like all these signs and some of the protest leaders.
So, might this have happened without George Soros and his ANSWER and SOCIALIST coalitions?
Maybe, but how will we ever know.
What is weird is that individuals are beating up people simply for being white, not even for being Trump supporters.
Being both paints a big target on them.
The old man pulled out of his car, beaten buy a group of black men and then dragged part of a block by the black man who is stealing his car was a Trump supporter.
That is strength.
But mostly we see incredible weakness.
Bring back the ”Fainting Couch.”
Women who, one day earlier, were fighting for the right to serve alongside men EQUALLY in military combat even at the front lines, were suddenly reduced to sobbing, heaving, tearing, sighing, even, yes, fainting wimps.
Still want to be right next to the men in battle, ladies?
On Election Day I couldn’t even watch for several hours.
I was so ready to be let down.
Not violent, just sad.
I have been surprised and pleased but not ramming anything down anyone’s throat.
From the other side, we (Trump supporters) were warned that WE were the ones who would be violent.
Seems it was projection.
And a great excuse to get out of finals.
Dear little special snowflakes if you want to leave go right ahead we wont ever miss you and don’t let the door hit you in the backside as you leave
Trump Reveals Policy Goals: “Building That Wall”, Repeal Obamacare, etc
What is not to like about this…….
We stopped the Clinton machine thats incredible, Soros is now a wanted man in Russia, only 2 days in office and both Canada and Mexico are willing to renegotiate NAFTA. Iran is crying you cant touch our agreement
Clinton and Obama viewed conservatism as an infectious disease to be exterminated, we can breathe a sigh of relief out daughters wont be drafted for the war mongering Clinton and Obama.
The protestors will get hungry and need a nap go home and cry themselves to sleep, or a week or 2 in the pokey will check their lib privilege.
You’ve got 70 days remaining until the reality of Donald Trump in the White House replaces whatever his supporters have been imagining.
From greatagain.gov:
Well…no. Problems must be understood and defined as they actually exist in reality. You can’t solve a problem by redefining it in a manner that makes it assailable to your capabilities. Your capabilities and actions must be adapted to the nature of the problem.
@Greg: There is days left in which Obama can pardon more criminals who used guns in their criminal activities. There is 70 days where Obama’s policies can allow hundreds more terrorists into the country. I doubt the Obamas will steal items from the White House like the Clintons, but I would bet he leaves a time bomb hidden in some executive order.
wait for the ingeration in january wait to see these idiots marching through the streets waving their stupid sign with stupid slogans on them the rioting,looting,vandalism and burning from the mobs of dirty little bolshiveks
Some people never do figure things out.
Trump Campaigned Against Lobbyists, but Now They’re on His Transition Team
Who is it you imagine you have elected? The guy is everything you were trying to get rid of. You’ve just streamlined the process, by putting the problem itself inside the government.
@Spurwing Plover: The ingeration in Jan sounds pretty damn scary–thanks for the heads up.
@Greg: We didn’t elect a woman who committed criminal acts and lied about it in an official inquiry. Scooter Libby was convicted for not remembering a previous conversation. By the way, Comey headed the investigation of Libby which was recently declared unlawful by a federal judge.
@Greg: Greggie Greggie Greggie, sit back and observe loser!! At least Trump ran on a platform versus nothing. The American people proved a lot smarter than your sorry ass ever thought didn’t they. I remember all the crap you spewed about how hilldabeast was going to win, of course you will forget and of course you have never owned up to the lies you put out on this site!! Democrats need only to look at the flawed candidate they nominated to understand why Trump won. You couldn’t even put forth a candidate to beat Trump!!
@Greg: And yet he beat hilldabeast Greggie, how flawed she must be eh??
@Spurwing Plover: I wouldn’t worry about the inauguration, the Bikers will keep things calm like they did for the convention, no riots, kids high fiving cops. The cowardly paid cryers will have no taste for real confrontation. Trump wont have the military disable their guns like Brave Obama did in 2012. http://www.bob-owens.com/2013/02/dishonoring-the-corps-marines-in-inaugural-parade-had-bolts-removed-from-their-rifles/
@kitt: INAUGURATIUN NOT THE INGERATION?
How bout the way Trump’s been going on T.V. and complementing not only Obama but Hillary AND Bill—This guys a real N.Y schmoozer when he wants to be.
‘Build a wall–round up undocumented”
I was just joshing you guys I’m a N.Y LIB.
The MSM continues to dine on their own ignorance!! What I like is the accusations of racism. Want racism, look NO further than BLM. Tell me why when 96% of blacks vote for Obola in 2012 and 2014 this was NOT racism but when 56% of Whites vote for Trump in 2016 it is??