The presidency that ends tomorrow has been an ordeal like no other in our lifetime.
For me personally, the nightmare that is Donald Trump went to the lowest of depths I’ve ever felt toward any other politician in November, 2015. That’s when he mocked a disabled newspaper reporter during a speech. As a parent of a cognitively challenged adult, it hit close to home and hurt me deeply. That of course wasn’t his sole appalling action up to that point (see the racist, false birther conspiracy for one example) , but that’s the moment I began to truly loathe that man.
In the months that followed I was horrified as I watched him rise in the GOP, eventually getting the nomination in mid 2016. I still can’t believe he made it even that far. The ways others repeatedly dismissed his accountability and enabled his words and actions during his rise (see Access Hollywood tapes) were ominous and disturbing.
I kept hearing from the right, ‘The media doesn’t treat him fairly’ over and over. Guess what? I’m an intelligent, educated individual fully capable of reading his tweets, listening to his words, and deciphering his administration’s policies. He is an immoral, abhorrent person. I didn’t need the media to define that for me.
My school held an election for the students on November 8th, 2016. Just before dismissal that afternoon, it was announced via the intercom system that Hillary had topped Trump by an overwhelming margin. Minutes later on one of the buses the kids were talking about the results, then suddenly started to chant, ‘Hill-a-ry! Hill-a-ry! Hil-la-ry!’ just before it departed. I was working bus duty that day with another adult who also heard the chants, then turned to me as the bus was leaving and said, ‘That’s scary’ with a smirk, arrogance, and tone that made my stomach churn.
I bit my tongue because it was the right thing to do amidst those particular work dynamics and circumstances, but it wasn’t easy. I was confident Trump would lose the election that night, which was far more important than anything said in that conversation, so in that moment I let it go.
My son Eric and I were talking and texting throughout that evening. I didn’t sleep much that night as the bad news kept coming in. I felt physically ill as I got ready for school the next morning, a feeling that was a polar opposite to the one I felt exactly one week before. When the Cubs won the World Series Eric and I were euphoric. The following Wednesday, we were stunned and despondent. Minutes after I arrived at school a co worker came in my room with a look of disbelief. She needed to talk, to vent, to find some answers. This kind, caring older woman was near tears, asking me how this man could have possibly won the presidency. I told her I wish I knew. She was scared for the future. So was I.
In his inauguration speech Trump said, ‘This American carnage stops right here.’ His presidency has created the complete opposite of that. Over these last four years we’ve watched repeated lies, name calling, bullying, immorality, xenophobia, homophobia, narcissism, racism, ridiculous conspiracy theories, and so, so much more revolting behavior come out of the White House. All of that has been immeasurably horrible to witness and experience as an American, yet the incompetence of this man’s term grew exponentially when it came to his mishandling of the pandemic.
Over 400,000 Americans have died from the virus as of this writing. I believe he is responsible for somewhere between ⅓ and ½ of those deaths. His response to our national health crisis has been an utter, unequivocal failure.
On top of everything else, there is his incitement in the Capitol insurrection. His speech during the rally in D.C. on January 6th was not the sole accelerant. The Big Lie and all of those who repeated and bought into it throughout his denial of the legitimate election results and accompanying rhetoric was the kindling for that violent fire.
Near the end we saw many turn on him. Better late than never? I agree, but that doesn’t excuse those who coddled, supported, and enabled him up to that point. Such behavior is inexcusable.
When we awake tomorrow morning it’ll be January 20th, 2021 and tonight, I’m already overwhelmed with emotions.
I cry tonight because of the incomprehensible amount of damage this man, his supporters, and his enablers have done to our nation and the world as a whole.
I cry tonight because it all could have been avoided long before the 2016 election even arrived.
I cry tonight because I’m reminded of the overwhelming happiness I felt this past November when 81,283,484 of my fellow Americans voted for Joe Biden and defeated Donald Trump, fairly and legitimately.
I cry tonight because I’m relieved that myself and those I care about most deeply have managed to survive the worst presidency of our lifetimes, and quite possibly our nation’s history.
I cry tonight because I’m overjoyed that tomorrow at noon the United States of America gets to officially move onward and upward with a new administration and put Donald Trump in our rear view mirror.
‘Scary’ is the word my co-worker used to describe thoughts of what a Hillary Clinton presidency would be like back on Election Day 2016.
Sadly, we lived through the reality of what scary really is over these past four years. Thank God his term is over.
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