This was a busy week and a stressful week. I slept late this morning. As I was shaving my face around noon I heard a two shouts coming from outside. First was a woman, followed a few moments later by a man. They sounded celebratory. I had the water running so I couldn’t tell what was said. The second voice might have said the name “Trump.”
A couple on of minutes later, with dried hands, I went to the bedroom windows. I couldn’t see anything going on outside. I picked up my iPhone and unplugged it, which I was going to do anyway. As soon as it was disconnected I saw two notifications appear on the lock screen — one from NPR, the other from the BBC. They were from 11:30 and used almost the same words. Biden is considered to have collected enough electoral votes to win the presidency.
Other than the two shouts, nothing much was going on in Bay Ridge. I had to go into Manhattan for sopping, so I figured I might see some reaction there. I put on my “hope over fear” Biden button and went out. He fasted way to Manhattan on the weekends if taking the D from 36th Street to West 4.
It was 72 degrees in Manhattan and Trump had been voted out of office. Time for a party.
The streets were filled with people. I haven’t seen this many people in Manhattan since early March. Cars were driving around with Biden/Harris signs honking their horns. People on sidewalks would answer the hoking with “Wooooo!”
There were large gatherings in Washington and Union Squares. I didn’t get to deep into the crowds because I’m still conscious of social distancing. The large gathers were not wise under the circumstances, but I couldn’t blame them too much — it’s not every day you get to defeat fascism.
Songs I heard included but were not limited to:
“Celebration” by Kool and the Gang
“I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross
“New York, New York” sung by an old guy with a karaoke machine
Someone in Union Square was playing their black, plastic trombone.
One of those crazy guys who ride bicycles was blasting “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead.”
This was the closest I will ever come in my life to experiencing the V-J day celebrations.
Now all we have to do is sit back and wait to find out what long-anticipated plan William Barr has up his sleeve.
But according to the New York Times, the campaign always intended to hold the press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping (a minority- and woman-owned business safety certified with the state of Pennsylvania). Previous Trump campaign press conferences held in downtown Philadelphia had been drowned out by crowds of rowdy Biden supporters chanting and playing music, according to the report, and they wanted a friendlier environment.
And so it was that Giuliani was standing in front of a dozen or so Trump lawn signs taped to the garage door of a commercial landscaping company whose biggest clients include the Philadelphia International Airport and the Northeast Philadelphia Airport when he learned that the AP and all the networks had called the race for Joe Biden.
“I called to ask about needing a big load of fresh manure,” wrote one Yelp reviewer on Saturday. “They said they had a new load coming in later this morning.”
I can’t help it - Boo-fuckin’-hoo! What about the trauma the rest of us have had to go through due to the consequences of the actions of he and his minions?!
I won’t lie, I crave revenge, not just for myself but for all of us - even his supporters, some of whom weren’t before he and his minions ensnared them. But everyone who willingly and wholeheartedly supported them, I want them to suffer as we have. It’s primal and not civilized but it’s the way I feel. As an empath, it’s just been so difficult; I often thought about going to a protest, but I think it would’ve been too much for me, all that emotion.
The New York Times is now also pouring cold water on reports that Jared Kushner asked Donald Trump to concede. The Times’ Maggie Haberman says that, according to a White House source, Kushner is advising his father-in-law to look at “legal remedies” to win the election, which are looking increasingly remote.
More evidence has emerged to undermine reports that members of Donald Trump’s inner circle have urged the president to concede defeat to Joe Biden (and if there’s one thing we know about Trump it’s that he will do anything to avoid losing). Melania Trump has tweeted her support of her husband’s efforts to overturn his electoral defeat.
“The American people deserve fair elections,” she tweeted on Sunday. “Every legal - not illegal - vote should be counted. We must protect our democracy with complete transparency.” There is, of course, currently no evidence that the presidential election this year was anything but fair and transparent.
I am almost convinced that if Amber and I were of the same generation and that we’d met at some point as kids, we would’ve immediately BONDED. I adore her.