I am more mindful than ever of the contingency of history. There are so many ways we could be beset with another four years of Trump.
Imagine if the Republican had impeached Trump the first time around, not that it was a close call for them. But he would have been out and Pence would be in, and I think it is entirely possible that he would have been elected as President.
Much more likely, if Trump had had a modicum of common sense about him, he would have taken the lead in attacking COVID-19. He would have worn a mask, been supportive of science. And if he had done those things, not only would lives have been saved (most importantly), but I am convinced he would have won the election.
Or imagine if Covid has not happened in the first place. I believe Trump would have been reelected.
Or imagine, if Jim Clyburne hadn’t advanced Biden in the South Carolina primary, Biden probably wouldn’t have won and probably wouldn’t have become the Democratic nominee. And I don’t believe there was any other Democratic nominee who would have beaten Trump, even with all of the things he did wrong, and COVID.
All of which is to say we are not only damn lucky but thank heavens for those people who got out the vote and worked so hard. And thank heavens that Biden stepped forward in the way he did and that we now have him about to enter the White House.
We have always known how contingent history is; how contingent it was, for example, that Lincoln was our President. But I don’t think there has ever been a time where being on the right side of history mattered more than it does at this moment in history.
January 20th; the day we can celebrate the inauguration of a President, Joe Biden, who despite the monumental challenges, can with all our help begin to heal the distrust and confront the inequities which assault our Nation.
John, you are right on the money. My wife and I discuss this regularly: How LUCKY we are to have dodged this bullet and how close we came to four more years of Trump. I'm not sure if our democracy would have survived it. We have much to be thankful for.
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