It’s finally over. President Donald Trump is done. Finished. Out. Expired. Old news.
And after four years of enduring the ceaseless neglect, corruption, and cruelty of a self-obsessed real estate developer with little interest in improving people’s lives, America is ready to pop bottles.
It started with vague honks in the streets — a not uncommon staple of reality in some of America’s largest cities.
Then there were the shouts, cheers, cowbells, whistles and a lot more honking. Chants of “this is what democracy looks like!” Pots clanking, people hollering, music blaring. Several members of the TPM staff who weren’t online late Saturday morning when the news broke were alerted to Vice President Joe Biden’s win by the jubilance and dancing and shouting we heard from the streets.
Even before checking my phone, learned of the call from my street in DC EXPLODING in jubilation. Every few moments, cheers break out anew accompanied by swells of honking. One woman walking down the sidewalk: "oh THANK GOD"
— Kate Riga (@Kate_Riga24) November 7, 2020
The scene outside the White House was triumphantly chaotic, clogged with people young and old, peppered with many Biden-Harris supporting dogs. There were portable speakers blasting music from backpacks and pockets. Cheers erupted every few minutes and those gathered clutched hastily-made signs proclaiming “clean out the White House” and “you’re fired!”
In Brooklyn and Manhattan the scene was similar, with massive celebrations in Washington Square Park and Times Square, all bookended by spontaneous dancing and celebrations in blue neighborhoods across all four boroughs. One roisterer sporting an American flag told TPM’s Matt Shuham that Biden’s win, but, moreso, Trump’s loss, felt like a “reset” for decency in America.
“It’s a reset” pic.twitter.com/PTA3GXk3cY
— Matt Shuham (@mattshuham) November 7, 2020
The celebration spilled out into the streets across the country — a sigh of relief from sea to shining sea.
Here’s what we’re seeing right now in the cities, including the ones Trump relentlessly bashed as dilapidated, crime-infested hellholes as part of his charade as a “law and order” president:
Election party in the Castro getting lit. #Election2020results #sanfrancisco pic.twitter.com/iQaCvIiRyG
— Karl Mondon (@karlmondon) November 7, 2020
Outside my little sister’s apartment window in Chicago right now pic.twitter.com/vKZr1RL7lh
— Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) November 7, 2020
Hello from Minneapolis right now, in front of the police department’s 3rd Precinct, which was burned down following the police killing of George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/9qJ7fdo3OQ
— Tony Webster (@webster) November 7, 2020
More Atlanta celebrations ? pic.twitter.com/HqBaYF5eum
— Nassim Parvin, PhD (@NassimParvin) November 7, 2020
Portland cheers as @CNN announces @JoeBiden as president-elect. @fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/o9J6xAwIyk
— Stephanie Domurat (@SLDomurat) November 7, 2020
Los Angeles impromptu celebrations on every corner. ? pic.twitter.com/OAl2YRcuaJ
— ᴛʜᴇᴀ ʟᴜx (@thealux) November 7, 2020
I am not jubilant in the streets but I am jubilant!
The Four-Year American Nightmare is finally ending. There is much to be jubilant about, but then, there is a whole lot of hard work that needs to be done to repair America and our nation’s place in the world.
Congratulations to Joe and Kamala!
Good bye Donnie . . . and Good Riddance! And don’t forget to take Mikey with you.
It’s a good day
As Churchill said on VE-Day, let us take a brief moment of rejoicing.
But I still find it a depressing outrage that the ratio of decent Americans to proto- (and total) fascists is so narrow. We’ll have to deal with these assholes for the rest of our lives.
I’m glad Joe Biden beat Donald Trump. Joe has the right attitude and temperament to be President of the United States. My nightmare is over starting January 21, 2021.