Staff Reports
In a stunning twist that has left the political elite reeling, Donald Trump has achieved a historic victory, making him the first Republican since 2004 to snag the popular vote. The once-prominent power duo of the Obamas and Clintons, who pinned their hopes on Vice President Kamala Harris, hit the campaign trail with gusto, only to face a defeat reminiscent of the Democratic disaster during the Reagan landslide of 1984. Harris’s campaign, heavily backed by the big names of the party, has now been relegated to the annals of history where bad ideas go to die.
On Wednesday, the Obamas decided to extend an olive branch to Trump, officially congratulating him on his win while offering some half-hearted praise for Harris’s campaign. Their statements were laden with a blend of acknowledgment and saltiness, revealing their true feelings about the Republican triumph. They graciously commented on how millions of Americans cast their votes, but it’s hard to ignore the flavor of defeat as they lamented not achieving what they had hoped for, highlighting their profound disagreements on just about everything under the sun.
Obamas and Clintons react to Trump victory: ‘Not the outcome we hoped for’ https://t.co/bT4kcer9c5 via @dcexaminer
— 🇺🇸 The Briefing Room 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 (@Briefing__Room) November 7, 2024
The couple blamed their loss on external factors, namely the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread inflation. It seems their strategy of blaming the universe for a flailing campaign backfired spectacularly, with the American electorate clearly tired of hearing excuses. Even they admitted that these factors had been troublesome for Democrats globally, but apparently, they thought somehow America would be an exception. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
The Clintons chimed in with their own statement, terse enough to feel like it could have been sent via a text message rather than a formal announcement. While they acknowledged that the American people voted for Trump and his running mate, they conveniently omitted any genuine congratulatory sentiments. Instead, they remarked that the Harris and Tim Walz campaign had been “positive and forward-looking,” which, when one thinks about it, could be construed as a faintly veiled insult rather than a compliment.
Barack Obama’s fervent efforts on behalf of Harris were noteworthy, as he unleashed alarmist rhetoric that was likely intended to scare voters into submission. His attacks on Trump during a rally were a spectacle to behold, accusing the rally speakers of peddling stereotypes while managing to overlook the fact that his own campaign strategy was increasingly becoming known for its own caricatures. Michelle Obama joined the fray by admonishing those who dared to consider voting for Trump—reminding them to think about their chosen “side of history.” Little did she know, many Americans were more interested in making a history of their own by voting for candidates they actually believed in.
In the end, the election results have sent shockwaves through the Democratic establishment, proving that their attempts to control the narrative fell flat as the electorate rejected the warnings and embarked on a new path forward under Trump’s leadership. The realities of this recent election make it clear: the political battlefield has shifted, and the once untouchable elite may want to reconsider their strategies, lest they find themselves perpetually on the wrong side of history.
