Even as Joe Biden inches closer to winning the US presidential election, incumbent Donald Trump views it from within his own reality and has already declared himself the winner! So, he is all set to challenge the results in the courts. This might prolong the process a bit and there might be some unsavoury scenes as the reality is brought home to Trump, but – short of an absolute miracle – Biden is set to enter the White House. That would bring to an end one of the most visible presidential terms ever – not a day passed when Trump was not front and centre in the news!
Mainstream media took him on from the very start, while an entire industry of Trump-baiting developed for stand-up comedians and hosts of late night shows. The Establishment was aghast that a complete outsider without experience of politics had become President of the world’s most powerful country. So, it was a difficult stint from the very start. Most would have succumbed early but in his supercharged narcissistic way, he did his own thing. In later years, when more impartial studies are done, it will be realised that he changed America’s path – reducing its responsibilities in the world and focusing on people’s well-being at home. Had it not been for the Covid-19 pandemic, the election results would have been remarkably different. In fact, observers are surprised that he got as many votes as he did, even from among sections that were supposed to be against him, such as the Hispanics and the Blacks.
He is being blamed for the country’s ineffective response to the pandemic, but where has it been better? Having worked through his term to revive and reshape the economy, he was naturally reluctant to shut it down. The countries that did do not have much to show for their effort. The truth is – there are no success stories against the virus, except for China, but who really knows what goes on there.
Biden will basically disappear into the White House. It will be business as usual, with the traditional lobbies getting back into their groove. The world will look in other directions. Concern has been expressed that the Democrats will carry a grudge against India for Modi ‘backing’ Trump, but when was it ever different? Biden may have played the Kamala Harris card to obtain the support of the blacks and the browns, but, like every other VP, she will be rendered a non-entity. Unless, Biden keels over as many expect him to do – and she takes centre-stage. That is another scenario, altogether!
