As expected, the election for the next President of the United States (POTUS) was the most keenly observed event in the recent past as both Americans and global populace followed the proceeding since the Election Day on November 3. On November 7, most media outlets called the race for Democrat Joseph Robinette Biden Jr and his running mate Kamala Devi Harris after ‘numbing’ counting process and animated suspense throughout the week.
Conventionally, though the US elections results are not ‘official’ until each state certifies the tally and the Electoral College meet thereafter on December to elect the President, upon declaration by major news networks depending on various statuses of counting, the losing candidate concedes. When the contest is ‘too close’ to call, the declaration of President-elect can drag for days, as witnessed in the present election. Most networks exercise prudence in calling the winner in each state due to the record number of mail-in and absentee ballots, in a historic election held amid the COVID-19 pandemic and deep polarisation.
So far, Republican President Donald Trump indicated that he has no plan to concede anytime soon stating “this election is far from over” right after the declaration of Biden as the winner. Throughout the counting, the incumbent President has repeatedly made claims of fraud, dismissed as unfounded by the vast majority of observers and State elections officials across the country, but his campaign would be mounting more legal challenges.
The challenges, however, would be mostly inconsequential as the other side and others across the world have already moved on. By Saturday evening, almost all the world leaders have endorsed the outcome and for future engagement. As noted before, the outcome of the US election besides determining the trajectory of American politics in the coming years has a huge implication on international relations given the enormous influence the country exerts throughout the world. Chief among them are diplomacy and foreign policy, race and immigration, religion, climate change and global trade, besides the pressing need to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tough road, however, lies ahead for the 46th President of the United States of America. Held amid widespread polarisation over several issues confronting the United States and the world, the outcome has produced a divisive mandate complicating any promises to ‘reverse key parts of Trump's legacy.’ As the news of Biden’s win broke, cheers and applause were heard around the country while Trump supporters reacted with a mix of disappointment, suspicion and resignation, Reuters news agency reported, underscoring the divide.
Now more than ever, the incoming President has two clear but complex tasks at hand – combating deep domestic polarisation and resetting how America engage with others.
This was not lost in Biden’s first speech after ‘winning, anchored on unifying the divided nation – of restoration and healing. Promising to marshal the “forces of decency" in tackling confronting issues, he appealed for giving each other a chance and rediscovering the ‘soul of the nation.’
“I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but unify. Who doesn't see red states and blue states, but only the United States,” Biden reiterated.
“This is the time to heal in America.”
On the other hand, Trump’s presidency was peppered with erratic relationships with key allies and adversaries. Notably, the US walked out of several key international engagements – particularly, the World Health Organisation and the Paris Climate Accord. Biden has promised to reverse both. A huge sigh of relief was palpable among key allies as they quickly endorsed Joe Biden’s victory on Saturday even though the other side was claiming otherwise, auguring well for future cooperation.
The results, however, was not ‘sweeping repudiation’ of the incumbent and the impacts of Trumpism on Republican Party may linger, making the task harder. Nonetheless, an overwhelming majority of Americans, in a record election, have given the mandate to Biden to lead the nation on a new trajectory – an antidote to four years of the tumultuous state of affairs.
Along with the running mate Kamala Harris, who creates history as the first woman, the first African American and the first American of Asian descent to serve as vice president, there is an air of hopeful optimism that they continue to break barriers and reset America.
