I'd like to think it ain't over 'til it's over — and I'd be delighted to be proven wrong — but I think it's over. At the moment, I don't see how the Harris/Walz ticket can close the gap in Pennsylvania and I don't see how they get to 270 if they don't. We all knew this was possible given recent polling but it still comes as a shock, in some ways more so than 2016. Lots of us were amazed then that so many people thought Donald Trump was a good fit for the presidency but back then, we could rationalize a certain amount of it: He's never held office, they don't know what he might do. This time around, they did know and they voted for him anyway.
The other day, Peter Baker wrote this long piece for The New York Times about all the lies and misdeeds of Donald Trump. It's a stunning list of dishonest statements and actions, and a lot of us are amazed that stuff didn't make more of a difference. I have the feeling a lot of folks who supported our 45th — and now, apparently 47th — President are amazed too…but they won and in some circles, that's all that matters.
You sure don't need me to offer theories on what went wrong. The deluge of Monday Morning Quarterbacking is already beginning and it will continue for a long time. So will the divisiveness in this country because a President Trump who thinks he can get away with absolutely anything will never be as conciliatory and gracious to the losing side as a President Harris would have been. She won't go before the microphones when it's officially over and say, "I'm not going to give a concession speech because I have exactly as much proof that I won and the election was stolen as Donald Trump did four years ago." She'll probably even certify his victory and no one will storm the capitol.