They wanted Trump, now they’ve got him
Over the years the presidential inauguration at the Capitol in Washington has evolved into a solemn, symbol-encrusted ritual, like the one that many of us watched Friday. It’s the chief sacrament of the American religion. This is the one occasion when Americans earnestly restate their belief in the Constitution and speak in terms of sheer wonder about their ability to change governments peacefully. On every other day Americans express their anger at each other but the inauguration changes that mood and compels both the left and the right to announce piously their belief in national unity.
In Washington on Friday every detail was arranged to prove something important was going on. There were black, heavily armoured cars, escorted by motorcycles moving in pattern. Many soldiers were to be seen, handsome in their dress blues. Six members of the clergy were recruited to read from scripture. Great crowds filled the National Mall, including many children who have already been instructed to recall this event in decades to come. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang, certifying by its presence the seriousness of the occasion. There was even a relic from the past, a Bible that Abraham Lincoln once used, now employed by Donald Trump as he swore his oath.
This was not a one-day event. On Thursday night at the Lincoln Memorial, country music provided the tone, as Toby Keith sang his ultrapatriotic tunes, American Soldier and Courtesy of The Red, White and Blue. This was the Make America Great Again Welcome Concert. Trump, sitting with family members, looked impatient, waiting for his chance to speak. He brightened up when called to the podium. “I love you, folks,” he said. “We are going to work together and we are going to make America great again and ... greater than ever before.” A huge fireworks display lit the sky. An army chorus and orchestra performed the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Trump and family posed for pictures beneath the gigantic effigy of Lincoln.
Later in the evening, Trump turned a dinner for his donors into a full-bore festival of bragging. He bragged about his electoral victories (“Records were set that haven’t been beaten since Ronald Reagan”) about his cabinet (“The likes of which has never been appointed”) and his own hard work (“I think I outworked anybody who ever ran for office”). He even bragged about winning re-election in 2020 (“The old- fashioned way: We’re going to win because we did so well” in his first term). He expressed confidence that his son- in- law, Jared Kushner, could make peace between Israel and the Palestinians. “He is so great.” If he can’t do it, said Trump, “nobody can.”
But, as Trump said, Thursday’s speeches were secondary performances, warm-ups for the inaugural. He said that speech would be “the big one.”
And he did his best to make it so. After being sworn he delivered an unsmiling and ludicrously over- confident speech. It was Trump squared, more Trumpish than anything he said when seeking the presidency. Once more he revealed himself as a fantasist, an ignorant outsider who still had no notion of how governments work. He appealed to the millions who voted for him but entirely ignored those who voted for Hillary Clinton, not to mention the hundreds of women in various countries ( including Canada) taking part in anti-Trump demonstrations this weekend).
Those who hoped that a slightly more reasonable Trump would appear at the inauguration were totally disappointed.
In one bizarre twist of egomania, he announced that this day, January 20, 2017, would be known in history as the day when everything changed. He spoke as if everything he promised in campaigning was about to come to pass, just because he ordered it.
The borders will be hardened, the military will be revived, the American infrastructure will be repaired, the jobs will be brought back from foreign countries that took them, the schools will be improved, the dangerous districts will be rendered safe. And every issue will be decided on one principle — “America First.” That phrase appeared several times. As the infrastructure is improved, it will always be done by American labour. And there is no shame in that. He said countries all over the world favour their own citizens above foreigners. He said America too will follow that practice, except that America can do it better than anyone else.
Principles of law and order will dominate society. Gangs and drug dealers and their violence will be eliminated. “The American carnage ends right here,” he said, as if believing that a change in administration leads directly to change in reality.
America, he said, is now being taken away from the government and put in the hands of the people, all by the “historic movement” that Trump invented. “We are giving it back to you,” he said. Rep. Paul Ryan noted recently that Trump succeeded because he “heard a voice out in this country that no one else heard.” He did indeed. He told millions what they wanted to hear and promised he would make it happen for them. He may sincerely believe those dreams will come true, but it’s a long, difficult road between believing and accomplishment.
I THINK I OUTWORKED ANYBODY WHO EVER RAN.