What will we talk about without Trump?
I don’t know about you, but I have not been to my desk more than a couple of times since July 4.
That’s the nature of this whole work-from-home environment. If I did go to the office, I’m not sure whether I’d offer Clay Bennett — this paper’s Pulitzer Prizeowning cartoonist — congratulations or condolences.
If you are familiar with his work, Bennett was never going to be on Donald Trump’s Christmas card list.
But with Joe Biden’s victory and the looming de-Trumping of the White House, the professional pleasure many people are feeling today also comes with personal ponderings.
Without Trump, what will Clay draw? Heck, bigger picture, without Trump, what in the world are we going to kick around during the family Thanksgiving gathering?
I mean, sure, there’s COVID-19, but there are no “sides” to that conversation. No one is pro-COVID.
Yeah, there’s college football, of course, but unless you are in Alabama or Ohio, then it’s mostly bad news this year, considering that a lot of teams are fighting through it.
Are we going to kick around who would make the most sense to follow the Sasquatch-sized shoes Alex Trebek left at the podium on “Jeopardy!”? We can, but where’s the fun in that?
Of course, there’s kids and such, but that feels so 2014 these days and, truthfully, stories about little Jimmy or Jenny performing in this play or in that chorus are few this year because of, you know, the coronavirus. Anyway, those conversations were just another arduous part of the holiday feast like Aunt
Betsy’s turnip greens or your momma’s passive-aggressive compliments like, “Well, on the bright side, I have seen worse centerpieces before.”
Trump was the great deflector in a lot of ways. He had become the political dog that ate everyone’s homework. He was the lightning rod that spared few.
Sure, there will always be politics. Here’s a hope that Joe Biden delivers for all of us in a critical time in our history. From social issues to health matters and a mounting debt, Biden’s got his work cut out for him.
I didn’t vote for him, but I hope he does amazing things — for all of us.
No matter his successes and failures, though, he can’t be Trump in terms of the entertainment value. Trump’s larger-than-life personality was his biggest strength and his biggest shortcoming.
And his “I don’t care what people think” facade that covered an “I care much what everyone thinks” core fueled a Twitter feed that was equal parts minefield and gold mine.
When Biden misses the mark — and he will — the social media masses will mobilize.
Sure, may we all pray for less hectic times with better health and safer days.
And after a 2020 filled with chaos, maybe this Thanksgiving needs to be politics-free with relative calm with the relatives.
After four years of a political roller coaster like the Scream Machine, the coming days and weeks could feel like a slow drift down a lazy river.
Just ask Clay.