Shock and Awe! - Election 2016

Photo of the Trump Tower clock, taken October 30, when things were still calm on 5th Avenue.

The 2016 election season is finally over--with a few states left counting. I am a conservative and vowed to vote for the Republican party's candidate long before one was chosen. I did not vote for Donald Trump in the Michigan primary. But I voted for him yesterday.

I am coming out! Out of that basket of deplorables!

I have country roots in a deeply red state!

I was surprised by yesterday's election results. I was shocked by the vote in a long-time blue state like Michigan, where the count is favoring Donald Trump. But it no longer matters.

His last campaign stop was a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was here as well when I was trading places with him--in NYC. It was late at night--into the early morning hours of election day--that he addressed supporters here in West Michigan. That gave me some hint that Michigan must be in play, leaning his way, slipping into pink!

I was calm going into election night, with a small bit of hope in my heart for something unexpected, for some type of Brexit effect--a win for the conservatives, the opposition, the Republicans, but was suddenly encouraged when Florida finally was called for Trump, following a big win in Ohio ... and there was a sense that he might go all the way to victory.

The pollsters, pundits, presidential historians and millions of people (nearly half the country) are still in shock, in tears, or scratching their heads over how this could have happened. And protesters are already flocking to the big cities. The speeches have been conciliatory, the transition will likely occur peacefully--as it usually does--but the shock and awe, the grief and tears, the anger, will take awhile to dissipate.

I feel that I was thinking shock and awe, before I saw it in some of the headlines, and even though I may be wrong about that, I like it anyway.

I feel like I could write a book on this election cycle myself. I enjoyed the battles, the debates--the tweets!  And I was stunned by the nasty rhetoric--the lies, found on both sides!

Twice now, Hillary has failed to break through that glass ceiling. The Javits Center, where she hoped to deliver her acceptance speech was probably chosen for its glass ceiling and maybe for its view of Trump Tower. Her dreams are now shattered, rather than that ceiling. The era of the Clintons--and the Bushes, thankfully is over! I will spare you my thoughts here about the President, while he is still The President.

There was a promised border wall, a democratic firewall, a blue wall of states that Trump voters tore down, in an election season sometimes compared to Ronald Reagan's win over Jimmy Carter years ago--and Reagan was into tearing down walls as well!

But it is HRC who has finally hit a wall. A Red Wall. (A Rusty Wall!)

People will be talking about the phenomenon that is Trump and the historic takeover of now, two branches of government (and probably soon to be three branches!) in the years to come. As they say, it is one for the books. I have a feeling that a few Supremes, (like Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg) will try to hang on to their seats 'til death parts them from them!

I was just at Trump Tower a little over a week ago. I was trying to get a good shot of the naked cowboy when I photographed the Trump clock above. Now the area is barricaded with trucks filled with sand and thick with protesters who marched from Union Square (where I was just sitting on a bench sipping coffee in the park and nibbling on that delicious pumpkin Dough doughnut). I was there exactly a year ago as well, but am so glad I traveled before the election this year.

I don't want to be mean or in-your-face, but now I can say what I have been told in the past: "Elections have consequences!"

I may have more to say now that it is over ... or now that it is just beginning! Or I may just shut up again. But I am now willing to admit to my vote. Not many of my friends were willing to darken that circle this year. I will try to respect their choices. I didn't hold my nose or write another name in like so many. A relative just told me he shut his eyes to vote--I'm not sure how you do that here in Michigan, where you must carefully blacken a small circle!

Anyway, for now, I am getting back to the duties of the day ... and quietly celebrating. I sure wish I had another pumpkin doughnut to help me enjoy the day!

Union Square - Pumpkin Doughnut and Coffee