Billionaire real estate mogul and President-elect, Donald John Trump will be inaugurated today as the 45th United States President. He takes over from his predecessor, Barack Hussein Obama, the first Black President in American History. Without any previous political or military experience, Trump made history as the first political outsider and entrepreneur to occupy the White House in recent times.
The Republican known for his brash and unusual rhetoric will become the most powerful person in the world as he presides over the world’s most powerful nation on earth. Trump ran an unorthodox and sometimes controversial campaign in the race to the White House. He ran one of the most contentious campaigns in the US political history. He was frank and blunt in his assessment of Obama administration. His outsider status may have also worked in his favour.
The establishment and members of his party did not give him a chance of winning his party’s nomination, yet he won against others considered more qualified for the job. In spite of getting his party’s nod to vie for the prime job, he was considered unfit, temperamental and uniquely unqualified to be the commander in chief.
He was adjudged to be unable to handle the nuclear codes. In his divisive and hate campaigns, he said things that many believed were not politically correct, yet he won the November 8, 2016 presidential poll through the Electoral College votes while his opponent won the popular votes. Despite negative polls predictions, allegations of abuse of women, discrimination against minority people and media reports against Trump, he went ahead to win the presidential poll.
Perhaps, his slogan of “Make America Great Again” did the magic. His lampooning of the Obama administration at every point in his campaign gave him an edge over Clinton in his historic journey to the White House. Besides, the American system was apparently not ready to experiment with a female president and may not be willing to produce a political dynasty of the Clintons.
He won against a more favoured and preferred Democratic Party’s candidate and former first lady, Hillary Clinton. During the campaign, Trump said, among other things, that he will build a wall along the Mexican border and make Mexico to pay for it, deport illegal immigrants, repeal Obamacare and stop some Muslims from entering the United States.
Only time will tell if Trump is going to fulfill most of his bizarre campaign promises that endeared him to white supremacist voters and other adherents. Despite all odds, the co-author of The Art of the Deal, and host of The Apprentice, a reality show, became the most famous man ever to be elected the president of the United States. As Trump assumes office today, America and the world will never be the same again. Trump’s takeover of the Oval Office will witness far-reaching changes that will affect not only America but the entire world.
For sure, America will miss Obama’s brilliance, oratory, pop culture, humour, pragmatism, inclusive politics and his elevation of the Oval Office. Despite suffering racism even in the White House, Obama did not lose his humanity and his Americaness. He did not lose touch with his African roots. As the most powerful man on earth, he visited the continent twice and told African leaders some home truths. He canvassed for the development of strong democratic institutions in Africa and not strong men.
Although born by a Kenyan father and White Kansan mother in the decidedly US state of Hawaii, Obama’s electoral victory in 2008 brought to fulfillment Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream.”
As far back as 1963, Dr. King, with much spiritual and political foresight, saw the Promised Land and warned that he would not get there with them. The blacks waited till January 20, 2009 when Barack Hussein Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States for the fulfillment of King’s prophecy. His ascension of office witnessed tears of joy from blacks and other races as well.
Obama’s presidency might not have given all blacks the equality espoused in the American Dream; it has given them a pedestal. Obama had in his November 4, 2008 victory speech in Chicago reminded Americans that: “This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people; Yes, we can.”
Eight years down the line, American dream is still a work in progress. Obama’s presidency has given them hope and a voice. Black lives mattered to his presidency, even though his was a period that witnessed rise in racial animosity.
In Obama, they have a reference point to stand and combat racism and other divisiveness in God’s own country. The first black family to occupy the Oval Office has given them hope that they can achieve whatever they want to achieve. Despite some structured handicaps by the Congress, Obama did his best in office and may arguably be considered one of the best presidents the US has produced.
He lived up to his world classics, Dreams from My Father (1995) and The Audacity of Hope (2006). No doubt, Obama is a good role model. Obama leaves office amid great applause with approval rating of 60 percent. Bill Clinton left office at 66 percent and Ronald Reagan left with approval rating of 64 percent.
As Trump assumes office today, let him not be so swift to dismantle Obama’s legacies. He should tame his repulsive rhetoric and be humble enough to learn and profit from the experiences of those who have travelled that path before him. Donald Trump’s campaign and victory sharply divided Americans along political, racial and religious lines; the President should heal the wounds his hate campaigns created. He should fulfill those campaign promises that will truly make America great again.
He should create many jobs, rebuild the economy and broken down infrastructure and defeat the ISIS. Trump should also curb rising racism and hatred in the United States. He should be the President of all Americans, whites, black and brown.