America is in various states of celebration, despair and protest this morning as the world is stunned by Donald Trump's proverbial photobombing of the oval office.
November 9, 2016: Like it our not, Trump is the next leader of the free world. Any guess is as good as the next as to what will happen, but one thing is certain: half of the country is pissed. Most of the country, including those who voted for Trump, are apprehensive about his coming Presidency.
Here's how he can settle the country down and instantly gain some credibility among those who vehemently campaigned/voted against him.
Offer Hillary Clinton a cabinet post. OK, first he needs to call off the threatened criminal investigations of her past actions, justified or not. For the record, we believe that Clinton is an evil, conniving bitch and could very well belong in prison. But for the sake of the country, it might be best to let bygones be bygones. Half the country voted for Hillary and if Trump really wants to heal the nation, an extended hand holding an olive branch is a good start. Offer her the post of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development or Health and Human Services. She probably won't accept, but these are posts that are more important to Democrats anyway and she is probably as good an adviser in these areas as anybody. If she rejects the gesture, as we would expect she would, and Trump wants to make friends with Democrats anyway, he can always offer the Housing and Urban Development post to Bernie Sanders. At any rate, Trump can only come out smelling like roses.
We've always believed that a cabinet post offering to a President's opponent is appropriate, especially after an election in which the popular vote was somewhat evenly divided. Such gestures can only be viewed favorably and could be the catalyst to the healing that this nation desires and desperately requires.
After Trump takes office, he can further comfort the nation with the ultimate show of bipartisanship. Present President Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Like him or not, Obama showed America that there are no longer color barriers to becoming President and he most certainly remains the standard bearer of the black community. With this gesture, perhaps Trump can accomplish something that Obama never could, and that is to calm race relations in this country.
After Trump takes office, he can further comfort the nation with the ultimate show of bipartisanship. Present President Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Like him or not, Obama showed America that there are no longer color barriers to becoming President and he most certainly remains the standard bearer of the black community. With this gesture, perhaps Trump can accomplish something that Obama never could, and that is to calm race relations in this country.