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Thursday, January 21, 2021
Unexpected gesture
Biden: Trump left me a “benevolent” letter
So far, Trump has not congratulated his successor Biden on winning the election. The Republican is also staying away from Biden’s inauguration. But the former president does not break with any other tradition. Trump left him “a very benevolent letter,” says Biden.
As the first president of the United States in more than 150 years, Donald Trump stayed away from the ceremony to swear in his successor in front of the Capitol on Wednesday. Surprisingly, Trump did not break with another much more recent tradition: New President Joe Biden said Trump had left him “a very benevolent letter.”
It is true that Biden did not want to provide any information about the content of the “personal” letter before speaking with his predecessor. But that Trump made the gesture is astonishing in itself. To this day, he has not publicly congratulated Biden on his election victory.
“Your success is now the success of our country”
Since Republican Ronald Reagan in 1989, every outgoing American president has placed a mostly affectionate letter on the desk of his successor, regardless of whether he politically disagreed with him. In Reagan’s case, it was more of a note to his successor and party member George HW Bush, on a sheet of paper that said “Don’t let turkeys get you down,” including a comical cartoon of an elephant lying on the ground and leaning on him. several of the birds frolic. The elephant is the heraldic animal of the Republicans.
“Dear George, you will have times when you want to use this particular stationery,” Reagan wrote. “I treasure the memories we have in common and wish them all the best. I will include them in my prayers.” Bush, who previously failed in his re-election, wrote to Democrat Bill Clinton in 1993: “You will be our president if you read this note. I wish you the best. I wish your family all the best. Your success is now success.” of our country. Fingers crossed for you. “
Clinton passed the post eight years later to George W. Bush, the son of his predecessor. Clinton’s letter to the Republican said: “From this day on you will all be presidents. I salute you and wish you success and good luck. The burdens you now carry are great, but often exaggerated. Sheer joy Doing what you think it is correct it is indescribable “.
Bush jr. I wanted to cheer for Obama
Bush Jr. continued the tradition and congratulated Barack Obama on becoming “our president” in 2009. Bush continued to write to the Democrat: “There will be difficult times. Critics will rage. Your” friends “will disappoint you. But you will have an Almighty God. that will console you, a family that will love you and a country that will encourage you, including me “.
Barack Obama, against whom Trump had spread crude conspiracy theories for years, left a letter to his successor four years ago. “Millions have put their hopes in you,” it read. “Michelle and I wish you and Melania the best as you embark on this great adventure, and you should know that we are ready to help in any way we can. Good luck and God’s blessings BO.”
The Atlantic newspaper wrote of the letters: “Each of them reminds us what a peaceful and friendly transfer of power looks like.” Even if Trump has now left a letter to Biden, he had shown no interest in a peaceful transfer of power. During the election campaign, he flatly refused to give any guarantees in the event of his defeat. Trump’s opposition to being ousted from office culminated in his supporters’ assault on Capitol Hill two weeks ago. After all, Trump, known for his difficult relationship with the truth, is honest on one point. In July he told Fox News, “I’m not a good loser.”
