Dear President-elect __________,

This column must be published before the results of Tuesday’s election are known, so I’ll have to fill in your name later. My apologies for that — but there’s no need to worry. Whether it’s President-elect Harris or President-elect Trump, the advice I offer will serve either of you equally well.

First and foremost, you owe your victory as much, if not more, to your opponent than to your own efforts. If it’s President-elect Harris, take a moment to appreciate that you didn’t have to face a formidable contender like Nikki Haley or another Republican who might have been less verbally abrasive and politically divisive than Donald Trump. Conversely, if it’s President-elect Trump, count your blessings that Kamala Harris emerged as the Democratic candidate, as she was likely one of the least electable options available after Joe Biden. You would have faced significant challenges if your opponent had been someone like Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania or Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan.

To put it bluntly, beyond your devoted base, many Americans harbor feelings of distrust or dislike towards you and will not easily grant you the benefit of the doubt. This brings me to my second point: Unlike past presidents such as Barack Obama in 2008, Ronald Reagan in 1980, or Lyndon Johnson in 1964, you do not possess a mandate for sweeping reforms. This holds true even if your victory exceeds the expectations set by pre-election polls, if you secure majorities in Congress, or if friendly pundits laud you as the Savior of Democracy or the Vanquisher of the Woke, among other exalted titles.

What happens to presidents who mistakenly believe they have mandates when they do not? Consider Joe Biden, who envisioned himself as a transitional leader yet aimed for the ambitious legacy of Franklin Roosevelt. Since September 2021, he has not enjoyed a positive approval rating. Or reflect on George W. Bush following his 2004 re-election, who promised sweeping reforms in immigration and entitlement. He achieved neither, as his legacy became mired in the turmoil of the Iraq insurgency, the catastrophic response to Hurricane Katrina, and ultimately the financial crisis of 2008.

So, what can you accomplish with your victory? Here’s a third point: Begin with initiatives that will pleasantly surprise your skeptics. Embrace the potential of political grace to build political capital.

For President-elect Harris, many skeptics are apprehensive about your perceived lack of intellectual depth, your cultural radicalism, and your readiness to tackle the formidable challenges of high office, particularly regarding foreign policy. For President-elect Trump, there is a palpable fear that you might not just harbor authoritarian tendencies but that you could govern with a despotic approach. These concerns could be alleviated by Harris through a significant increase in the defense budget and the appointment of a homeland security secretary recognized for their security-oriented mindset, possibly even a Republican like Senator Jim Lankford of Oklahoma. For Trump, easing fears could involve extending your legacy of criminal-sentencing reform and selecting a nonpartisan attorney general akin to Gerald Ford’s choice of University of Chicago president Ed Levi.