Conversations on the Election Aftermath

Bret Stephens: Hello, Gail. How are you feeling these days? Are you despondent, energized, enraged, or perhaps dumbstruck?

Gail Collins: Honestly, I’m experiencing a bit of all those emotions, sometimes within just a 10-minute span! But I must add “scared” to that list. How about you?

Bret: To be completely candid?

Gail: No, Bret! I want you to let loose and invent anything you feel like inventing, just like the incoming administration does!

Bret: Hehehe, I appreciate the encouragement!

Gail: Alright, back to honesty. I haven’t forgotten that you were the one who foresaw Trump’s victory, while I held firm in my belief that women voters would rally behind Kamala Harris. Instead, it appears that Trump has managed to narrow the gender gap compared to his race against Joe Biden.

Bret: We survived one Trump administration; we can certainly endure another. What transpired last week wasn’t an end to democracy; rather, it was a reaffirmation of it. We’ll have the opportunity to vote again in 2026 when the Senate map should favor Democrats more favorably. And then there’s 2028, when Trump will be ineligible to run for re-election. Worrying excessively helps no one, least of all our mental well-being. Life continues to move forward.

Gail: Or at least stumbles on…

Bret: On a more personal note, I feel somewhat vindicated. I spent years cautioning that Biden needed to prioritize building the wall, that he might not be mentally prepared for a second term, that there was a legitimate case for Trump, and that Harris might struggle as a candidate. It was clear that merely being Not Trump wasn’t going to suffice.

Gail: Let’s pause for an imaginary fanfare…

Bret: I must say, I have a knack for self-promotion. But here’s an additional thought: Tuesday’s election results may serve as a hidden blessing for Democrats. It could be the jolt they need to reassess their political strategies as they prepare for a potential second Trump term.