A Warm Conversation with the President-Elect: How Donald Trump Met his Experiment During the White House Presiders’ Comets
The Trumps tried in their way to do things the official way last time, so they didn’t show. But this time, they’re going to do any damn thing they want. They are going to be similar to one of Trump’s companies. Tradition will be subsumed by Trumpism. And that’s a very unsettling thought.
Mrs. Trump didn’t bother to show up at all so perhaps the most telling signal was sent. Biden delivered a handwritten note to the president-elect to give to his wife.
Just like President Barack Obama did in his transition meeting with Trump, Biden had to sit and be nice while he contemplated what would happen to his accomplishments if there was a man like him in the White House.
The nearly two-hour Oval meeting, with the announcement of Trump’s bizarre cabinet picks, was indicative of an important fact in Washington: Democrats like to play fair, while Republicans like to win.
“I assured him that I would direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition,” Biden told staff and members of his cabinet gathered in the Rose Garden last week. The American people deserve that.
When Biden took over from Trump, this tableau did not happen again. It was partly because of Covid, and partly because of Trump, who was busy throwing monkey wrenches into the transition and scheming to steal the election.
It depends on whether you are willing to work under the influence of Trump. He promised a smooth transition but was crueler to President Biden during the campaign than I’ve ever seen a presidential candidate be to anyone: Trump made fun of how Biden looked at the beach, how he was aging and his sad mental lapse at their debate, calling him “mentally impaired.”
Donald Trump does not teach the children of America a good lesson when he is gracious only when he wins. He tries to wreck the democracy when he loses.
The warm handshake between President Trump and his predecessors, along with the roaring fire in the White House on Wednesday morning, was a perfect example of a cozy moment in the office.
Donald Trump will be in the Oval Office today, his old office. President Biden invited his predecessors and successors for a ceremony to show his wish for a smooth and peaceful transfer of power.
Trump said it was an honor to meet with Obama, and he looked forward to visiting him many, many times in the future.
Obama said he wanted to facilitate a transition that would set Trump up for success. “I believe that it is important for everyone of us to come together, work together and face the challenges that we face, regardless of party or political preferences,” Obama said.
“This was a meeting that would take 10 to 15 minutes, and we were going to get to know each other,” Trump said. “We had never met each other. I have great respect. The meeting lasted more than an hour. As far as I’m concerned, it could have gone on for a long time.
When in office, Trump ignored that. He frequently held court as reporters shouted questions, responding to the ones he felt like answering and sometimes sparring with the journalists.
Their only meeting on a debate stage in June ended Biden’s bid for a second term. During the last few months of the campaign, Trump boasted that his punch in the debate forced Biden out of the race and he even blamed the “coup” that caused him to drop out.