Hello Joe! We've been Biden our time for a good leader

President-elect Joe Biden speaking at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Delaware. Picture: AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Shakespeare teaches us evil is a powerful force. The rapidity of its advancement in the four main tragedies is as shocking as it is terrifying for the audience. Goodness and integrity seem to capitulate to the dark machinations of a few pathological characters motivated by dark desires and impulses. 

But Shakespeare, more importantly, teaches us that goodness and hope are unwavering forces that ultimately prevail in the end. In one of the most brutal and blood-filled scenes in all of Shakespeare’s work, when Gloucester is tied to the chair and his eyes are being plucked out by Cornwall, from the shadows steps a servant to protect Gloucester. At a moment, when the world seems devoid of justice and righteousness, the servant’s actions illuminate that goodness never fully concedes to the powers of evil. 

There are always a few willing to stand up for what is right. And we saw that over the last four long years, Republicans standing up against Trump. Putting their careers on the line, for to voice dissent was to provoke the wrath of the dragon. Trump holds the record for White House and cabinet churn in a president’s first term. There was a revolving door policy in Trump’s White House and if you weren’t singing the right note, the door hit you on the way out.

A leader sets the tone and creates the culture in an organisation. And when they lead by the example of their power and not by the power of their example they change the internal workings of the mind in a negative way. We need leaders now who lead by example. Leaders motivated by inclusivity, solidarity, and a genuine interest in the advancement of our species.

For four years we witnessed Trump dismantle important relationships and tear up unified strategic approaches to climate change, and make unilateral decisions to fulfil his dictum, ‘America first’. A country is not weakened by its alliances but strengthened. His isolationist policies have caused huge reputational damage to America across the globe. But, like a Shakespearian tragedy, we all took a collective breath as goodness prevailed last Saturday evening. 

But there were moments over the last four years when light seemed banished, where the din from the White House briefing room was all about self-promotion and deflection. 

It was a presidency conducted through Twitter, a presidency of divisiveness. Just what America will Joe Biden inherit? 

The blue wave that was predicted didn’t really happen. Of course, Trump’s camp will make out that this election was extremely close, and that they were cheated out of the White House by the deep state. 

In reality, it was as close as Trump’s victory over Clinton in 2016 and we never heard talk, then, of a nail-biting finish. Biden, in the end, won well. But the election has exposed deep divisions. The fact that Trump received 213 electoral college votes shows that many liked what he had to say. And president Biden is going to have to heal the fractures and fault lines that run throughout the fabric of American society. No easy feat, especially when it looks like Republicans will hold the Senate. 

This is a time for unity. Biden’s reiteration of Obama’s unified cry ‘there are no red or blue states, only the United States’ is an important one for the healing to begin. So Republicans and Democrats are going to have to work closely together to ameliorate the damage done to both parties over the last four years and in doing so demonstrate that we don’t weaponise difference, we celebrate it. 

In all of this talk of rigged elections and Trump losing, let's not forget the huge significance of the first woman and the first black and Asian-American person to serve as vice president. What a great moment for all women and people belonging to minorities throughout the world. Vice president-elect Kamala Harris’ speech was an important moment in history. These are moments that change how we view ourselves. These are the moments when young girls and children from lower socio-economic backgrounds and ethnic minorities dare to dream. As Joe Biden said: "Don’t tell me it’s not possible in the United States." 

The arc is bent towards justice. Darkness has been banished but there is an incredible task ahead of this new administration. Perhaps Donald Trump isn’t the cause but more of a symptom of something that lies deep at the core of American society. Perhaps, blaming Trump is a lazy analysis. Perhaps those 71 million votes for Trump reveal that America is more like Trump than we care to believe. I hope not. President Biden has to find some way to unite the citizens of a deeply divided America. His victory speech signalled that change.