It is just after 2:00 pm on Nov. 7, less than three hours after CNN called the Presidential race in favor of Joe Biden, and Trump Tower is surrounded by Biden supporters waving Biden-Harris flags and shouting “The nightmare is over”.
Trump Tower, which is located on 5th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, was blocked off by police barricades, making it impossible to get within more than one block of the skyscraper. Biden supporters shouted and gestured toward the building from behind several barricades, but most were gathered on the corner of 5th Avenue and 57th Street, where they had a clear view of the tower.
One of these supporters, Christopher Bould, held up a large sign that read “Dinged Don: the Wicked Grinch is Dead”.
“He was supposed to make America great,” said Bould of the president, “But all he really did were things that didn’t make America great. Make America white again was much more apropos of what his base wanted than making America great, because America was already great.”
Another supporter, Paul Rossen was selling anti-Trump pins, hats, and face masks. He wore a red hat similar to those sold by the Trump campaign, but instead of “Make America Great Again”, his hat read “ADIOS!”.
“I’ve been out here for four years demonstrating and selling [anti-Trump merchandise], and I’ve been enraged at this piece of crap president,” said Rossen. “Pure evil. Pure immorality.”
Like Bould, Rossen didn’t initially support Biden. Both of them were more drawn toward Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders during the Democratic Primary. But when Biden clinched the Democratic nomination, they supported him.
“I don’t think he’s a terrific candidate, but I think his intent is to be a bridge to the next generation of more progressive people,” said Rossen. “Biden is more palatable right now to people who are worried about socialism. I don’t think Biden really wanted [to be president], I think he did it as a service to the next generation.”
Despite supporting other candidates, Bould is grateful Biden secured the Democratic nomination.
“[Biden] wasn’t my choice for the nomination for the Democratic Party, but he was obviously the best choice, given how close it ended up being,” said Bould. “What would’ve happened to Elizabeth Warren? She would’ve gotten her ass kicked.”
Politicians and political pundits have debated whether or not this election should be considered “close”, but as it stands Joe Biden leads the president by more than 4 million votes, and has won (or is expected to win) red-leaning states like Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia.
“Biden wasn’t my first choice,” said Rossen. “But [he has] empathy and decency. I hate to be vindictive, but I want bad things to happen to [Trump]. And New York state is waiting. No one can pardon him.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James is currently investigating the Trump Organization’s unlawful inflation of its value to banks and the deflation of its value on tax forms.
While it is true that a president can pardon whomever they wish, it is not possible for a president to pardon a state criminal offense.
