It isn’t like the party deserves respect.
It isn’t like Lucy McBath responded to the death of her only son, at the hands of a white man, by picking up the pieces and becoming a U.S. House Representative.
It isn’t like Mark Kelly, a former astronaut, externalized his anger positively at the violence against his wife and rose to U.S. Senator, and in my view, will very likely be President one day.
It isn’t like Stacey Abrams, a talented young woman responded to an at best, dubious count in her Gubernatorial race by leading the charge to turn the state blue for our nominee.
It isn’t like Andrew Cuomo made tough decisions and led New York, and continues to lead New York, through this pandemic.
It isn’t like Cori Bush decided to take on an entrenched legacy incumbent, much too comfortable with the status quo, and beat him.
It isn’t like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, a highly educated ex-bartender toppled a high ranking but politically milquetoast member of the House.
It isn’t like Jeff Jackson, a member of the N.C State Senate, is not a member of the National Guard who will likely win the open U.S. Senate seat in 2022.
It isn’t like 81 million plus Americans voted to save this country.
It isn’t like tens of thousands of Democratic volunteers sacrificed time, blood, sweat, and tears to win this election.
It isn’t like John Lewis bled on that bridge, or left us one last message of inspiration before he left this world.
It isn’t like we passed Obamacare, something that has saved perhaps millions of lives, I believe mine included.
It isn’t like Nancy Pelosi stood up and led the impeachment of a rogue President.
It isn’t like a little girl from Oakland, who went to and graduated from an HBCU, could rise to Vice-President elect.
It isn’t like a 77 year-old man, once Vice-President, who once perhaps thought the 2021 Inauguration might be of his son Beau, eschewed a well-deserved retirement, overcame the grief of the loss of that same son, only to win what may be the most consequential election in our nation’s history.
We hear a lot about guts.
You know what takes guts?
To stare at a Category 5 Hurricane, bearing down on democracy itself, looking at the craftmanship of the ship our founding fathers and mothers built us, and say, “We will not abandon ship. She’s gonna hold!”
Democracy’s fate does not depend on the winner. It depends on the concept of a gracious loser.
It depends on the good will of people who run campaigns for the right reasons, and therefore, recognizes the will of the people as supreme.
One party still does. One party still comports itself with dignity and honor, and respect for our institutions.
Some might say, in the face of that storm, maintaining that poise is the gutsiest act of all.
Except for maybe, a Grandfather who lived through the losses of two children, a wife, a man who worked thirty-two years to win the Presidency, running one more time, and then, only did so not because he thought he was so important us.
No. Joe Biden became President-elect on November 7th, 2020 because WE were so important to him.
Now, please, talk to me about guts.