US better placed in hands of Joe Biden

US President-elect Joe Biden attends a Veterans Day observance in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, November 11, 2020. [Reuters]

Americans have spoken and major news outlets have declared Joe Biden the President-elect even though votes are still being counted. Biden won in a hotly contested poll that saw record voter turnout.

Incumbent President Donald Trump has claimed he won the elections "by a lot" and alleged voter fraud with proving any evidence. Though he filed several lawsuits, many argue nothing much will come out of them as the poll has been billed to have been clean.

The US electoral system may not be perfect but it passes the test of legitimacy and any attempt at machinations to overturn the people's resolve is a non-starter. Even the Electoral College that has come under constant criticism ensures that there is fairness in representation from each state in the union.

As for Biden, there could not have been a more suitable candidate. With 37 years of senatorial work experience and eight years as Vice President, Biden positions himself as being qualified for the job.

Recently, former President Barrack Obama revealed that when he was faced with a difficult decision to make during his rule, Biden was the last person to leave the room among his advisers. Biden will clearly not be clueless in his first days in office.

It must also be remembered that Biden was the leader of the team that President Obama assembled to tackle the great recession that almost brought the US economy to its knees immediately after he assumed power.

Just like then, the US is grappling with one of the worst economic crises occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic. As he steered the economic recovery team in 2008 to a successful resuscitation of the US economy, he is poised to do the same this time again.

Biden was also at the centre of the US success story in containing and managing the H1N1 flu pandemic. So, he is well acquainted with what it takes to successfully manage the coronavirus pandemic and relieve the suffering of millions of Americans who have already lost a quarter a million people to the virus so far.

This election was centred on character given President Trump’s outrageous gaffes at every turn and his obnoxious attitude towards women.

Although it was widely expected that the democrats would carry both houses, the republicans have maintained the Senate and even grabbed a few House of Representative seats. What this means is that the President-Elect, just like president Obama, will have a headache in pushing through his legislative agenda.

There hasn’t been a time for greater need for bipartisanship than now and Biden’s indication that he may appoint some progressive GOP leaders like Ohio’s John Kasich in his cabinet would go a long way in thawing frosty relations between the two parties.

Biden’s character which has been widely lauded by personalities from both sides of the aisle will be the fulcrum on which healing of the nation will be hoisted. Touted as amiable, compassionate and a respectful politician, Biden at the very outset during his victory speech appealed for calm in the face of deep divisions. He clearly pointed out that he will work hardest for all Americans irrespective of who voted for whom. He also noted that democrats and republicans are not enemies.

All in all, the world is at a better place with Biden’s election as the leader of the free world. He has to immediately initiate the process of taking the US back to the World Health Organization after Trump withdrew US financial assistance to the world health body during a pandemic. Also, the US has just pulled out of the Paris climate accord.

Biden’s victory was wildly celebrated by Kenyans both here at home and in America. It has emerged that there is a sizeable community of Kenyan Americans in Biden’s home state of Delaware, some of who worked tirelessly in his campaign team. Biden himself visited Kenya when he served as Obama’s Vice President.

Ultimately, one thing that is clear is that the Biden administration will be under strict scrutiny from around the world.

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