So goodbye Donald Trump!

It's the last 24 hours. By all accounts Trump is stil angry and frustrated and isolated. Melania on the other hand has issued an affectionate farewell and an appeal for non-violence and is clearly looking forward to a more relaxed lifestyle down in Florida. Good luck to her because I doubt her husband will get any happier especially when he sees show business stars gathering to herald Joe Biden as the new president. I don't know whether to feel sorrier for Melania or for Trump's Secret Service team who will have to continue guarding an increassingly grumpy ex-president. The person who needs all the luck in the the world is of course Biden who has the job of clearing up the mess after the Trump era. I fear his expected call for unity in the country will be met by gritted teeth by half the nation. Twas ever thus. A nation divided pretty well down the middle. However, there is one possible reason for optimism. The intelligent, sensible, patriotic members of the Republican party, especially those in the House of Representatives and Senate, will come round to the view that for the sake of the country and its standing in the world Trump must be put to one side, indeed forgotten, giving time and energy for rebuilding America's reputation. Of course Republicans will be thinking of 2024 but at least for the next few months they should play their part in ridding the country of the appalling and potentially dangerous divisions. The extremist armed militias are a lost cause but they can be isolated provided they receive no sympathy or support from the wider community. Let Biden have his chance to do something good and leave the anger and rhetoric behind. As for 2024, I don't think America deserves to have anyone pushing to be president who has been a devoted Trump ally over the last four years. So that discounts Mike Pompeo, Ted Cruz and others. I foresee a potentially gripping 2024 election: Kamala Harris for the Democrats (because Biden will step down after four years) and Nikki Haley, former US ambassador to the UN, for the Republicans. The first female president of the United States whatever the result.