Donald Trump’s election not an end, but a new beginning

The United States of America has elected its 45th president, and his name is Donald J. Trump.

Yes, it was one of the closest elections in American history, with Trump’s Democratic rival winning more popular votes (59.7 million) than he did (59.5 million).

Yes, it was one of the longest, nastiest and most unconventional campaigns in modern American history.

But it’s over now. Trump bested Hillary Clinton in the Electoral College, 279 votes to 228 votes. And overnight, he went from Mr. Trump to Mr. President-elect.

This was not the result that many people — in fact, nearly half of all those casting a presidential ballot — wanted. It will be a bitter pill to swallow for millions. And the future of the country in a Trump administration is uncertain and clouded.

But none of those things matters: Donald Trump is the nation’s next president, and he’s earned the respect the office entails.

“Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division,” Trump said after an ultra-long election night. “To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.

“It’s time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans, and this is so important to me,” Trump added.

This was the right message at the right moment for a country cleaved by different versions of its problems, and different visions for its future. But it’s precisely what needs to happen.

Some will say Trump is ill-suited to the task, that his pejorative campaign-trail remarks disqualify him from even talking about unity.

But, once again, that no longer matters: Trump is America’s president, not just the president of those who voted for him.

So, can a country so bitterly divided find common ground?

Trump himself gave a couple hints in his speech.

“We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals,” Trump said. “We’re going to rebuild our infrastructure, which will become, by the way, second to none. And we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it.”

This promise — which Trump mentioned often on the campaign trail — was hardly his alone. In fact, both Bernie Sanders and Clinton had similar plans. Here is an opportunity for left and right to work together, create jobs and accomplish needful things.

“We will also finally take care of our great veterans,” Trump said. Again, this is an area where a liberal such as Sanders and Republicans such as John McCain find plenty of common ground.

Of course, we should not be naive: There are many issues on which Trump and Democrats will never agree. Building the wall. Mass deportations of illegal immigrants who have committed additional crimes since coming to America. Repealing the Affordable Care Act. Immigration bans based on religion. Even trade policy. Those differences are significant, and Trump should expect nothing less than principled opposition on them.

But patriots cheer for the success of their country, regardless of the political affiliation of its president, or whether they supported him with their vote. Patriots find ways to make sure America succeeds, even if they must compromise with leaders of a different party. Patriots don’t consider what their opponents might do were the situation reversed.

“We’re going to get to work immediately for the American people. And we’re going to be doing a job that hopefully you will be so proud of your president,” Trump said. “And I love this country.”

Let’s take our new president at his word, if for no other reason than the rest of us love this country, too.

Steve Sebelius is a Review-Journal political columnist. Follow him on Twitter (@SteveSebelius) or reach him at 702-387-5276 or SSebelius@reviewjournal.com.