So he's going to lose. Bigly. And then he, what? Tweets that it's rigged? Refuses to address the nation? Calls for a revolt? In the meantime, the winner usually waits for a phone call from the loser, which we know in this case will probably not come. So what does President Hillary Clinton do... Give the speech without the call? Wait a day or two and see what he does? Something in-between? This is kind of a thing, isn't it (since the whole Bush v. Gore and all)? We're sailing into uncharted territory here if Trump decides to be obstinate. There has never been a precedent as far as I know. What do you all think will go down? My money is on President Clinton ignoring the troll and giving her speech as if he'd conceded, shortly after the media calls it (if I were here, I'd give the speech MOMENTS AFTER they call it, and not even give him a chance to place the call...but I'm probably more petulant than President Clinton will be).
I think she waits until after the states reported reaches 270 electoral votes. Which I don't think will take too long, but longer than the media call. This won't be a Gore v Bush situation. Both of them will win most of their states by large enough margins. Some states might be close, but they won't affect the outcome. 538's path to victory doesn't even need Ohio, Florida or North Carolina; they would just pad the victory.
"This won't be a Gore v Bush situation." Certainly not, but I wonder if Trump will try and play it as such either way (not that it'll really matter in the long run).
If the victory is big enough (and I think it will be), Clinton will just give her speech whether Trump calls her or not. Obviously better if he does, and even better if he gives an actual concession speech that night. If he doesn't, or if he gives a petulant "Congratulations, I guess, you cheating cheater"-type speech, he just cements his image as the ultimate sore loser emotional 8-year-old. For you schadenfreude fans, I have a friend in the travel/hospitality industry who tells me Trump has damaged his brand bigly, at least in the short term. Bookings at his properties are way down, as he has alienated plenty of educated middle to upper-middle or wealthy people who would ordinarily patronize him. Most of his fervent supporters can't afford to stay at his places. How long that lasts is up for grabs, and maybe it won't even matter to him for long if he starts the long-rumored media company with which he can fleece his flock going forward. But one theory holds that Trump ran in the first place to enhance his brand, not thinking he'd really get this far, and ironically may have tarnished it instead.
I feel that, short-term, it would be best if he calls and gives a *reasonable* concession speech. It would restore some confidence and help with the World's view of us. But what I want to see is a full on, fist beating, breath holding, redder faced tantrum. (I should have won!) If he shows his true colors like that; I think it could be better for the country as a whole in the long term. If we do not learn from our mistakes we are bound to repeat them. This election has been a very big lesson. College student will be doing research papers on it in years to come.
