It was 5 days after last week's presidential election before we had a projected winner. Today, nine days later, the losing candidate has still not conceded.
Other candidates have graciously conceded and moved on in much closer races (including Al Gore in 2000). But not this time. Not this president.
Several Republican officials have publicly said they understand the race is over. But too many are still trying to find a way to discredit the election and keep Trump in office.
There are multiple allegations being tossed around by the Trump campaign, most of which focus on some sort of theory of voter fraud. The problem is that there seems to be little if any actual fraud--election officials of both parties have confirmed that the process was straightforward, transparent, and correct. Recounts very rarely change more than a handful of votes--not enough to change the results in key states.
Meanwhile, the transition process is stalled, and the continuing saga foments distrust and division throughout the country as the COVID-19 pandemic surges out of control.
In his song The Gambler, the late singer Kenny Rogers famously said, "You need to know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away and know when to run."
It's time to move on. Time to heal. Time to come together and address what needs to be done. There's too much at stake to keep propping up this house of cards.