I’ve avoided writing about the election results immediately following Election Day, but after hearing that Democratic Sen.-elect Kyrsten Sinema will fill Jeff Flake’s seat in Arizona gleefully motivates me. The gracious concession by her Republican opponent, Martha McSally, (alongside her gallant Golden Retriever) was a vivid illustration of the way political discourse should be — and will be again.

We certainly did not experience a “blue wave.” But the tide, baby, is a changin’. And it’s not only blue; it’s female. Madam-elects from Maine to Michigan, Arizona to California and all elsewhere — congratulations, and thank you for reaching out, stepping up and getting elected.

I’ve been somewhat comforted by our country’s leading historians — John Meacham, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Bob Woodward — who’ve been insuring us that we will survive this deplorable administration and the cheeseburger-in-chief. I’m not only comforted; I’m optimistic. After all, Maine survived LePage, eh? Congrats to Gov.-elect Janet Mills.

Trump’s sour scowl in Paris recently was telling. Miffed apparently at French President Emmanuel Macron’s bold definition of patriotism vs. nationalism, Trump showed his true demeanor and character: i.e., virtually none. Then, skipping a ceremony honoring American lives lost in World War I — because of either fog or rain — was apparently the Secret Service’s fault. Nonsense. I’ll wager he was annoyed, and chose to sit it out and sulk.

The tide is certainly changing in America. It’s coming in steadily — a beautiful shade of blue. It’s lifting all boats and filling all sails as it charts a true and steady course for 2020. Talk about a Thanksgiving.

Buddy Doyle

Gardiner