Sean Hannity, one of Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters for months, was walking on air early Wednesday as he analyzed the Republican candidate’s historic win over Hillary Clinton.
Eight years of Democrat control over the White House came to a crashing halt in the wee hours of the morning as must-win states for Mr. Trump turned “red.” On hand to witness it all was Mr. Hannity, who for months has been a vocal supporter on behalf of the billionaire.
When asked by Fox News’ Bret Baier what he thought of the results, Mr. Hannity said they were entirely “predictable.”
“You’ve got to get Juan Williams off that ledge he’s on right now,” Mr. Hannity joked of one of the network’s liberal commentators. “We’ve got to help him. Look, Bret, what everybody has missed here is Donald Trump has had to go against a Republican establishment, a Democratic establishment, a media establishment, a globalist establishment. Fundamentally, the main thing they’ve been missing in all of this is very basic […] 13 million more Americans on food stamps; 8 million more in poverty; the lowest labor participation rate since the 70s; the lowest home-ownership rate in 51 years; the worst recovery in 40 years.
The Fox News star went on to say that world leaders who fear Trump probably should, but for good reasons.
“I think there is going to be a healthy bit of fear, which by the way I don’t think they would have had with Hillary or Barack Obama. Fear in a good sense that America is going to rebuild its military and probably not get involved in foreign conflict,” Mr. Hannity continued, Mediaite reported. “To me this was predictable, but on the other hand this is a modern-day political miracle you’re witnessing before your eyes right now. And that is to go up against everybody — all the pundits and all the pollsters and all the prognosticators out there and defy all the odds. It’s the American people who have said, ’Enough is enough!’ They’re tired of the corruption. ’The cesspool.’ ’Draining the swamp.’ All of these things are resonating.”
Mr. Trump’s ability to attain the 270 electoral votes needed for victory — 276 to Mrs Clinton’s 218 — had many pollsters eating crow. For weeks they predicted Mrs. Clinton would take office as the 45th commander in chief.
“It is time for us to come together as one united people,” the former “Apprentice” star told his supporters in New York Wednesday morning. “I will be president for all Americans.”
Mrs. Clinton did not make a concession speech to her supporters, but she instead had campaign chairman John Podesta send them home.
“We’re not going to have anything more to say tonight,” Mr. Podesta told a deflated crowd.
The former secretary of state is scheduled to speak on her loss Wednesday morning.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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