Dear Editor,
The term extraordinary is a profound word in the English language, and rates at the top of the pyramid of expressing amazement. More to the point, as we near the closing days of 2016, where the predictable was far from the norm, for so many frustrated and confused prognosticators. Nothing went as predicted, but there were also very rare happenings. No one in the sports world could have predicted that the Chicago Cubs, after 108 years would get to play in the World Series, let alone win it. It reminded many of us New Yorkers, of the similar impossibility facing the 1969 New York Mets, who also pulled off the impossible, but in that case it was accomplished in the astonishing time of eight years after their inception in 1962. It was as amazing then, as it was for the Cubs, and Chicago’s long suffering fans, who never gave up. The same can be said of our presidential election, and the odds against Donald Trump, to win the power position of Chief Executive. From the day of his initial announcement, as a candidate for the Republican Party, he was written off as a prankster and charlatan. There was a full side of contenders, already mounting at the time, to lay claim to the nomination, and no one was paying any attention, to the self made real estate billionaire with no previous experience in politics or government. It didn’t seem to matter on the other side of the aisle either, where there was no opposition, to the already conceded coronation of its standard bearer, Hillary Clinton. She became the immediate odds on favorite over all comers. The whole election process was considered a waste of time, energy, and money. Still the show must, and did go on. The GOP primaries got all the attention, from the sheer number of seventeen participants squaring off in heated debates. Right from the getgo, Donald Trump jumped to the lead, and for the remainder of the primaries was never headed. He swept to victory, as heads spun like windmills. Although there was some side action, depicting dissatisfaction with the Democratic nominee, Hillary nevertheless clinched the nomination, and the contest was to begin. Red meat was the order of the day, as newsmakers, commentators, party members on both sides, the print industry, and pundits of every variety, seized the opportunity to go on record, to predict the biggest blowout since Ronald Reagan’s two terms in the 80’s. Everyone, who was anyone was preparing for an early night of returns, and the anticipation, for the victory and concession speeches. All of the above began popping champagne corks, and then something extraordinary happened. Nobody told the voters that the election was a slam dunk, and they were wasting their time, standing in line at the polling stations. When the dust settled, during the wee small hours of the next morning, and the Pennsylvania results poured in, proclaiming Donald Trump had been elected the 45th President of the United States, the cable networks went into shock mode, and a suicide alert was issued, for all the hysterical losers.
If the Chicago Cubs could defy all odds, why was it impossible to think that less than two weeks later the extraordinary could happen again? The voters, in the end had their say, plus a final good riddance to both the Clintons and Bushes. This year of 2016 also brought to an end, the final demise of Fidel Castro’s 57 year reign as Communist dictator of Cuba. The last extraordinary event that we will be celebrating is a happy one. The rarest of the rare, what with Christmas and Hanukkah both coinciding on December 24. Only four times since 1900 have these two events occurred together on the same night, as one lights a menorah, while the other a Christmas tree. A fitting conclusion, one must admit, to this historic and extraordinary year!!
Robert Rice
Woodhaven
