Depressed media react to Trump victory: How could this possibly have happened?

Many journalists were clinging to fading hopes that Kamala Harris could someway propulsion retired a triumph arsenic Donald Trump won authorities aft authorities successful the top comeback successful American governmental history.

By aboriginal this morning, it was wide that the result they astir dreaded had materialized, and it wasn’t each that close.

The Blue Wall crumbled erstwhile Trump won Wisconsin, and with it the vice president’s chances – and already immoderate of her allies successful the property are blaming racism and sexism. He coiled up, astatine this writing, with a near-sweep of the battleground states.

FOX NEWS PROJECTS DONALD TRUMP DEFEATS KAMALA HARRIS TO BECOME 47TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

Harris did the champion she could successful a shortened campaign, with overwhelmingly favorable and celebrity-fueled media coverage, compared to the changeless attacks connected her opponent. But she was the incumbent successful a alteration election.

Many journalists were clinging to fading hopes that Kamala Harris could someway propulsion retired a triumph arsenic Donald Trump won authorities aft authorities successful the top comeback successful American governmental history. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Many of the governmental geniuses said that Trump – lone the 2nd president to regain the White House aft losing it – was traveling a acheronian road, with harsh rhetoric, idiosyncratic attacks and Arnold Palmer-type distractions. This, they were convinced, would entreaty lone to his MAGA basal and contrasted with Harris’ sunny connection of unity and lifting up the mediate class.

"We’re going to assistance our state heal," Trump said this greeting successful West Palm Beach, a striking opposition with his erstwhile tone.

For those left-leaning commentators who said 2024 could beryllium America’s past predetermination if Trump won, the result – which included Republicans taking implicit the Senate – was a slap successful the face.

Look astatine these New York Times quality headlines:

"America Hires a Strongman."

"Pariah, Felon, President-Elect: How Trump Fought His Way Back to Power."

"Four More Years of Unpredictability: The World Prepares for Trump’s Return."

And the editorial page: "America Makes a Perilous Choice."

When Trump was starring successful the Electoral College number past nighttime by 153 to 27, MSNBC big Nicolle Wallace said: "It could beryllium a precise bully nighttime for Kamala Harris."

For left-leaning commentators who said 2024 could beryllium America’s past predetermination if Trump won, the result – which included Republicans taking implicit the Senate – was a slap successful the face. (Getty Images)

There was a subdued code connected the web this morning. On "Morning Joe," Joe Scarborough said: "America, archetypal of all, is acold much to the close than immoderate clip successful our lifetimes. Even going backmost to the Reagan years. And Donald Trump won successful dominating fashion."

Think of each the ink that was spilled connected whether Trump would judge the result if helium mislaid and whether determination would beryllium violence.

As for the dire predictions that a 2nd Trump word would person nary guardrails and destruct democracy, well, we’ll find retired soon capable whether that was an apocalyptic view.

As wide pundits tried to prime up the pieces of the Democratic wipeout, with 1 connected CNN accusing Trump of having nary plan, determination was a absorption connected wherefore Harris didn’t bash amended with Black men, oregon Latinos.

America…is acold much to the close than immoderate clip successful our lifetimes.

Trump projected strength, and adjacent galore of those turned disconnected by his pugilistic benignant had favorable memories of his erstwhile word and its beardown economy, contempt the trauma of Jan. 6. Harris was saddled with the unpopularity of Joe Biden, who should person stepped speech overmuch sooner.

The taxable of 1 stunned tv sheet aft different today: How could this perchance person happened?

But for those who lambasted Trump for not accepting his decision successful 2020 – thing helium inactive contested successful the last days – it's present their crook to judge that you can’t emotion your state lone erstwhile you win.

Harris, aft hiding from the property for a period and adjacent aft winning the debate, conscionable didn’t person overmuch caller to accidental successful the last weeks and often retreated to talking-point responses.

Republican statesmanlike nominee, erstwhile U.S. President Donald Trump and erstwhile archetypal woman Melania Trump look connected during an predetermination nighttime lawsuit astatine the Palm Beach Convention Center connected Nov. 6, 2024 successful West Palm Beach, Florida. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

I’ve covered Donald Trump for decades, and interviewed him successful New York conscionable a mates of weeks ago, erstwhile helium was precise overmuch connected his game. He stood by his astir arguable stances, specified arsenic saying "the force within" – naming Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff – were much of a menace than Russia oregon China.

The erstwhile and aboriginal president has promised a wide deportation of illegal immigrants, among different things. But his astir melodramatic rhetoric is often brushed speech by astir supporters who judge this is what goes connected successful campaigns and overmuch of it volition ne'er happen.

Trump ever drives the quality docket by going up to and implicit the line, forcing the media to screen him, and adjacent antagonistic headlines assistance him by highlighting his larger points.

On CNN, erstwhile Biden communications manager Kate Bedingfield said that "Democrats request to person a soul-searching moment."

The media could severely usage 1 arsenic well. But I’m not holding my breath.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 run trail, exclusive interviews and much astatine our Fox News Digital predetermination hub.