Who's Laughing Now?

"Obviously, we know most of the people from his entourage. Those people have always been in the limelight in the United States and have occupied high-ranking positions. I cannot say that all of them but quite a few have been staying in touch with Russian representatives."
"We have just begun to consider ways of building dialogue with the future Donald Trump administration and channels we will be using for those purposes."
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov

"A guy [Vladimir Putin describing Trump as "colourful and talented" which some media translated as "a genius"]calls me a genius, and I'm going to renounce?"
"I'm not going to renounce him."
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump

  AP -- Looking Presidential: President Barack Obama meets with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office

"Donald Trump is here tonight! Now, I know that he’s taken some flak lately, but no one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald. And that’s because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter –- like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?"

"But all kidding aside, obviously, we all know about your (Trump’s) credentials and breadth of experience. For example — no, seriously, just recently, in an episode of Celebrity Apprentice — at the steakhouse, the men’s cooking team cooking did not impress the judges from Omaha Steaks.  And there was a lot of blame to go around.  But you, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership.  And so ultimately, you didn’t blame Lil’ Jon or Meatloaf. You fired Gary Busey.    And these are the kind of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well handled, sir. Well handled." "Say what you will about Mr. Trump, he certainly would bring some change to the White House."

Barack Obama, 2011 White House Correspondents' Association dinner

"Donald Trump has been saying he will run for President as a Republican, which is surprising since I just assumed he was running as a joke. Donald Trump often appears on Fox, which is ironic because a Fox often appears on Donald Trump’s head. If you’re at the Washington Post table with Trump and you can’t finish your entree, don’t worry – the Fox will eat it."
"Gary Busey said recently that Donald Trump would make a great President. Of course he said the same thing about an old rusty bird cage that he found."
"Donald Trump owns the Miss USA Pageant, which is great for Republicans since it will streamline their search for a Vice-President."                                    Seth Meyers, 2011 White House Correspondents' Association dinner

Two arch-opposites have met diplomatically because, after all, the recently-concluded presidential election in the United States wasn't 'rigged' as the Republican candidate claimed, so he will, after all, accept the American voters' choice. The man who plays by his own inimitable rules, humbly accepted the accolades of adoring supporters who insisted that their man come to the helm of the world's most powerful position, the President of the United States of America.

Go ahead, say it: U.S. President Donald Trump.

Is that a lump in your throat? Imagine the size of the lump in still-President Barack Obama's throat as he recalled the pleasant transition that took place eight years ago as President George W. Bush amenably shared with him classified security documents so he could be swiftly brought up to speed before occupying the Oval Office. Laura and Michelle, George and Barack were genuinely civil and collegial with one another.

One can only wonder what might have occurred had the Republicans under the very palatable, intelligent and experienced former Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, won the presidency. Mr. Obama's second term was not a scintillating success in the opinion of white middle-class and white blue-collar America, so they reacted by bringing in a narcissistic celebrity one-percenter.

CNN -- Melania and Michelle

When Donald Trump's private plane touched down at Reagan airport, Washington, to enable him to arrive on time for his appointment at the White House, a touch of class awaited him; he was honour-greeted by two fire trucks and a watery salute. Next stop: the White House. Where he was ushered in by the back door, in contrast to Barack Obama, president-elect welcomed by George W. and company at the front portal. Can't have cameras documenting the travesty of Obama warmly welcoming The Donald.

Obama, the Nobel Laureate who warned Trump was hugely unqualified and lunatic to boot, that he "can't handle the nuclear codes", sending a chill down the spines of those who cared. Inviting Donald Trump, the buffoon he had lampooned five years earlier and whose simmering resentment echoed that old truism that revenge is a dish best served cold, has had the final guffaw, befitting a circus clown soon to become the most powerful man on Earth.

Unless a lightning strike hits with a useful degree of accuracy.

Kindred spirits? Frosty? Trump only thinks he knows from frosty. His reception may have been in keeping with the circumstances and the principals. Trump can speak, and he doubtless will, to Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu. Now there's a man who knows all about frosty receptions. Trump thinks he's been insulted and patronized? Assuming he knows the difference. Netanyahu can fill him in on that, fulsomely.

Yet Obama is exiting and Trump is entering. This is where Aaron Copland's magnificent Fanfare for the Common Man should be blaring out in full symphonic splendour.

A fitting conclusion to what President Obama described for the press as an "excellent", "wide-ranging" conversation. "We now are going to want to do everything we can to  help you succeed -- because if you succeed, then the country succeeds", the President intoned platitudinously. Obama prepared to give full obeisance to a program of reversals of all his legacy projects, courtesy of the incoming president? Oh, priceless!

Oh, wait, a little bit of reality re-enters with the iteration by his press secretary an Earnest young man of the "temperamentally unfit", "uniquely unqualified" Trump, and he wasn't joshing: "The president's views haven't changed: he stands by what he said on the campaign trail."

For his part, Trump confined himself to a final statement: Obama is "a very good man". Indeed. The generosity of the triumphant.