American’s are waking up this morning and greeting a brand-new day – in more ways than one.

Overnight, our world changed.

As Gerald Ford said in the aftermath of the Watergate tragedy, “Our long national nightmare is over” – and I’m not talking about the change in political power in this country.

This grueling election cycle was ghastly – and a true learning experience for smart people who paid attention.

Friends, family and whole segments of our society remain bitterly divided, not so much by partisan politics, but by the simmering ideological differences that have been suppressed in this country for too long.

These include our national policies (or lack thereof) on immigration, trade, Washington gridlock, almost two decades of war, domestic social issues, and our dwindling national standing in the world – tough problems that trigger strong emotions.

Elections are about preserving and progressing our Republic.

And despite the best efforts of some of our most trusted institutions, democracy prevailed.

Our national media proved that high-level politics are hard-fought battles with no rules of engagement.  Unfortunately, the press also demonstrated the depth to which uber-wealthy corporations, and those who control them, will stoop to force an artificial agenda.

In my view, that crossed a line.

Because President Elect Donald Trump was an “outsider” – someone who has never held public office, and whose positions on the issues of the day were often diametrically opposed to the talking heads, political pundits and Hollywood’s limousine liberals – he, and his followers, were dismissed as ‘deplorable’ and worse.

To say election coverage was divisive doesn’t come close to describing what we collectively experienced.

And at the end of the day, the media didn’t just get it wrong – they imploded right before the eyes of the world.

In fact, the clear majority of our corporate controlled media outlets – and the political pollsters who feed them –  were so laser-focused on coordinating prejudice, abusing their influence, and openly manipulating the outcome of our national election that they lost sight of their important purpose.

In my view, once respected journalists will have a hard time washing the blood from their hands and explaining to the American people why they ignored their professional ethics and journalistic standards when we needed their integrity most.

Perhaps the most destructive outcome of this mess is that the once venerated fourth estate no longer enjoys the public trust.

And that is a true problem.

In my view, it no longer matters which candidate you supported – like it or hate it – the people have spoken and the peaceful transition of power in the greatest nation in the world will soon begin.

In the aftermath of one of the most corrosive and polarizing elections in the history of our nation, now is the time to heal, to accept, and to demonstrate our patriotism and solidarity to our allies and enemies alike.

Let’s come together as American’s always do, and stand united in support of our new president.