New York: “U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A!”
Euphoric supporters celebrated Donald Trump’s shock victory with loud yells and wolf whistles early Wednesday, convinced their president-elect can bring a change that America desperately needs.
A Manhattan hotel ballroom broke into chants, cheers and catcalls as the 70-year-old New York tycoon, the oldest man ever elected to the White House, came onto the balcony above the crowd with his family shortly before 3am.
“I’m blown away, I think it’s absolutely amazing,” said Paul Spagnoletti, a New Jersey business owner in the ballroom for the victory speech.
“It’s an amazing win, it’s a coup.”
All eyes had been on the flag-decked stage, where his running mate, Mike Pence, had introduced him, but Trump loves nothing more than a grand entrance and keeping his supporters — and the media — guessing.
Instead, the spotlight suddenly snapped top right where America’s soon-to-be 45th president stood on the balcony with his entire family as the theme music to Hollywood movie Air Force One blared out.
Dressed in a dark suit and red tie, he waved and smiled, slowly making his way down to the stage, perhaps slightly awed at the monumental responsibility that now falls on his shoulders.
“I’ve just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us — it’s about us — on our victory,” he said.
The crowd erupted at the mention of “us”, waving mini-US flags or red “Make America Great Again” trucker hats and catcalling as their new first family beamed, if looking slightly star-struck on stage.
Urging Democrats and Republicans to come together, Trump said the country owed “a major debt of gratitude” to Hillary Clinton for “her service”, to which some enthusiastic but isolated applause broke out.
Just 24 hours earlier at his final rallies, he had castigated Clinton as the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency.
But Trump displayed a presidential demeanour in his victory lap that advisers said was necessary, and supporters in the generally well-heeled crowd lapped up.
“I’m absolutely overjoyed. I’ve waited for this for many years, I’m incredibly happy,” said Carl Lopp, who owns a telecoms company.
Trump’s photogenic family stood behind him — his Slovenian-born third wife, Melania, in a one-shoulder cream dress; their young son Barron; and his grown daughters Ivanka and Tiffany in blue together with Ivanka’s husband, Jared Kushner, one of his father-in-law’s closest advisers.
When it was all over, supporters could barely believe it.
He defied the political establishment, the mass mobilisation of the Democratic Party, a popular president throwing his weight behind Clinton and a galaxy of superstars performing at her campaign events.
Some were almost speechless, having indulged in a few drinks, or numb from navigating the standing-room venue with vertiginous high heels.
“My prayers have been answered,” one woman simply said.
It was not initially clear that Trump would declare victory. Supporters started leaving before Fox News announced — via giant screens — that he was on the way to the venue and before US media called the race.
But then Fox News declared the real estate magnate was past the magic number with 274 electoral votes. The room exploded.
Accompanying him were most of the aides and advisers who have worked tirelessly against all odds to secure his election.
There was campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, credited with helping inculcate some sense of discipline in the final closing weeks of his erratic and insult-dishing campaign.
There was a smiling Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, the head of his transition team disgraced last week by the conviction of two former aides for causing a major traffic snarl-up to wreck political revenge on a Democrat.
Admirers believe a Trump presidency will usher in a new dawn for the working American, fed up with the political elite in Washington and seduced by his promising of bringing back jobs from overseas.
“He’s going to give life to their dreams and I think that’s what’s so critically important here,” said Lopp, 61.
“This is a working-class revolution in America,” said John Fredericks, a radio host and Virginia state chairman of the Trump campaign.
Supporters trashed the American media, which largely predicted a Clinton win, dismissing it as untrustworthy and biased in favour of the Democratic former secretary of state.
While cries of “Lock her up!” have deafened Trump rallies for months, and were yelled in the ballroom before the Republican nominee arrived, Sharon Smith said she felt “sad” for Clinton.
“Her whole career, she’s wanted to do this for so long. Anybody who loses is going to be hurt,” said the 73-year-old from Nebraska.
On stage, Trump promised a “great economic plan”, and said America would no longer settle for anything less than the best.
“This political stuff is tough and it’s nasty,” he joked, thanking his “wonderful” parents, siblings, wife and children.
But for Trump, the journey is just getting started.
