23 January—If you’re wondering why Donald Trump doesn’t look too happy in the picture, taken in the White House a week after he had beaten what’s her name by some 77,302,580 to 75,017,613 popular votes in November, it may well be because the percent-and-a-half margin wasn’t really that much of a mandate. As if it matters.

Trump should have been ecstatic that the 2024 vote was somewhat more of a mandate than the minus two-percent-margin—actually the opposite of a mandate—by which he was nevertheless able to beat the other what’s her name in 2016, her 65,853, 514 votes to his 62,984,828.

On the other hand, among the reasons Joe Biden could be smiling broadly is that he remembered the 81,284,000 popular votes he garnered in 2020 to beat Trump’s 74,223,975 by a margin of four-and-a-half percent was not only a less unimpressive mandate, but also the most votes ever cast for a presidential candidate. Ever. And Joe reckoned that must really have pissed off Trump.

Of course, Joe could have been smiling because he remembered anything . . .