So, Donald Trump is President-Elect. Again. His female opponent refused to appear to talk to her supporters and waited almost a day to give a concession speech. Again. Democrats are rending their garments wondering what happened. Again. MAGAheads are thirstily slurping up salty liberal tears. Again.

We're going to Make America Great Again. Again.

Remember that bit in Groundhog Day where Bill Murray is trying to use his position of being stuck reliving the same day over and over again to construct the perfect date, and he gets pretty close. He and his chosen date have this almost perfect moment…

…then, the next go through the cycle, he tries to do the same thing again, and it's all wrong. Everything is stilted and forced and it doesn't work. He tries too hard, grasps too tight.

That was how it felt watching the polls into the early hours of the morning – from both sides.

I'll be honest here – waking up after  Polling Day 2016 to see Clinton had lost is a great memory. I was never a Trump believer, but Clinton was unequivocally worse – than almost anything  you can name –  and to see the smugness of certain victory detonate into an implosion of stammering bitterness was…funny. And a relief. And funny.

A lot of people thought so.

I get the impression the organizers of (S)election 2024 are well aware of that & were trying to recreate that energy, Groundhog Day fashion.

But of course they can't. Because this isn't 2016. And Harris isn't Clinton, and Trump isn't even Trump, as he seemed go be then. Then at least there was some wild card elements to his game, now we know who he is.

2016 at least had the appearance of a genuine moment. Our astonishment at least was real.  But in 2024 even that much reality has gone. And it feels like everyone knows it.

Remakes are never as good as the original. Cashgrabs banking nostalgia bucks. Soul vs soulless.

The Democrats and Kamala-stans are squawking brainwashed nonsense all over social media – racism this, misogyny that – but it feels like motions being gone through. Parts being performed. The wounds are neither as deep nor as vital as they were in 2016.