I don't remember this country ever being less enthused about an incoming President than it is now

[Tommy_Carcetti]

I can personally remember four prior transitions between administrations, 1988, 1992, 2000 and 2008.

1988 was Reagan to Bush Sr. and continuing of the status quo, so there was no sense of change at all.

1992 was Bush Sr. to Clinton, the first Democrat elected in 12 years so there was a sense of fresh air and a new generation in power.

2008 was easily the most exciting. We were desperate to get out of the recession and all the errors by Dubya plus the historic nature of President Obama, so the excitement surrounding a new era was palpable.

2000 had been the most problematic given the highly contested and disputed nature of the election. But even then, the economy was in fairly good shape and pre 9-11 foreign affairs were not a major concern so for most the sense was those not happy with the election would simply regroup in four years.

But what we have right now is just a sense of complete lack of enthusiasm from most people and for many an actual sense of dread. I can't recall a country this unexcited and unhappy about having to change Presidents before.

[underpants]

1. I can't either

1988 felt like more of the same and 2000 was like people waiting to see (after a crazy prosperous period).

This just feels like dread. Most of 80% of the country still can't believe that this happened.

[Vinca]

2. Me either and I don't remember an incoming President more despised.

I guess the only one happy about it is Dubya. He's no longer the worst President ever. Pretzel, Don????

[HassleCat]

3. Nobody knows what's coming.

Even his most ardent fans have no idea what will happen.

[rzemanfl]

4. I remember Eisenhower (vaguely), Kennedy, Nixon and Carter too.

2000 was a stain on the Supreme Court it may never recover from.

Trump does not have legitimacy. The government that is ahead of us is illegitimate. Resistance is our only recourse and it is 100% justified. Their laws, executive orders and judicial appointments will be the result of unprecedented foreign and domestic interference in the election and a freak outcome where 78,000 some votes in three states caused a loser to take office. Nothing about this Congress or White House is free of the taint. Trump and this Congress are not the will of the people. These usurpers do not deserve obedience or respect.

[murielm99]

5. I know there were a lot of angry people

in 2000. They remained angry after the "selection."

But you are right. People now are angry and frightened. Most of us know that trump is a madman.

[enough]

6. I took the train from Philadelphia to New York on the morning after

Richard Nixon was elected for the second time. Everything, the station, the platforms, and the train was dead silent, though thronged with people. It was like a mass funeral.

I've always thought that even though Nixon was elected, there was some kind of subconscious knowledge in the population that the thing was founded on evil. Which of course it was, knowing that Nixon scuttled the peace negotiations in the service of his re-election.

[Initech]

7. We've never had such a narcissistic sociopath enter office.

Even Bush with his flaws and a stolen election, at least had a sense of dignity and respect for the constitution and government. Donald Trump has none of these things. The guy is an absolute inhuman monster with a dictatorial complex. It's going to get scary.

[VMA131Marine]

8. No incoming president has ever lost by nearly 3 million votes!

[California_Republic]

9. Transformation

I'd agree. No matter which president elect it was: Carter, Reagan, Bush, etc when giving their exceptance speech the night of the election to me almost all them transformed before for my eyes to a president. I may not have agreed with their views. But with the election they became president. All except Trump. He gave his speech and nothing happened. I didn't view him as my president.