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US Presidential Election Live: Trump declared winner

Stephen Gadd, Ben Hamilton and Christian Wenande
November 9th, 2016


This article is more than 8 years old.

Join us live at the US Embassy’s Breakfast Press Conference to assess the repercussions for Denmark should The Donald triumph

09:30
Most people seem to have realised that it is all over bar the shouting and headed for the exits. There are still a number though, forlornly clustered round tables, but as a lady on the next table says: “Life goes on.” Perhaps not as we know it, but I suppose it will.

To end with another Neil Young song, we’re now going “out of the blue and into the black” – truly boldly going where no-one has boldly gone before. (SG)

09:22
Speaking to CPH POST, Mogens Lykketoft, the ex-president of the United Nations General Assembly, said the Trump victory indicates “we are heading into a more unsafe period because we just don’t know what he might do. From what he’s said on the campaign trail, he is opposed to any movement on climate change, may start a trade war on China, and won’t join hands with Europe to oppose Putin. It is very worrying. The hope is that there will be checks and balances, but even without having majorities in the houses, Trump can still push through a lot of legislation by executive order.” (SG)

08:45
According to most media, Clinton has phoned Trump to concede defeat and congratulate him. (SG)

08:18
Still waiting! And it might be a while. Delaying the final result to the time most Europeans are eating their breakfast was very considerate, but pushing it until their afternoon tea … (BH)

07:54
US ambassador Rufus Gifford takes the stage and speaks. He mentions that there have been quite a number of questions from Danes and tries to be reassuring. He points out that despite what is unfolding, the sun has in fact risen today, and although everyone has a lot of questions as to what a Trump presidency might entail, frankly, we don’t know. (SG)

07:48
One of the more insightful tweets doing the rounds …
Følg

Abi WilkinsonVerificeret konto‏@AbiWilks

Biggest con the Brexit campaigners have managed to pull is convincing people that being racist is somehow an “anti-establishment” position.

07:38
Big screens now turned on and it’s as the TV2 chap said: “Breaking news – Trump close to winning”. The electoral college delegate figures so far are Clinton 215 and Trump 244 … Scenes of triumphant Trump supporters on TV and Democrats in tears.

A Trump victory will certainly have huge implications for the rest of the world and that includes Denmark. One can only guess at what he might do when in power. One thing he has said, though, is that if the Russians come knocking (or anyone else for that matter), a Trump-led US might not feel the need to go to the aid of a NATO ally if it is not in their interest. Mr Putin must be pleased with the result at least. (SG)

07:36

Mette ? FUCK U TRUMP ‏@shybluechild 2 t.2 timer siden

Hey good Americans you are welcome in Denmark if trump wins. #Elections2016

07:32
“The people in this country have had enough of experts” – somehow that ludicrous quote from the Brexit campaign is becoming more and more credible. Once again, you have to ask how the political, financial and media analysts/experts could have got this so wrong. (BH)

07:29
This is more like it! We’ve now been allowed out of the ante-room and into the ballroom, in which a mega-gigantic-US-style breakfast blowout is under way. There are several hundred people here, all sober-suited types, and the mood is pretty expectant.

Much to my horror, in the ante-room I overheard one of the TV2 cameramen saying that it seemed as if it was going to be a Trump victory. I hope he’s wrong but as yet, there has been no announcement made or nothing up on the big screens in the ballroom. (SG)

07:27
In our latest issue, business columnist Neil Smith warned that “proponents of free trade, open borders and liberal values cannot simply relax“.

07:20
“My grandfather came to America in 1905 from Copenhagen. Prepare to repatriate his grandson.” – John Hansen via the CPH POST Facebook page.

07:15
Keep on rockin’ in the free world…

These lines from a Neil Young song came into my mind unprompted as I staggered into the Marriott Hotel, cold and only barely awake. I’m not normally accustomed to such a heavy security presence as was in evidence here. Before we could even go up the stairs to the press conference room, we had to go in groups and have our bags searched by a sniffer dog.

Now I feel a bit warmer and there is a sense of expectancy in the air. I’m beginning to feel like Hunter S Thompson in ‘Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail’. Time for some gonzo journalism, perhaps …

I deliberately avoided turning on the TV this morning – I didn’t want to depress myself before 5:00 am. However, as can hardly have gone unnoticed, this has been one of the most extraordinary election campaigns in recent times – perhaps unprecedented in its downright nastiness. It has also become an extremely close race in the closing phases, so it would take a braver man then I to predict the outcome.

On the face of it, Clinton ought to win. After all, she would be a ‘safe pair of hands’ – albeit slightly grubby ones. Trump, on the other hand, is a new phenomenon. A billionaire braggart with a nice line in racist rhetoric and obnoxiously sexist comments. How on earth did he get this far?

Trump has had a relatively easy ride in the media. His entire campaign has been based on vacuous random sound-bites, and his speeches ramble incoherently. More importantly, he has never explained how any of his policies are going to be implemented. Exactly how will he ‘Make America Great Again’? The answer there is certainly blowing in the wind … (SG)

07:12
Currency markets and stock prices are going haywire as a Trump victory looks increasingly likely. The Mexican peso has hit an all-time low against the dollar, Asian stocks are tumbling – the Nikkei 225 in Japan is down 5.2 percent – while the Dow Jones index in the US is expected to lose 4 percent when trading resumes later. (BH)

07:06
Remember! Only 5 percent of the Danes thought Trump would win, compared to 85 percent tipping Hillary Clinton and 10 percent who didn’t know – a long way off the odds at the bookies, which suggested Trump has an 18 percent chance. (BH)

06:56
The story is in the demographics.

Some 53 percent of America’s men have voted for Trump, and 42 percent of its women. Clinton managed 41 and 54.

Some 88 percent of black voters have backed Clinton, compared to 8 percent for Trump. Just 37 percent of white voters supported her (58 for Trump) and 65 percent of Hispanics (29).

But perhaps the most telling divide is between the age groups. Some 52 percent of the under-44s backed Clinton (Trump: 40), but only 44 percent of the over-44s (53).

Tellingly – the Bernie Sanders factor perhaps – 8 percent of the under-44s voted for third-party candidates compared to 3 percent of the over-44s. (BH)

06:47
Just like 10 cm of snow was supposed to fall last night, so was Donald Trump. But he is still very much standing and looking the likeliest at this time to assume the presidency. The bookies only give Hillary Clinton a 4.5 percent chance of winning. (BH)


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