>> I USED TO THINK I ENJOYED A CERTAIN STATURE AROUND HERE.

MAYBE A LITTLE RESPECT FROM THE FOLKS WHO PUT THIS SHOW TOGETHER.

BUT, AFTER 2016 AND 2020, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE BEEN TASKED TO DO THE MONOLOGUE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

SO I'M STARTING TO WONDER.

NO PRESSURE, THEY SAID.

JUST CRAFT A MESSAGE FOR THE 50% OF THE POPULATION WHO ARE JUBILANT TODAY THAT WILL ALSO RESONATE WITH THE 50% OF THE POPULATION WHO ARE DEVASTATED.

IN TWO MINUTES.

BY WAY OF RISING TO THE OCCASION, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.

YEAH, YOU.

WHETHER YOUR CANDIDATES WON OR LOST.

WHAT DOES THE OTHER HALF OF THE COUNTRY — THE HALF WITH WHOM YOU SO VIGOROUSLY DISAGREE — WHAT DO THEY KNOW THAT YOU DON'T KNOW?

I'M SERIOUS HERE.

I MYSELF AM NOT WILLING TO WRITE OFF HALF THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY AS DELUDED OR RADICAL OR BRAINWASHED OR SELFISH OR WHATEVER.

THEY MAKE DECISIONS FOR REASONS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM, THE SAME WAY I DO.

REDUCING THEM TO A LABEL ISN'T USEFUL.

TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT ISN'T WISHY-WASHY.

NOR DOES IT REQUIRE YOU TO BEND YOUR CONVICTIONS.

IT DOES REQUIRE SOME HUMILITY AND THE WILLINGNESS TO MAKE YOURSELF A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE.

DISCOMFORT BEGETS CHANGE.

AND CHANGE IS WHAT WE NEED.

NOW, WE CAN STAND, ARMS CROSSED, AND GLARE AT EACH OTHER ACROSS THE DIVIDE, WHICH PRETTY MUCH GUARANTEES THE TEETER-TOTTER OF POWER AND POLITICS WE'VE SEEN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS CENTURY.

OR WE CAN ENGAGE OUR INTELLECT AND OUR IMAGINATION TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT OTHER 50% GOT TO WHERE THEY ARE.

FORGET COMPROMISE FOR A MINUTE.

WE ARE LIGHT-YEARS AWAY FROM THAT: THERE ARE TACTICAL REASONS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE MOTIVATIONS OF THE “OTHER SIDE.” AND THERE ARE HUMAN ONES, TOO.

EMOTIONS ARE PROBABLY STILL TOO RAW ON BOTH SIDES OF THE DIVIDE TO START THINKING ABOUT THIS JUST YET.

BUT I HOPE WE GET THERE.

‘CAUS