A boring Biden will be a pleasant relief

As one wag put it, ‘can politics go back to being boring now please!’

Donald Trump dominated the world stage for four years. Every day was defined by his Twitter account and the latest tale of grievance, mayhem and mischief.

His brash, divisive brand of hand-grenade politics set ablaze not just the domestic agenda of the United States but the global political scene with endless reports of alliances broken, multi-national agreements torn up and leaders snubbed.

His backers will point to a booming economy pre-Covid, the withdrawal of troops from foreign battlefields and an America that stood up for its ‘own interests’ – whatever that means.

However, even before Trump’s supporters broke into the Capitol building two weeks ago, it was clear the price was way too high. A fractured society was on a dangerous path to democratic oblivion.

President Joe Biden has one mission: to glue his country back together. To get the assault rifles put back in the home gun lockers and restore a nation’s faith in a fair, electoral system and the power of civilised, honest discourse.

At the same time the rest of the world will hope that the US can return to its place at the top table, driving forward the battle against climate change and Covid-19, developing new global industries and seeking to draw alienated nation states back into the fold.

A more outward-looking, engaged, America will raise all ships, including the UK’s and, by association, ours.

But it is more than that. ‘Democracy has prevailed’ said the new President. He urged his countrymen and women to end the uncivil war, join forces and stop the shouting.

‘For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury. No progress, only exhausting outrage.’

With the former President barely settled into his Florida sunbed it seemed an optimistic speech, naïve even.

But each day that passes without another angry Twitterstorm will lower the temperature.

The world will be a more boring place. But that will be no bad thing.