And suddenly, Philadelphia exploded with joy. On Saturday, November 7, a little before noon, thousands of horns began to sound in the most populous city in Pennsylvania, whose residents were learning the result of the presidential election. In a few minutes, the hitherto deserted streets of the center fill up with smiling passers-by, dancing, clapping wildly to express their relief.
Even some bus drivers are misleading, in the traffic jams that form as people leave their homes. Those who go on foot, therefore without a horn, shout their enthusiasm or strike on improvised drums. Dan, for example, a very young man who slaps vigorously with a wooden spoon on a large stainless steel pan. “It’s my Liberty Bell to me”, he declares with a great burst of laughter, alluding to the famous “Liberty Bell” of Philadelphia, symbol of American independence.
In Phily, as they say, Joe Biden won over 80% of the vote, he is the favorite since the start of the campaign. But the state, with its 20 major voters, turned out to be much more divided. For days, the numbers had been trickling down, with Joe Biden’s score catching up to Donald Trump and then surpassing him. The country and the world were suspended from the current count in the counting centers of Pennsylvania, determining for the outcome of this extraordinary electoral race. That morning, there were still 20,000 provisional ballots, “Problem children”, as the staff in charge of the counting call them, which however promised a result within the day.
“The nightmare ends”
A few hours later, the “Problem children” have visibly fallen into line. And Michelle doesn’t know how to express her happiness: “I am even more than happy: transportedexclaims this fifty-something leaning on her bike, who stopped to applaud and take pictures. And so proud of Pennsylvania, which allows Joe Biden to be president. It’s a beautiful day. “ An unforgettable day, in any case, for Jeff, 69: “The nightmare is over, we can breathe freely. “
With his friend, they head to Independence Hall, a high place in American history where the Democrats have planned a rally. Around 1 p.m., in a sparkling sun, there were already many of them on the immense lawn which spread out in front of the red brick building, very small in the middle of the buildings. Whites, above all, but also African Americans who came to celebrate the victory. This is the case with Automomeize, a 38-year-old unemployed woman who lives in Cleveland but has moved to Phily for several months to support Mr Biden. Or Tyson, 55, an electrician whose hand-crafted banner contrasts a little with the ambient enthusiasm: “The battle is not over”. What does he mean ? “Seventy million of my fellow citizens voted for Trump. We will have to do something to talk with them, to restore unity in this country. ”
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