2016 Microsoft MVP Summit, Part 2: Trump Wins

Tuesday November 8 I was in Redmond at the Microsoft MVP Summit.

It was also the day of the USA presidential election. This was my flashbulb moment, observed from a European perspective:

A small group of us Excel MVPs (Roger Govier, Liam Bastick & me) were working late at MSoft with a bunch of Excel Dev Team Microsofties (including Ben who was with us at Excel Summit South in OZ/NZ earlier this year, and Joe who was at the London GTC last December).

So when we left at 18:45 we had to get a lift back to Bellevue from the Microsoft Redmond campus with Joe because all the MVP transport had finished. There was a bad crash on the freeway so we were stuck in traffic and Joe called his girlfriend to say he was going to be late. The very first thing she said was “its awful – I am very distressed – CNN says 75% probability for Trump”.
Stunned silence and disbelief in the car then we start listening to the radio.
It becomes clear that he really will win.

We eventually get to the UK MVP get-together just after 8 and manage to scrounge a glass of wine but no food left, then at 9 migrate to the Billiard Parlour (this year’s Excel haunt) and watch TV over a beer, trying to come to terms with this disaster. The Canadian Immigration website crashes because too many people try to apply to become Canadian citizens. USA MVP Jon keeps apologizing to us “ I’m sorry. I’m sorry – I did all I could …”

I wake up at 5:30 although my alarm is set for 6.30. The full scale of the disaster becomes apparent. Not only has Trump won but the Republicans have majorities in both the House and the Senate and there is a supreme court judge to be appointed who will hold the balance there.

There are no checks and balances left. The Donald has the keys to the nuclear codes.