I am resisting the temptation to get too far ahead of myself as I ponder the upcoming presidential election.

It is hard, given my intense desire to see Joe Biden beat Donald Trump like a drum and boot the POTUS’s sorry behind out of the White House.

Still, I am prone these day to wonder what the next presidential transition will look like. Will it be the “smooth, peaceful transition” that presidents and former presidents talk about when they sing the praises of our form of government?

The good news is that Donald Trump won’t be president forever, despite the reported claims that he wishes it could happen. The best news is that he’ll exit the Oval Office for the final time on Jan. 20, 2021.

I have watched a number of videos in the YouTube archive of such events. I have seen the manner in which President Clinton handed over the reins of power to George W. Bush; how President Bush did the same to Barack Obama; and how President Obama did as well to Donald Trump.

All those outgoing presidents spoke well of their successors. They wished them good luck and Godspeed. They all embodied the uniqueness of our form of government, how presidents of opposing political parties can set aside their differences and work toward something that resembles a smooth transition.

How in the world is the current president going to react when his challenger defeats him? Yes, I shudder to think of this, but how might he react to the ascent of the next president in 2025?

I believe it is fair to speculate that if Biden beats Trump this November that the incumbent ain’t going to go quietly, with dignity, with grace and with good wishes for his successor. Has there been any example of that kind of comportment from this president? I haven’t seen it. Have you? 

Either scenario — whether the transition occurs next January or four years from now — is enough to send chills up my spine.

I’ve spent a good deal of blog space trashing former national security adviser John Bolton for refusing to tell us what he saw “In the Room Where It Happened” when it really mattered. However, he was asked how Donald Trump should be remembered.

Bolton said he hopes he will be remembered as a “one-term president” who didn’t damage the office beyond repair. I want to add that I also hope that Donald Trump would accept voters’ decision quietly … and just disappear.