The symbolism of President Donald Trump’s pre-inaugural appearance before the Lincoln Memorial was part of his effort to show that he is sympathetic to the aspirations of the black community even though one of its leaders declared him “illegitimate” and added a boycott of Friday’s swearing-in to his boycott of George W. Bush’s inauguration. But it also reminded us of the ability of the republic to survive a contentious transfer of power, more contentious even than yesterday’s, which saw hoodlums burning cars and trash cans in the streets of D.C.: seven states seceded even before president-elect Lincoln took the oath of office. We witnessed an American president whose vindictiveness is exceeded only by his vanity turning over power to a new president whose ignorance is exceeded only by his self-confidence. Not a combination likely to make their respective enemies eager to let bygones be bygones and come together to get on with the job of governing the nation. And anyone who hoped that our new president would offer an olive branch to the establishment against which he campaigned, had only to hear his first speech as president to know that such hopes will not be realized.

Never-Trumpers find Trump an easy target; more serious critics find him a more difficult, moving target. An opposition senator was once asked if he had gotten a commitment from Franklin Roosevelt, and responded, “Did you ever nail a custard pie to a wall?” So with Trump, who is either adept at keeping critics off balance, or a bundle of contradictions. We will for the next four years at least be dealing with a man sufficiently thin-skinned to feel compelled to respond to criticism from Meryl Streep, an inconsequential Hollywood star, while allowing his nominees for cabinet posts to say what they think, even if they disagree with him. Which many of them do, without a tweet from their boss.