I sat alone at my desk. The West Wing was nearly empty. But I didn’t feel lonely. I never felt lonely there. The end of our time in the White House was near, and the thought of leaving was weighing on me. I hoped the president would return from Florida ready to accept his electoral defeat so we could begin preparing him for his post-presidential life. The country was best served if we could all move forward. It would take a miracle, but it was Christmastime, after all.
