As of early morning, Nov. 4, the presidential betting market is back where it was 24 hours ago. As was true before the polls closed and the counting began, as of 7 a.m. on Nov.4 , Joe Biden is being given a 60 percent chance of victory.

But there is winning and there is winning. What the decision-makers and the markets that drive the world economy were hoping for was an outcome that promised a new and coherent response to America’s coronavirus crisis. They wanted a road map for America’s answers to long-term questions such as infrastructure and climate change. To deliver this, what is needed is a large-scale fiscal program to revive the parts of the U.S. economy that the Federal Reserve cannot reach. This does not mean that big money in America uniformly backed the Biden/Harris ticket, or that the business elite had discovered an enthusiasm for a progressive agenda on education finance, childcare, or health. But compared to Donald Trump, the prospect of a Democratic clean sweep did at least offer a coherent answer to America’s predicament. The polls themselves were a factor. It is hard to bet against the kind of margin they assigned to a Biden victory.

Then, around 9.30 p.m. Eastern Time on the night of Nov. 3, it became clear that the blue wave was a fantasy. Biden may eke out a victory. But even if he does, he will not be carried into the White House on a political high tide. The United States remains profoundly divided. By prematurely claiming victory, Trump has already cast doubt on the legitimacy of the outcome.

Read the full article at Foreign Policy.