When Alec Baldwin stopped being funny on “Saturday Night Live” and instead loosened his tie and started skipping around Times Square hugging people, I knew it was all over.

Let us rejoice that the 2016 presidential election is over. Let us be grateful that Election Day in America was sunny and we enjoyed the peaceful exercise of a cherished right. The winner was magnanimous and the loser gracious and humble in defeat after a brutal campaign battle. Americans, for the moment, are on common ground. We all await what’s next.

For now, to the victor go the spoils, so this column is to for you, Donald Trump.

One of your best moments was in an early debate when Ted Cruz snarled about your values, saying “everyone understands that the values in New York City are socially liberal, pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, focus around money and the media” and that “not a lot of conservatives come out of Manhattan. I’m just saying.”

You were our president when you responded and said with great sincerity and poise: “When the World Trade Center came down, I saw something that no place on Earth could have handled more beautifully, more humanely than New York.”

That you, the president-elect and leader of the Republican Party, are from New York City is a fine thing. Who’s “from away” now?

Your best joke was at the Al Smith charity dinner, when you said, “Oh, this one’s going to get me in trouble – not with Hillary. You know the president told me to stop whining, but I really have to say the media is more biased this year than ever before. You want the proof? Michelle Obama gives a speech, and everyone loves it. It’s fantastic. They think she’s absolutely great. My wife, Melania, gives the exact same speech, and people get on her case! And I don’t get it. I don’t know why.”

Melania’s good-natured reaction to the joke bodes well for the East Wing of the White House, and I hope the best for your accomplished children. May they lead the next generation by example as America’s first family. If you help Ivanka get paid family leave through Congress, she may be the first woman president.

Your instinct for saying what people want to hear was spot on and greatly appreciated on election night. It was reassuring that there was no hint of vindictiveness, and that your words were simple and brief.

“Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division. … To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.

“It’s time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans, and this is so important to me. …

“As I’ve said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign, but rather an incredible and great movement made up of millions of hardworking men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their families.

“It’s a movement comprised of Americans from all races, religions, backgrounds and beliefs who want and expect our government to serve the people, and serve the people it will.”

If you build a wall, put art on both sides and include doors and windows. Feed the kids Trump steak and teach them how to fish. Take good care of the tadpoles, insects and birds before you drain the swamp.

You deserve our thanks for confirming that artificial intelligence is just that. Your defiance of the polls show there is a sixth sense humans can tap without a screen or data. Some of what you tapped into in America is not good. We saw it at some of your rallies on TV so it is our reality. Some people really are deplorable. Be the law-and-order president who reins in the influence and power of white supremacists, hate groups and abusers.

Your campaign is evidence that for a majority of Americans, protecting the civil rights of others is important, but not as important as protecting their own economic interests. Democrats caught up in the debate about whether to go left or right, take note. Laws protect civil rights, and when it comes to elections, it’s the economy, stupid.

Seeing the transfer of your business skills to the campaign was instructional. You identified the demand and supplied it, branding yourself the populist who will bring dignity and security to the heartland. You made the sale and closed the deal in remarkable fashion.

Now the hard part comes, when most of your customers become dissatisfied. Governing is not all it’s cracked up to be, but keep your chin up. You will crush the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Congratulations, Mr. Trump. I wish you the very best.

Cynthia Dill is a civil rights lawyer and a former state senator. She can be contacted at:

dillesquire@gmail.com

Twitter: dillesquire