“Muslim Brotherhood hopeful for a new Obama era,” Arab Weekly, November 6, 2020:

WASHINGTON – Muslim Brotherhood activists and media outlets have seemed very enthusiastic about the Democratic candidate Joe Biden’s progress in US election results.

Analysts attributed this enthusiasm to their wish for an encore of their experience in the era of former President Barack Obama, during which they played a remarkable role riding the wave of the “Arab spring” uprisings. These analysts, however, note that Biden is not Obama, and that the American project of relying on the Brotherhood has gone with Obama, probably forever.

The Muslim Brotherhood media were not alone in celebrating Biden’s advantage so far. The Iranian media as well, and the pro-Tehran media in the Middle East seemed enthused by the results of the democratic candidate, not only to spite his rival Donald Trump, who has tightened the American siege of Iran and prevented it from exporting its oil, but also in the hope of bringing back the lenient treatment it enjoyed during the Obama era.

Pro-Muslim Brotherhood activists and media professionals in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen and the Gulf states did not hide their prayers for a Biden victory. They kept up with his results in each state, moment by moment, and mocked Trump’s statements and his speech about fraud and resorting to the courts. It was as if Biden was the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate and not the candidate of the American Democrats.

Lists of the expected victory spoils for the Muslim Brotherhood started appearing on Brotherhood and pro-Brotherhood media. They are hoping for US pressure to be exerted on Cairo to release Brotherhood leaders convicted in court cases related to terrorism and conspiracy against Egypt’s security, as well as for pressure on the Arab quartet countries to lift their boycott of Qatar and restore relations with it.

From the outset, the Muslim Brothers did not hide their bias towards Biden. They presented him as a supporter of Islam and Muslims, highlighting the fact that he cites the Prophet’s hadiths, and as a fierce opponent of Islamophobia. American Islamic associations, such as the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which are associated with  the Muslim Brotherhood or are seen as close to it, promoted Biden’s candidacy among Americans and participated in his election campaign at state and national levels.

The Muslim Brothers are eying the benefits that could accrue to their American Islamist brothers through their “partnership” with Biden in case of the latter’s victory, such as obtainingf [sic] advisory roles, sealing their influence within the Muslim community, and lifting the authorities’ constant monitoring of their propaganda and financial activities. They are also betting on making gains for the mother organisation and its branches outside the United States.

The Brotherhood’s first objective, in case of a Biden victory, will be to enrol his administration to put pressure on Egypt and especially on President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, whom they’ve never stopped maligning.