From the everchanging canvas of global affairs, picking up only a few developments every week is not easy. There are events, incidents, talks, exercises and much more! But the developments that impact global politics by and large indeed need to get featured. This week also remained happening considering such affairs. However, this week belongs to the critical developments in the US presidential elections. Soon after Republicans’ announcement of declaring Trump as the official republican candidate for the US presidential elections, Biden shocked the world by announcing his exit from the race while endorsing Kamla Harris as the nominee. This new development has created a stir not only in the politics of the US but also in the realms of global politics.
This week, the US President Joe Biden declared that he will not seek re-election, responding to mounting pressure from his own Democratic Party to step aside. In a statement posted on social media platform X, Biden confirmed that he intends to serve out his term until January 2025 and will deliver an address to the nation in the coming days. Shortly after his announcement, President Biden swiftly threw his support behind Vice President Kamla Harris for the Democratic Party’s nomination, eliminating any uncertainty about the party’s future direction. By opting out of the re-election race, President Biden has paved the way for Harris to potentially become the first Black woman to lead a presidential ticket in the history of the US. Needless to say, Biden’s gesture to timely declare his exit from the race of the presidential elections is welcomed by his party people as everyone was worried about his deteriorated health.
After Biden’s announcement several prominent democrats shown their support behind Harris as the Democratic Party’s potential presidential nominee. Nancy Pelosi, the former Speaker of the House, has made it clear that her endorsement of Harris is both official and deeply rooted in personal and political beliefs. There are various reasons behind endorsing Harris. First and foremost, she is the Vice President of the country and is vocal about the principal objectives of her party. Then, she stands on a firm financial ground. After Biden’s announcement, her campaign experienced a significant increase in donations. Harris reportedly raised over 80 Mn USD in new donations within a day of Mr. Biden’s announcement. This striking fundraising feat, combined with the substantial amount raised from the Biden-Harris campaign, provides her with a solid foundation for the upcoming campaign. Also, if Harris secures the nomination, she would effectively neutralize a key Republican criticism of Biden: his age. The republican campaign has long sought to portray Biden as frail and easily confused, a narrative that gained traction following the president’s lacklustre debate performance a month ago. Being much younger than Trump, Harris has turned the table in this particular regard. It is also believed that Harris, if chosen as the official nominee by her party, would also be able to get support from the voters belonging to minority communities, women, and youngsters.
However, there are certain apprehensions also. Being the Vice President of the US, people very well know her style of working. For example, at the beginning of her tenure, she was assigned the responsibility of tackling the underlying reasons behind the migration crisis occurring at the border between the US and Mexico. Several errors and inaccuracies, including some TV interviews, negatively impacted her reputation and made her vulnerable to criticism from conservative groups.
Though people already have an image of Harris in their minds, in the coming days, she still has an opportunity to make a different impression on the people of the US. Any wrong move at this critical juncture could lead her to unexpected outcomes in Democratic National Convention scheduled in August. Latest developments in US politics have already demonstrated how quickly and intensely the dynamics of the race for the White House can change. It would be interesting to see how does Harris manage reaching at the grandest stage in American politics, and prove her ability to compete the ex-President of the US. After Biden’s announcement, Harris is also not leaving any stone unturned in proving herself as the best candidate for the presidential race. She openly invited Trump for a debate this week, however, Trump’s team denied to engage in any debate with Harris until she gets officially nominated by her party.
The Trump campaign has announced this week that Trump would participate in a general election debate with Harris only after the Democratic Party officially selects her as their nominee. This announcement was made in response to Harris indicating a willingness to take part in such a debate with Trump. Trump is already the official Republican nominee for the third term, as announced in the Republican National Convention, after he survived an assassination attempt. The incident has created a wave of sympathy for Trump, and he is also campaigning these days with a winning confidence.
Day by day, the race for the US presidential elections is getting interesting. However, I believe, it is all about taking forward one’s national interests. National interests of a nation work as the north star for any leader and that’s what people too expect. The one who gets this secret, wins the race and the hearts too!