This US presidential race just gets crazier. A clearly declining, periodically confused president, a disastrous debate that sealed Biden’s fate, an attempted assassination of Trump, Biden stepping down, Kamala Harris stepping up, the new Democrat presidential candidate raising record donations in the history of a presidential race in the first 24 hours. Phew!
It is too early to say who will win the Harris versus Trump race but that is a huge improvement on last week when Trump looked the firm favourite versus Biden. The next few weeks will test whether Harris has a glass jaw, whether failed illegal immigration policies dog her, whether she is seen as too close to Biden and too left-wing, whether the American people are ready for a black woman to be their president. Harris has her frailties, but she has started confidently and charismatically, and the startling contrast of prosecutor versus felon must mean something. Her stance on abortion rights will also be a huge bonus, contrasting with the Catholic Biden’s relatively quiet stance on the subject.
Very early days but Kamala Harris has started well…
Some hand-wringing liberal commentators in the media criticise the fact there is not an open contest to prove Harris’s credentials. Nonsense. There isn’t the time. The Democrats need to find their backbone and ruthlessly drive Harris to victory now, not next week, not the week after, not at the convention etc. Do US voters really care about internal democracy in the Democratic Party? No. If Harris blows up, so be it. No other candidate could establish themselves in the time available and raise the necessary funds to win.
Trump is now the only old man in the race, and it already shows. He needed Biden and he hasn’t got him anymore. Bring it on.
But Trump could have been so much smarter since the attempted assassination and with Biden’s resignation. In his convention speech, he started well, in advance pledging to unite the nation. That’s when I thought it was really game over. But no, he couldn’t help himself. In a rambling address to his adoring audience, he went on the attack. Referencing war, weakness, chaos, referencing the killing fields of Washington, the invasion by criminal aliens, witch hunts, crazy Democrats, it was as divisive as it could get. Then there was the ‘drill, baby, drill’ comments and the boasts… wow there were so many, including ending all wars. The narcissism was breath-taking.
Compounding this tactical error when he could have risen above the fray was Trump’s response to Biden standing down. Just read this:
“Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was!… the Worst President, by far, in the History of our Nation.”
Not an ounce of grace. Preening, divisive, ungracious, quite frankly rude. Some might say barking. And it is that, former President Trump, that will hopefully do for you in the end.
Inside Right Politics 