As soon as US President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race (a move not seen since President Lyndon Johnson withdrew during the Vietnam War), a question suddenly emerged: What path will Vice President Kamala Harris choose to take to defeat Donald Trump? The Republican candidate has been on a recent winning streak, avoiding the spotlight on his historic convictions, pending trials and even his repeated references to fictional serial killers. Instead, for almost a month, the media has focused on Biden, his age and his failed performance in the debates (at 81, Biden is three years older than Trump). Now, Harris has quickly provided an answer to that question. Her campaign has focused on Trump's status as a convicted felon, his various other legal issues, including being held liable for sexual abuse, and his main role in destroying abortion rights. “We know what type of person Donald Trump is,” says Harris, 59, a former senator, state attorney general and district attorney. Frances Wilkinson writes: Bloomberg Opinion that “Between now and November, prosecutors should be indicting criminals.”
Polls show that Harris' entry into the race has intensified the race. Harris is gaining support among black and young voters. Republicans are already trying to use immigration against her, with Trump being blamed as the main reason for the death of a bipartisan immigration reform bill. In addition, there is the question of whether Americans are ready to elect their first female president. Trump has made racist and misogynistic remarks, and if he continues down that path this time, he risks alienating some of the very voters he needs. However, many leading Republicans have already begun racist attacks against Harris, calling her the “DEI candidate.” In other words, this is an election campaign unlike any other in the history of the United States. The next step is for Harris to choose her presidential candidate. Ahead of the Democratic National Convention, Biden announced his candidacy as the vice presidential nominee. Addressing the nation as the new campaign kicked off this week, Biden said his decision to withdraw was a way to unite the country around a new generation of leaders. He also warned of the existential crisis facing democracy in November. “Americans will have to choose whether to move forward or backward, hope or hate, unity or division,” Biden said. “We must decide: Do we still believe in honesty, decency, respect, freedom, justice and democracy?”
