By Staff Writer
In an unexpected turn of events in an already eventful US presidential campaign, President Joe Biden suddenly announced on Sunday that he was pulling out of the race and won’t be seeking a second term.
The dramatic u-turn, quite unlike the ageing president’s visibly slowed mobility - and acuity - of late, came on the heels of an announcement just a day before in which he said he was preparing to continue campaigning once he’d completed his COVID-19 isolation after testing positive last week.
This has set the entire campaign into a tailspin.
Mr Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his choice to succeed him as the Democrats’ candidate when the party holds its annual convention on August 19th.
That will be just short of a month after the Republican party held its convention in which it gave the thumbs-up to former President Donald Trump and his choice for running mate, J D Vance.
The equally firebrand J D Vance had previously described his now leader in the frame of Adolf Hitler and called him an idiot. He has now recanted saying Mr Trump is a changed man.
It’s now all to play for. The Democrats first have to confirm or reject VP Kamala Harris - the presumptive nominee - plus confirm her running mate, whomever that might be. But it might not be smooth sailing as other names are already being thrown into the mix.
The focus is now firmly back on the Democrats - arguably for the wrong reasons by some analysts - and apparently much to the consternation of Donald Trump’s MAGA campaign.
The Republicans’ convention labelled variously as eventful, celebratory, tumultuous and uproarious was marred by an assassination on Mr Trump. The incident has led to an investigation over concerns about security shortcomings for the former president. The assailant was shot dead by Mr Trump’s security.
During the convention, many Trump supporters could be seen adorned with medical plasters over their ears in a show of support for their leader whose ear was nicked by the would-be assassin’s bullet in a worryingly close call.
An initial appeal by both Mr Trump and President Biden for calm and to tone down the rhetoric didn’t last long. They soon resumed their mutually vitriolic attacks on each other, although the fusillade of insults and denigrations from Trump’s MAGA team has clearly ‘trumped’ Team Biden.
Meanwhile, for the Democrats who are now in reset mode, the about-turn by President Biden has unleashed a torrent of well-wishes equal only to the previous waves concern over whether the was a help or hindrance to the party’s - and his own - presidential re-election campaign.
The Trump campaign has not been that magnanimous.
Where Mr Biden takes credit for restoring the US economy to growth along with a raft of progressive policies, Team Trump claims he has wrecked the economy and American society, especially on immigration.
With Mr Trump’s recent ratings outstripping those of his rival, especially following President Biden’s widely-criticised lame-duck performance during their recent television debate, there are growing perceptions that the Trump campaign is sorry to see the back of Mr Biden.
It’s felt in some circles that VP Kamala Harris might make a more formidable opponent, especially in televised debates. But first, she’ll have to secure her party’s nomination with a running mate in tow. It’s reported that donations into the Democrats’ campaign coffers have ballooned since Mr Biden’s shock announcement.
With around 100 days (and counting down) to the November 5th Presidential Election date, it’s all to play for.
The world is once more watching intently. The global implications are as significant as the national impact.
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