If American movies and series are associated with thrills and excitement, American presidential elections are no less thrilling and exciting. The difference between the two is that the thrills of the former are fictional, created by the suspense of stories. The thrills of American elections, on the other hand, are real; not devoid of entertainment and suspense, they can sometimes be terrifying. What happened to the Republican candidate Donald Trump in Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 13, might be the perfect testament to this.
The latest twist in the American presidential election came last Sunday. That evening, the American people and those of every continent were surprised to see President Joe Biden announce that he would be withdrawing from the presidential elections in November, just 107 days before voters are to go to the polls.
Naturally, the announcement made at around 2 pm Washington time dominated the news cycle in the US and across the globe until the late hours of that evening.
Of course, knowing US broadcasters, this should come as no surprise. America is America, and its president has the most consequential and dangerous job in the world. President Biden's sudden change of heart is what bewildered everyone. He did a 180; after having totally rejected the idea of withdrawing his candidacy, he suddenly told us that he would be stepping aside and endorsing his Vice President Kamala Harris.
The brief statement (323 words), which President Biden signed by hand before sharing it online, turned everything upside down. Everyone following the presidential elections outside the US, as well as the domestic audience and even American commentators, watchers, and analysts, witnessed a historic turning point that they had not seen coming. We haven’t seen anything like it since 1968, when President Lyndon Johnson made the same decision.
Biden’s announcement will have many ramifications. It raises several questions and has stirred controversy and debate. New Democratic figures will probably emerge on the scene and join the presidential battle.
On the other side, in the Republican camp, the immediate reaction was to reassess, draw up new electoral plans, and prepare for every possible scenario that could arise following President Biden's decision to step aside. The priorities of the Republican campaign team will inevitably change. Biden’s withdrawal has turned the tables, and now, they must prepare to face what is coming as fast as they can.
Trump’s campaign team was as surprised by the decision as anyone else. Unlike most Democrats, they wanted President Biden to stay in the race, as every additional day he remained the Democratic candidate made a Republican victory more likely. It has been noted that, before the assassination attempt on July 13, the Republicans had criticized Biden’s Vice President very frequently.
However, plans changed clearly after that incident. Trump's campaign spokesperson had emphasized a crucial point in his statements: Biden being replaced by the Vice President due to his poor health is untenable; if that were to happen, the President should resign from office, as it would mean he is not fit to perform his duties as President and Commander-in-Chief of the US Armed Forces.
This led the Trump campaign team to decide that attacks on President Biden should be dialed down until the Democratic National Convention on August 19, when he would be nominated for the presidency. The idea was to resume the attacks after his candidacy became official, as they wanted to ensure that President Biden would not be replaced during that convention. Once Biden was confirmed as the party's nominee, the thinking went, it would be too late for the Democrats to nominate an alternative. However, President Biden's announcement upended this plan.
Media reports suggest that the Democratic Party will rally around Vice President Kamala Harris to avoid wasting what little time they have left, as well as to restore party unity. However, a faction within the party is not enthusiastic about this idea. It is calling for a competitive democratic process that grants the party and its base the opportunity to nominate the most suitable candidate. The Democratic Party, they stress, should be democratic.
There is no doubt that the pressure on Biden has been ramping up rapidly since June 27, the day of the debate between Biden and Trump, that Biden clearly lost due to his deteriorating health. The pressure grew following the subsequent interviews and statements Biden gave. These public appearances confirmed his fragility, and increasing numbers of figures asked him to step aside.
However, no matter the changes and proposals the Democratic Party makes within this brief period, Trump's horses are inevitably coming.
