The switch was quick and might be fateful for the future of the US: sitting president Joe Biden from the Democratic Party decided to withdraw his candidacy, paving the way for Vise-president Kamala Harris to become the Democratic nominee. Joe Biden endorsed her. The US political landscape had largely and profoundly changed. The final outcome of the coming presidential election is more uncertain than ever before.
Biden out, Harris in - that is very bad news for the GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump. His election campaign is until now wholly orientated on the person named Joe Biden and his governing achievements. One of Trump's main arguments is Biden is too old and not fit both physically and mentally to lead the country. Now, Kamala Harris (58) is much younger than Trump (78) is and his campaigning strategy has collapsed like a house of cards.
| US Vice President Kamala Harris. Photo: AFP/VNA |
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During a very short time, Kamala Harris has succeeded in uniting the Democratic Party and creating new euphoria among party members and voters. In recent polls, she emerged better than Biden and is now almost equal to Trump. With Harris, the Democratic Party has turned around this year's presidential race with Trump. It forced Trump to face a totally new game for which Trump until now hasn't been preparing.
In her race with Trump, Harris needn't play the so-called "age card" like Trump has always been using against Biden. Her appearance, her laughs, and her repartee are already convincing proof of the age card. Any attack against the person Harris or Trump can't be now meaningful for any of them and might be counterproductive. The best strategy for both, therefore, can only be to concentrate on campaigning agenda and commitments.
Kamala Harris would improve her chance to become America's first female and black president if she demonstrated her capabilities to lead the US with a concrete, feasible, and also visionary agenda and not attack Trump's age and characteristics. She is more able than Biden to consolidate the Democratic voter basis, to reach undecided voters, especially in Swing States.
"Biden out, Harris in" - That is not to Trump's taste. But he must accept the new game and adopt a new campaigning strategy the sooner the better. Harris can now dictate the race and push Trump into the defensive. At this moment, Trump seems to not jet have the right ways and means to deal with the new situation. The other big question is whether America of this year was for the first time ready to accept a black woman to become its president. If the answer were "not", it would improve Trump's chance of being elected.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by Ambassador Tran Duc Mau are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Hanoi Times.
