Swapping the candidate, passing the torch
American electors only prefer candidates who have the backing of the truly united party.
This year's Democratic National Convention in Chicago will go into US history when Vice-president Kamala Harris and Minnesota's governor Tim Walz are officially nominated as this party's president and vice-president candidates for the coming presidential election in the US. For the first time in US history, a sitting president surrendered his party's nomination after winning its primary. On July 21, incumbent president Joe Biden suddenly dropped out of his candidacy and endorsed Kamala Harris. She quickly gained and consolidated Democratic support, turned around the race with Republican nominee Donald Trump and now leads Trump in many polls, nationally as well as in several important, even decisive Swing States.
| US Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Photo: AFP/VNA |
The race has been restarted and reshaped by this candidate swapping. At this DNC, the torch lighting the road into the future and keeping the White House for the Democratic Party will officially be passed to the pair Harris/Walz. This DNC will bid farewell to Joe Biden. All four themes at this DNC, "For the People", "A Bold Vision For America's Future", A Fight For Our Freedom" and "For Our Future" indicate this party's intention to present itself as a better political alternative to Trump's campaign agenda and imply messages toward not only all party members but also all voters of all political colors in America that this party is now coherently united and firmly determined to defeat Donald Trump in coming November.
The official nomination and the unity within the Democratic Party for supporting the pair Harris/Walz are just what the two urgently need and must have for their successful competition with Trump in the coming months, weeks, and days until the election day. This party unity is deadly necessary for Harris/Walz because Trump has already had it. American electors only prefer candidates who have the backing of the truly united party.
This DNC is the best proper forum for Harris/Walz to present themselves to the public audience in America, to reach out to all places and corners in America, and to gain the trust and confidence of until now still undecided voters. It will be very important for them because Kamala Harris is new and only for a short time in the race and Tim Walz is not nationally well-known.
A successful DNC would generate strong, even decisive impulse and push for Harris/Walz's campaign, for keeping and strengthening their present momentum until election day. She and the Democratic Party have now the unique chance to make history in America if they succeed in defeating Trump once again and in helping America to have its first woman of color and Indian American as well as becoming its president.
After this DNC, everyone in and outside America will know whether America's Democrats have timely taken this chance or not.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by Ambassador Tran Duc Mau are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Hanoi Times.
