It took a long time, hopefully not too long: Joe Biden is finally clearing the way for a new candidate. This gives the US Democrats a chance to prevent Donald Trump from becoming president after all.
America is the home of Hollywood, the most creative place on earth. What is happening in American politics right now, however, exceeds even the craziest twist of any Hollywood script. To put into words what we are currently experiencing, we must therefore resort to an ancient wordsmith (and power theorist): William Shakespeare.
“You should not have grown old before you were wise,” he writes in “King Lear.” In the play, the aged ruler is so susceptible to the flattery of his daughters that he entrusts the kingdom to the wrong people. It all ends in disaster.
In recent weeks, there have also been fears that Joe Biden will show stubbornness rather than wisdom. But now, with his decision not to seek a presidential candidacy again, he has opened up the possibility of a happy outcome for his party in the November election. Biden has shown wisdom in old age. That is more than just good news – and it changes this US presidential election campaign dramatically.
Donald Trump has missed an opportunity
Sure, Donald Trump is currently ahead in almost all polls. The failed assassination attempt not only gave him his life, but also TV images that he himself would never have dared to dream of. Trump thrilled his supporters with a blood-smeared face, raised fist and shouts of “Fight Fight Fight”.
He hasn’t changed, though. During the Republican convention a few days ago, Trump only managed to deliver his promised unity speech for half an hour. At his most recent campaign appearance, he seemed just as angry as ever. By choosing Senator JD Vance as his running mate, who seems even more radical when it comes to free trade and “America First,” Trump has missed an opportunity to appeal to more moderate voters.
But America remains deeply divided, and many people will never vote for Trump. And the Democrats have issues with which they can score points, such as the concern of many women about overly strict abortion laws. However, these issues, which are so important to many, have recently been completely overshadowed by the debate about Biden’s age. Now the Democrats will try to shine a spotlight on the fact that Trump, at 78, is not exactly young and is also a threat to democracy. After all, he has said often enough that he wants to accept the election result – but only if he wins himself.
Joe Biden has put himself in this situation
On the Democratic side, everything is now pointing to Kamala Harris, even if the process is likely to take some time. Biden has pledged his support to the 59-year-old. This means that she should be assured of his delegates at the party convention, as well as his campaign coffers worth millions. Hardly anyone in the Democratic Party will dare to challenge a black vice president. She will probably get a governor from an important swing state on her side, perhaps even Gretchen Whitmer from Michigan. Two strong Democratic women against two Republican machos?
At times, one could feel sorry for Joe Biden and the way he was recently described. Some accused the press of age discrimination – or suggested that the debates about Biden were displacing those about Trump’s weaknesses.
But the accusation is false. Biden put himself in this situation, and it was important to clarify the question of whether he is still suitable for the toughest and most important job in the world. If anything, the US media had ignored this question for too long. Americans know who Donald Trump is. The Democrats now have a chance to convince enough voters that he is the wrong person for the White House.
