Daily Times

Joe Biden is out of the biggest-ever race less than four months before America would set out to vote for its next president. After battling pressure from increasingly sceptical Democrats, especially in the wake of a disastrous first one-on-one debate against Republican candidate Donald Trump for weeks, President Bident very abruptly abandoned his reelection bid, giving a vote of endorsement to the sitting vice president Kamala Harris.

The wheel has already been set in motion with campaign officials making hundreds of calls, making inroads with delegates to confirm her nomination at the upcoming Democratic Party Convention. Considering how all potential challengers have also lined up behind her and support pouring in from donors at the online fund-raiser is reaching new levels. VP Harris, from the looks of it, appears to be in a commanding position.

After all, it is not every day that a political party gets the chance to fight against a cult-like appeal of a former president, who only recently had a miraculous close brush with death. As an extremely young, energetic Black woman coming from a liberal stronghold and known for her steadfast support for health policy, especially reproductive rights, the vice president could help galvanise the voter base in the final sprint.

In the coming days, the Republican camp is bound to attack her for the failures of the Biden administration, including inflation and immigration, of which the Veep remained a crucial part. But since Mr Trump himself learned a humbling lesson in 2016 when his ageist and sexist tirade against the then-nominee Hilary Clinton had backfired, perhaps, this time around, the likelihood of Asian, Black and Latino support would force him to turn the volume down.

According to political pundits, not much is expected to change on November 5. Swing states, white voters and those above the age of 65 would still prefer the Trump chaos over dabbling in unfamiliar waters. However, the close margin, rampant uncertainties and the charisma of America finally having its first woman president would make the Trump-Harris race a nail-biting, worth-its-while experience. *