US campaign - After Biden's withdrawal: Democrats rally behind Harris
After Dr. Joe Biden's dramatic withdrawal from the race for another term as US President, more and more US Democrats are rallying behind his Vice President Kamala Harris. Currently, she is considered the front-runner for the November 5th election. She has publicly received support from Biden and numerous other party leaders. However, she must now be nominated by her party. It is unclear if the party will follow Biden's suggestion - and who Harris could choose as her running mate.
With Biden's withdrawal, the US election campaign has picked up speed, about three months before the election day. The camp around the newly-crowned Republican candidate, Donald Trump, reacted angrily to Biden's withdrawal. At the same time, Trump and his Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance used Biden's public admission to question his fitness for the office of President.
United Front for Harris
After Biden publicly pledged his support, a number of other party leaders also spoke out in her favor - notably among them the potential contenders for the nomination, Governors Gavin Newsom (California), Josh Shapiro (Pennsylvania), and Roy Cooper (North Carolina).
From the left wing of the party, Harris received support from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. However, she need not fear competition from the influential Governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, following her withdrawal. Former President Barack Obama, on the other hand, only expressed confidence that a "distinguished candidate" would be found. In his statement, he made no comment on Harris.
Whether Harris can beat Trump is uncertain. Many Democrats hope that at least she can prevent the Republicans from controlling both chambers of the US Congress. In the fall, all seats in the House of Representatives and approximately one third of the seats in the Senate will be up for re-election.
Trump seethes and questions Biden's fitness for office
Trump expressed his anger following Biden's withdrawal in several posts on his Truth Social platform. His team had invested time and money in "the fight against the fraudulent Joe Biden." "We have to start all over again," Trump wrote.
"The corrupt Joe Biden was unable to campaign for the office of President, and he is certainly not capable of holding the office - and he never was!", Trump wrote in another post. In another post, he ranted: "It's a new day and Joe Biden can't remember that he dropped out of the race yesterday!"
Trump was officially endorsed by his party at the Republican Convention in Milwaukee the previous week. At the convention, Trump presented himself as a politician who had been changed by the shooting attempts and now wanted to unite the deeply divided country.
Trump is 18 years and four months older than Harris. With Biden's withdrawal, Trump becomes the oldest Presidential candidate in US history.
The Crisis of the Past Weeks
Since Biden's disastrous performance in a televised debate against Trump, criticism of his age had grown louder. During the heated exchange, the most powerful man in the world mumbled incoherently. He lost the thread, stared blankly into space, and often could not finish his sentences properly.
Biden tried to explain himself first. He attributed his weak performance to fatigue following strenuous foreign trips. At various appearances, he stubbornly assured that he would not back down. However, more blunders followed. The pressure from within his own ranks became too great.
In the past few days, Biden had retreated to his private residence in Rehoboth, Delaware, and canceled all public engagements. During his enforced break, he made the decision to yield to the pressure from his Democratic colleagues.
Respect for Biden
Leading Democrats and world state and government heads paid respect to Biden for his significant step.
The leading Democrat in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, paid tribute to Biden as a great president and remarkable person. "His decision was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first," wrote the Senator in a statement. The day showed that Biden was "a true patriot and great American."
First Lady Jill Biden (73) commented on her husband's withdrawal with two heart emojis on the platform X.
An unprecedented election year
This US election year stood out in every way, especially with regard to the Republican candidate. With Trump, a convicted felon is running for the highest office in the state. He was found guilty in a trial for obstructing justice - regarding the payment of hush money to a porn star. So far, this has not harmed the 78-year-old in the campaign. However, there are still other criminal proceedings against him - but it should not come to a trial before the election day in these cases.
A week ago, there was an escalation in the campaign when a security guard at a Trump event in Pennsylvania opened fire. Trump was injured in the ear during the shooting, a spectator died, and two others were wounded.
The youngest US election year 2020 was chaotic. Trump refused to accept his electoral defeat against Biden at that time, instead trying to overturn the election result with drastic means. His campaign reached its climax in a violent attack by his supporters on the US Capitol, during which several people died.
- Kamala Harris, now the front-runner in the US election campaign for the November 5th election, has received support from Joe Biden and numerous other US Democrats.
- United States of America Democrats are rallying behind Vice President Kamala Harris as the potential nominee for the US President position.
- Gavin Newsom, Josh Shapiro, and Roy Cooper, potential contenders for the nomination, have expressed support for Kamala Harris, the front-runner in the US election campaign.
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a representative from the left wing of the party, has also pledged her support for Kamala Harris in the US election campaign.
- In the US election campaign, Gretchen Whitmer, the influential Governor of Michigan, has withdrawn, reducing potential competition for Kamala Harris.
- Donald Trump, the newly-crowned Republican candidate, has reacted angrily to Joe Biden's withdrawal from the US election campaign, questioning his fitness for the office of President.
- The US election campaign in Pennsylvania was disrupted by an earthquake, causing a security guard at a Trump event to open fire, injuring the candidate and others.
- Kamala Harris, if elected, would become the US-President, while Donald Trump, her Republican opponent, would be the oldest Presidential candidate in US history, being 18 years and four months older.
- Joe Biden's withdrawal from the US election campaign has been met with respect from leading Democrats and world state and government heads, including Chuck Schumer and Jill Biden.
- In the US election campaign of 2024, Donald Trump, a convicted felon, is running for the highest office in the state, despite being found guilty of obstructing justice.
- The US election year 2022 has been marked by controversy, with Trump's refusal to accept his electoral defeat in 2020, leading to a violent attack on the US Capitol, resulting in several deaths.
