An Exciting Boxing Match Between Trump and Harris Bet on by America’s Billionaires
In just ten days, confusion, disarray, and a loss of confidence has spread from the Democratic camp to the Republican camp. What was supposed to be a celebratory period for former President Donald Trump's rising approval ratings, following a failed assassination attempt and his choice of a well-received running mate at the successful Republican National Convention, turned out differently. But logically speaking, the Republican party should have been prepared for the possibility of Democratic President Joe Biden stepping down from the presidential race. The Republicans should have anticipated the Democratic party's selection of Vice President Kamala Harris, especially due to the practical financial needs for the intense electoral battle ahead. Instead, the Republican party trapped itself in a web of overconfidence, prematurely crowning Donald Trump as president. This led to a sense of complacency, with Trump and his allies peaking too soon.
Today, strategists in both the Democratic and Republican campaigns are scrambling to reprioritize, reassess challenges, and prepare candidates for debates. Welcome to a long, possibly entertaining yet terrifying American political drama, as the atmosphere of division and vengeance is not to be underestimated in an ideologically and emotionally charged nation like the United States.
So where do we currently stand in this surprising electoral landscape with more than three months of campaigns, milestones, and inevitable missteps ahead?
Overnight, Kamala Harris's persona has shifted from the shadows to the spotlight, reinventing herself in both form and substance. Kamala Harris woke up to the dream of assuming the U.S. presidency, embracing her new role with a leap marked by pre-preparedness. While Democratic party leaders were pressuring current President Joe Biden to abandon his stubbornness and accept the necessity of stepping down from the presidential race, its electoral "machine" was studying the party's situation and scenarios for recovery from its stumble, aiming to turn the tables on Donald Trump and the Republican party. Among these leaders is none other than former Democratic President Barack Obama, who plans to be in the driver’s seat of Kamala Harris's campaign against Donald Trump.
The Republican party was surprised by the influx of financial support for Kamala Harris as soon as the Democratic party concluded there was no other practical, pragmatic option but to nominate her instead of Joe Biden, as the campaign fund bears the names Biden and Harris. The Republican party has protested the automatic allocation of funds to Harris's campaign, arguing that the funds were raised for the Biden-Harris ticket. But the Democratic party insists on its right to use the funds for its presidential and vice-presidential candidates. We shall see if a financial-legal surprise could disrupt these assumptions and force strategists back to the drawing board.
In the coming days—perhaps even before this article is published—Democratic efforts will focus on rebranding Kamala Harris to erase her low-profile image and replace it with a bright presidential spotlight. Simultaneously, senior party leaders and the team appointed as Harris's advisors will be brainstorming names for vice-presidential candidates who could further invigorate the Democratic sudden reawakening.
There are many names, with new ones emerging, others fading, and some resurfacing almost daily, like former First Lady Michelle Obama, whose name is being floated as a potential vice-presidential pick for Kamala Harris. Such a scenario is unlikely, especially compared to other scenarios, such as the possible nomination of Arizona Senator and former Navy pilot Mark Kelly, who served in the 1991 Gulf War to liberate Kuwait. He also has a human side that might attract some voters, as he retired to care for his wife after she was shot during an assassination attempt at a supermarket.
Other potential candidates include the governors of Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, Illinois, and California, and the Secretary of Transportation, among others. But the vice-presidential role is crucial not only for gaining votes but also for reassuring Americans that the woman who was once in the shadows will be accompanied by a partner experienced in policy-making, who can help turn the spotlight in favour of the Democratic party's main mission: winning and retaining the White House.
Donald Trump's campaign will not make Kamala Harris's journey easy, as it is now devising a new strategy and preparing for a debate both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are eager for after her official nomination. The debate will be of great importance, testing Donald Trump's character post-assassination attempt, against an African-American woman of South Asian descent, as well as Harris's leadership abilities and her grasp of international affairs.
The concern for Donald Trump is that he may become a victim of his own impulsiveness and arrogance. He himself asserted that he won’t change despite many thinking he had become less aggressive and gentler after surviving an assassination attempt, saying, "I am not going to be nice”. If Trump's rhetoric had previously been aimed at Joe Biden, his campaign is now preparing for a direct confrontation with Kamala Harris.
The Trump team wants him to avoid personal attacks or racial slurs or belittling women—doing so would cost him votes. Indeed, the team managing Kamala Harris's campaign wants to highlight her acquired skills while also building on what many Americans now view as a likable, relatable character capable of adapting and making remarkable changes once a clear identity and goal are established.
Personal insults and performance critiques will certainly be exchanged. Trump has referred to Harris with terms like "crazy," "liar," and "baby killer," alluding to her support for abortion rights. His campaign plans to portray her as complicit in hiding Biden's true condition, responsible for opening the borders, and as an extreme liberal. Meanwhile, Harris plans to depict Trump as a "criminal" and "convict," betting on the image of a man unfit for the U.S. presidency.
Domestic issues will take center stage, as these are what concern the American voter most, though some international issues will inevitably come to the electoral fore. Major donors will compete with millions for each camp. Wall Street will worry about the instability accompanying Trump's personality on one hand and about the challenges Harris may face from the left, on the other hand.
Trump's campaign wants President Joe Biden to resign as President now, not when his term ends in January. This in their view would burden Kamala Harris with two tasks: acting as President and running in the election. They believe she will fail because they view Harris's capabilities as "limited."
What the Trump campaign is closely watching is what the puppet master behind the scenes in the Democratic party, Barack Obama, is planning, along with Michelle Obama. He may well be the de facto president from now until further notice.
Kamala Harris's campaign will attempt to double Biden's team's efforts to achieve significant accomplishments, both domestically and internationally, that can be used to Harris's advantage as Vice President in the Biden-Harris administration. Harris's campaign also aims to capitalize on the sector of American public opinion ready to embrace Kamala Harris simply because they dislike Donald Trump.
The American and global public opinions will try to enjoy every round of the boxing match between Trump and Harris, as the U.S. presidential election is both entertaining and terrifying for the entire world.