Political Tornado
Ever since the now infamous debate blunder by President Joe Biden almost a month ago in Atlanta against former President Donald Trump, it feels as though the nation has been spinning at speeds reminiscent of a high speed tornado. The period has had its violent moments, especially when considering the assassination attempt on Trump’s life. But also moments of hope and much fanfare. The Republican National Convention in the wake of Trump’s near death experience, along with the elevation of Kamala Harris to the top of the Democratic ticket following Biden’s reluctant but thoughtful withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election, vividly come to mind. When and how exactly this storm will wither away is anybody’s guess. We should be prepared for the tension that has characterized this summer to extend far beyond election night.
An incoherent and despondent President Joe Biden frightened his democratic base and emboldened the GOP during a highly-anticipated debate in late June. The foundation of not only Biden’s campaign, but of the Democratic Party as a whole, was rocked to its core as the current president struggled to answer basic questions and respond decisively to Trump’s political attacks. A tsunami of politicians from the Left began to withdrawal their support for Biden almost immediately, as his elderly age and questions about his mental and physical capacity to lead America for another four years became a colossal liability in the minds of many Americans. It was a clear victory for the Trump campaign, despite the many falsities that characterized arguments made by the unrivaled Republican nominee during the debate. A debate that the Biden campaign believed it could use to help separate Biden from Trump as the more morally-competent and seasoned candidate. Instead, the Biden campaign found itself mired in a kind of media and public relations armageddon not typically seen during any election cycle.
But in a stroke of magic within the past 100 hours, Vice President Kamala Harris has completely flipped the script on Trump. Raising over $100 million in donations, benefiting from the endorsements of President Biden and the Democratic leadership, and also earning enough delegates to clinch the nomination, it's safe to say that Harris has brought a level of energy and hope that has never been seen so swiftly in American political history. Her legal experience as a district attorney and prosecutor makes her well-suited to exploit Trump’s legal woes. Although a debate date has yet to be determined, Trump is itching for the opportunity to attack Harris on her track record over the past three years. Immigration is largely viewed as her greatest liability, and one that the Trump administration has already begun to attack on social media and back on the campaign trail.
A heated, American political twister is about to accelerate in its speed and furiosity, mercilessly destroying anything lying in its wake. Highly sensitive topics like reproductive rights, race, and sexual discrimination will bring out the lower underbelly of our society, and might even lead to more political violence. Those of us who are politically conscious and active have an obligation to at least participate in the political process by exercising our right to vote. A constitutional right that is currently under attack, as it was six decades ago. Four months away from election night, Kamala Harris is soon to be officially selected as the Democratic nominee. She must find a way to separate herself from Trump by earning the trust of independent voters and winning over the hearts of young voters. She’s already on the right track with the latter, and will have an opportunity to appeal to suburban voters in the coming weeks and months.
The question each and every American should struggle with, to some degree, is whether our political community can achieve something reminiscent of a more peaceful time? A political scene that reflected the less complex days of the American political experiment. Days that were not without their violent instances of human disagreement and conflict, but that at least encouraged bipartisanship and the greater good. However, I fear that we might have already passed the point of no return. Years from now, looking back, perhaps I can then say that my fears were justifiable for the moment as opposed to indicative of a sad ending.
