It is not entirely surprising, yet, the implications can be far-reaching. Beyond the potential for an unprecedented first female president in America, Uncle Sam’s Land of Liberty, facing the toughest threat yet to its superpower supremacy, could be in for an inflammable Donald Trump’s second term at the White House.
Whichever way the pendulum swings, the November crucial presidential vote could further complicate the political uncertainties in a divided America and a world dogged by several avoidable wars that threaten human existence.
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr, (Joe Biden), America’s 46th President from 2021, after serving as 47th Vice President from 2009-2017 and Senator from 1973-2009, has finally quit the race for the 47th US presidency.
His announcement in a written statement on Sunday that he would not seek re-election adds to the breathtaking developments in a campaign season and America’s political history coming just one week after the attempted assassination of former Donald Trump, Biden’s political arch-rival.
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The unusual events from June 2024, compare in reckoning with the November 1963 assassination of President J.F. Kennedy, the brutal murder in April 1968 of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, America’s Black human rights icon, and the Watergate scandal that ended President Richard Nixon’s presidency in 1974.
American politics went into panic overdrive in the past four weeks, with political cats released among the pigeons, while the hawks were unrestrained from the chickens after Biden put up a catastrophic performance during a June 27 presidential debate against Trump, who has derogatory labels for his opponents such as “sleepy Joe” for Biden.
At 81, Biden’s health and fitness for re-election had been under severe scrutiny.
Despite his insistence to remain in the race, his failing health and recent embarrassing gaffes such as confusing Vice President Kamala Harris with Donald Trump, referring to Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky as President Truth or awkwardly calling his defence secretary ‘that black man’ when he forgot his name, were most damaging to a politician who once stamped the American campaign turf with admiration and political gusto.
Announcing his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential run, Biden endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the Democratic presidential candidate, adding to the drama of a divisive race, following the 2020 contest.
In 2020, Biden defeated Trump, making the latter a one-term president with several firsts, including being the only American president to be impeached twice, and later the first former American president to be convicted of a felony.
Trump is still facing multiple trials over alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and for inciting his supporters to invade Congress, attempting to scuttle American democracy.
Biden, currently in isolation after contracting COVID, said it was the “greatest honour” to serve as president, adding that he was withdrawing “in the best interest of my party and the country.”
Trump, whose campaign slogan remains “Let’s make America great again,” was among the first to react to Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race.
“Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was,” said Trump on social media platforms.
Democratic party bigwigs, who had expressed concern over Biden’s faltering campaign, including former President Barack Obama, Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have praised Biden’s decision and his presidency.
Vice President Harris is the likely successor to Biden, but she must first win the Democratic party’s Convention in four weeks.
Some candidates for that contest have already endorsed her, with Democrats also reporting a dramatic increase in donations for the campaign, however, as Americans would say, “It is not a slam dunk issue,” twenty-four hours is a lifetime in politics.
At 69, she can claim the momentum and an advantage over several other potential Democratic candidates, being part of the 2020 successful presidential ticket with Biden, with years of goodwill among cross sections of the party and access to campaign funds raised for Biden’s re-election effort.
Harris said she was “honoured” to have Biden’s endorsement and pledged to “earn and win this nomination” to unite America against Republican candidate Trump.
However, the huddles on her road to the White House are enormous including whether America is prepared for a woman president of colour against the backdrop of Hillary Clinton’s unsuccessful attempt against Trump in 2016.
Her first litmus test is on 19 August, when the Democrats elect their presidential nominee at their party’s National Convention,
Ejime is an Author, Global Affairs Analyst, and Consultant on Peace, Security and Governance Communications
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