Candidate Kamala

WITH US Vice-President Kamala Harris formally accepting the Democratic Party’s nomination, the battle lines are clearly drawn for the November 5 presidential election. Her rival, Republican Donald Trump, had looked virtually unstoppable till last month — he defiantly pumped his fist after narrowly escaping an assassination attempt and couldn’t stop smirking as President Joe Biden’s campaign went from bad to worse. However, things have changed drastically over the past few weeks. Under immense pressure from his party, Biden abandoned his re-election bid and made way for Kamala, the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants. The Democrats are now truly back on track, and Trump has every reason to feel jittery.

Kamala ticked the right boxes in her acceptance speech, predictably warning Americans about the ‘extremely serious’ consequences of putting an ‘unserious man’ back in the White House. In his trademark over-the-top style, Trump wondered whether she was talking about him. But in his heart of hearts, he knows very well that she will spare no opportunity to tear into him for his alleged crimes and misdemeanours. The chaos witnessed during his years in the Oval Office and the attack on the Capitol after he ended up as a sore loser in the 2020 election are still fresh in the minds of Americans. Trump will have to pull a new rabbit out of his hat to counter Kamala’s growing popularity. As per a new Gallup poll, her favourability ratings have gone up appreciably.

For starters, Trump has to hold his own in the televised debate against Kamala next month. He had eclipsed Biden in the June debate mainly because the latter, plagued by age and health issues, was all at sea during the televised event. The much younger and sharper Kamala will be a different kettle of fish. Nevertheless, mere Trump-bashing may not take her all the way. She needs to come up with a workable action plan to chart a ‘new way forward’ for America.