The United States, headed by Donald Trump, faces an exceptional conjunction of three major crises - the global epidemic of Corona, a deep recession and an anti-racism movement - that redefine big political stakes five months before the presidential election, whose results are more and more difficult to predict.
Democratic candidate Joe Biden, 77, appears to see these crises as an opportunity to present himself as an inclusive figure and a good man who is able to bring together the progressive and moderate wings of his party, while attracting independent voters who alienate from Trump.
Two top aides told Biden that he would travel to Houston on Monday and meet the family of George Floyd, two weeks after his death that sparked protests across the country to demand justice and end discrimination against blacks.
The aides said he expected Biden to extend his condolences to the Floyd family and record a video message for broadcast at Floyd's funeral service, which will be held later in the day in Houston.
Powell is the first prominent Republican to support Biden
On the other hand, former US Secretary of State Colin Powell announced today Sunday his support for candidate Joe Biden, thus becoming the first prominent Republican to express his support for the Democratic opponent to Trump in the presidential elections scheduled for next November.
Powell, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, led the US military during the 1991 Gulf War in Iraq during the era of Republican President George HW Bush, and later took over the State Department under George W. Bush.
He said that Trump is a "misdemeanor" out of the US constitution and represents a threat to the country and its democracy.
"I cannot in any way support President Trump this year," he told CNN. When asked if he would vote for Biden, he said, "I will vote for him."
Trump immediately launched a violent attack on Powell and held him responsible for the Iraq war, describing him as rude.
"Colin Powell is a true arrogant ... he was responsible for us entering the disastrous wars of the Middle East, and he has just announced that he will vote for another arrogant, sleepy Joe Biden," Trump said in a tweet.
"Didn't Powell say that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction? Iraq did not possess them, but we fought the war!"
Difficult moments
As the two sides move with their eyes open for the presidential elections, the three crises hitting the country are increasing, in light of a situation of polarization unprecedented in modern American history.
About 110,000 Americans have died as a result of the new Corona, the highest death toll from the epidemic in the world. Tens of millions lost their jobs after deciding to stop the economic wheel to curb the spread of the disease.
Meanwhile, American cities are pervading a massive protest movement against racism and inequality, after the death of George Floyd, an African American, by a white policeman in Minneapolis.
Thinker Cornell West believes that the combination of these crises is "a real moment for America", while Daniel Gillion, a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, considered it a very difficult moment.
West told the French press that these crises were "terrible" for African Americans who have historically had limited access to the health system, who are poorer than white Americans, and who often fall victim to police violence.
"I do not remember the period during which blacks experienced such disturbances, such suffering, and difficulties of this nature," he added.
African Americans have been hit hard by the "Covid 19" epidemic. And if the unemployment rate fell surprisingly in May by 13.3%, it rose to 16.8% for black Americans.
Opinion polls
Prior to these crises, Trump was in a relatively comfortable situation, but his popularity has recently witnessed a decline in opinion polls, especially among the primary voters for his re-election, namely the elderly and evangelical Christians.
Trump's delay in taking action at the start of the epidemic, as well as his threats to deploy the army in exchange for demonstrators, may alienate part of the women's voices.
Nadia Brown, a professor of political science and studies on African Americans at Purdue University, said white-skinned women were "troubled by his administration (Trump) of the epidemic."
However, all of this does not give Biden a victory over a silver platter, and Brown considered that the latter is like "a cat with seven lives, but Trump has 12 souls," according to her description.