Flat foot, security. By choosing Kamala Harris as his running mate, Joe Biden had a double blow on Tuesday. It allows the Californian senator to make history by becoming the first black woman - and Indian - candidate for the vice-president. And he is protecting his lead in the polls with a consensual partner offering few opportunities for attacks on Donald Trump.
“It's Donald Trump who needs to shake up the race, not Joe Biden,” analyzes Chris Edelson, professor of political science at the University of Washington. In other words, Biden had no interest in trying a game of poker like John McCain did with Sarah Palin in 2008.
The woman of the moment
All the leaders of the Democratic Party have also applauded Joe Biden's decision in unison. Kamala Harris is a “historic choice” (Hillary Clinton), a “champion of the working classes” (Nancy Pelosi), she “will fight to reform health” (Bernie Sanders) and she is “more than ready for the job” ( Barack Obama).
So consensual, Kamala? “It's a much less controversial choice than other contenders,” continues Chris Edelson. With Susan Rice, Donald Trump could have yelled "Benghazi!" "On Twitter every morning (the former ambassador to the UN Obama had initially spoken of" spontaneous demonstration "during the attack on the American consulate). And along with Elizabeth Warren, Biden would have been labeled a "radical socialist" by the US president.
Especially, in the face of the vast anti-racist protests that followed the death of George Floyd, Joe Biden was forced to listen to the voices of influential African-American elected officials like Jim Clyburn (who saved Biden in the South Carolina primaries), who put their weight behind Harris.
Possible orbit for 2024
Biden-Harris is a “ solid presidential ticket ,” judges former Republican Party spokesman Doug Heye. “With his experience in the Senate, it sends a message of stability to those worried about Biden's age (77). Although he has not confirmed that he will serve only one term, it is unlikely that a possible President Biden will run again at 81. This is why his choice was particularly awaited: in case of victory in November, Kamala Harris would be an essential contender in 2024.
Not so fast. It should not be forgotten that the presidential campaign of the Californian senator has, after a promising start, shrunk in December, short of money and support. If her past as a California prosecutor makes her an expert in oratorical contests, her record, with a hard line assumed, has been denounced by many associations. Clearly, Kamala Harris is far from being the champion that progressives dreamed of when it came to reforming the justice system and the police.
"Nasty and vicious", according to Trump
The American president did not take long to react. He retweeted a video from his campaign team presenting Kamala Harris as a “phony” (fake and opportunistic) politician. And during his coronavirus press briefing, he considered that she was "mean and vicious", using his favorite adjective for women with a grip ("nasty").
There remain the videos of this famous Democratic debate, where Kamala Harris had sent Joe Biden to the ropes, accusing him of having supported racist policies on segregation in schools in the 1970s, with his famous line "This little girl, it was me ". Donald Trump does not “understand” how his opponent could choose Harris “who disrespected him”. But Chris Edelson judges that the Democratic candidate could turn the situation to his advantage, showing that he is able to work with the one who had criticized him.
So, does Kamala Harris strengthen Joe Biden's candidacy? “Historically, the choice of a running mate has little impact on an election,” replied Doug Heye. Chris Edelson agrees: “More than ever, this election will be a referendum on Donald Trump”. And unless there is a miracle on the coronavirus or on the side of the American economy in the fall "Donald Trump's mission promises to be complicated".
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VIDEO. What you need to know about Kamala Harris
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