Joe Biden has given up. Now what?

(Washington) Joe Biden will ultimately not be a candidate for his own re-election in November. The 81-year-old Democratic president has given in to pressure from his own camp, worried about his chances of victory against Donald Trump.

An era of great uncertainty now begins for an American presidential campaign that has already entered history.

Here are some things to expect in the days and weeks ahead.

How ?

Even if there is consensus on who will succeed him, the process to formally replace Joe Biden is likely to be a bit technical.

“In the coming days, the party will undertake a transparent and disciplined process to move forward, as a united Democratic Party, with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November,” Democratic Party leader Jaime Harrison said Sunday.

The president was nominated as the Democratic presidential nominee in a series of primaries held from January to June. He was, in theory, due to be sworn in at the party’s convention in Chicago in mid-August.

But with this withdrawal, the party delegates, 3,900 people with very varied profiles, are now free to choose their candidate.

“Our delegates are prepared to take their responsibility seriously to quickly present a candidate to the American people,” added Jaime Harrison.

In a memo written before Biden’s withdrawal, Brookings scholar Elaine Kamarck imagined that such an eventuality would result in “a kind of no-holds-barred convention,” with each side trying to push for its candidate.

A roughly comparable scenario presented itself to Democrats on March 31, 1968, when President Lyndon B. Johnson publicly announced that he would not seek a second term, in the midst of the Vietnam War.

Who ?

Joe Biden has said since announcing his withdrawal on Sunday that he supports his vice president Kamala Harris. But there is no rule that states that the running mate will automatically replace the incumbent candidate.

In the wake of Joe Biden’s calamitous debate, she was sent in to put out the fire. The 50-year-old conceded that Joe Biden had been “slow to start” but had “finished strong.”

Without mentioning, at any time, the possibility of replacing him.

Kamala Harris, the first woman and first African-American to serve as vice president, could also face competition from other members of the party’s young guard.

The names of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro are also being bandied about.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has been tipped as a possible rival to Kamala Harris in the race for the nomination, announced his support for the vice president on Sunday.

What campaign?

Once a candidate is chosen, a major problem will remain: carrying out a three-month express campaign to make oneself known to the more than 250 million Americans of voting age, and above all, succeeding in convincing them.

Kamala Harris starts here with a certain advantage, having already been known for nearly four years as Joe Biden’s vice president.

The former senator from California, who has already received the support of several elected officials, has also been crisscrossing key states for months to campaign, particularly on abortion rights – a key theme of the presidential election this year.

Another concern is that funds already raised by Joe Biden’s campaign will not be easily transferable to any other candidate from a legal standpoint.

With Kamala Harris’ name already on official campaign documents for Joe Biden, some experts argue that control of the millions of dollars already raised could be more easily attributed to her.

Another argument in the Californian’s pocket to obtain the party’s nomination.

The postulate has already been rejected on the right, however, and legal action would be expected in the event of a transfer of funds.