Triumphantly invested by their respective parties, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are entering the final sprint towards the American presidential election on November 5, which has once again become a duel in the strict sense with the suspension of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign on Friday.
The independent candidate, considered an eccentric heir to the famous Democratic political dynasty, vigorously criticized the Democratic Party in a speech, citing three causes, including freedom of expression and the war in Ukraine, for its decision to “run as an independent and now bring [son] support for President Trump.”
“I am simply suspending my campaign,” he said in a speech in Phoenix, capital of the key state of Arizona (southwest), acknowledging that he “no longer sees a real path to the White House.”
Mr. Kennedy, commonly referred to by his initials RFK, said his name would remain on the ballot in most states. “But in about a dozen contested states where my presence could skew the outcome, I will withdraw my name and I’ve already started the process,” he said.
According to polls, the impact of the support of the independent candidate, credited so far with between 4 and 5% of voting intentions, on the campaign of the former Republican president remains uncertain.
Donald Trump was in the neighboring key state of Nevada at the same time, in Las Vegas, to promise tax cuts, before heading to Arizona for a campaign rally with a “surprise guest” who may well be RFK.
Although Kamala Harris left the Democratic convention in Chicago on Thursday night with a slight lead over Donald Trump in most polls, nothing is decided, especially not in the seven “swing states”, the most undecided states, where large sections of the electorate seem to have won over the former Republican president.
The vice president accepted the nomination of excited Democratic delegates on Thursday, at the end of a euphoric convention marked among other things by Michelle Obama’s hard-hitting speech, the energy of running mate Tim Walz, and a festive musical program.
She promised the United States a “new path” of unity.
“Moving forward”
Donald Trump, who bombarded his Truth Social network with angry messages during his speech, accused her of contributing to the “decline” of the United States as vice-president to outgoing Joe Biden.
The duelists will be able to pit their two visions against each other on September 10 in Pennsylvania during their first debate, the next highlight of the campaign.
Kamala Harris, thrust into one of the toughest political battles in American history, has created immense fervor in her party around a candidacy that did not exist a month ago.
Who knows how many more upheavals this crazy campaign has in store, after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump on July 13 and Joe Biden’s shock withdrawal on July 21?
Encouraging news for Kamala Harris’ campaign came Friday on the economic front: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell opened the door to a first rate cut by the institution, as early as September, which should lead to a reduction in the cost of borrowing for American businesses and households.
The Democrat said she was not getting carried away by the euphoria of the convention. “We have 75 days left,” she told CBS after her speech Thursday night. “So that was good, but now we have to move forward,” she added.
The “Abandon Biden” campaign, which campaigned for the Democratic candidate’s defeat because of his unconditional support for Israel in its operation in Gaza, warned that it was continuing its mobilization against Kamala Harris in order to punish an administration that it said was “complicit in genocide.”
These divisions could cost him valuable votes in some key states, particularly Michigan, which has a large Arab-Muslim community sensitive to the plight of the Palestinians.
In Chicago, the most telling metaphor came from Kamala Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a former American football coach.
He warned that the Democrats, with just minutes left in the game, were down a few points. “But it’s our turn to attack and we have the ball,” “Coach Walz” told a convention that had briefly become a frenzied locker room.