This weekend's announcement by US President Joseph Biden that he would withdraw from the presidential race was an unprecedented event in the United States. In a commentary to UNN, Vladislav Faraponov, head of the Institute of American Studies and an analyst at Internews Ukraine, said that this "step" is a strategic move aimed at the upcoming midterm elections and further strengthening the party's position.
Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race may affect Biden's approval rating as president. There will probably even be fewer polls on Biden's job approval rating, but nevertheless, I think this is a step into the future in terms of immediately thinking about the next elections, the congressional elections, 2024 and 2026, because these are midterm elections
According to him, the change of the Democratic candidate helps to consolidate voters around the Democratic Party, as the new candidate is perceived as stronger and more promising, in particular due to his youth. At the same time, the move gave voters a sense that their wishes had been taken into account, as amid criticism of Biden's age, the party demonstrated a willingness to make changes that meet the demands of its supporters.
Faraponov is convinced that Biden withdrew his candidacy late enough, but not yet critically.
"If he had said that after the convention, after the Democratic convention in late August, it would have been very difficult to replace him legally, and there would have been no time for that at all. Because in August, in September, for example, some states already start early voting and voting by mail. So it's late, but not too late," he says.
The expert pointed out that Kamala Harris is "in step" with US President Joseph Biden in terms of ratings.
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"If we're talking about all these polls, I would say the following: we still have to take into account that these polls were conducted on various other candidates. I think that when a week or two passes and new polls appear, where Biden is no longer in the lead, then perhaps the situation will change. That is, the polls will have different numbers," Faraponov says.
He also said that the new US presidential candidate has not spoken much about the war in Ukraine.
"Harris's position on Ukraine is not well known, as she has not spoken out much on the subject. It can be assumed that the Harris administration, like the Biden administration, will support Ukraine, perhaps even more, but certainly not less," he adds.
The head of the Institute of American Studies said that Kamala Harris usually rarely speaks about foreign policy. In addition, Harris' activities are focused on domestic policy and regional visits. As vice president, she has little experience in important international events. Usually, the U.S. is represented at such events by the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, or National Security Advisor, and the vice president rarely plays a role there.
Recall
US Vice President Kamala Harris announced her intention to run for president. She thanked Joe Biden for his support and promised to make every effort to defeat Donald Trump.