Joe Biden Steps Down
In the weeks before Joe Biden stepped down as the Democrat’s 2024 presidential candidate, many had lost faith in the former Delaware senator, as it was clear his health had declined in recent months.
Source: Wikimedia
Donna Brazile, the former Democratic Party chair, and Bakari Sellers, the former South Carolina lawmaker, had already been working in the background to find a replacement for Biden, and they knew their best option was Kamala Harris.
Is Kamala Harris Ready to Become President?
Various associates had already been in contact with Brazile, many of whom questioned her decision. “I had people call me and say, ‘Is the vice president ready?’ I said, ‘No, she wants Joe Biden. She is sticking with Joe Biden,’” Brazile recalled, per The Washington Post.
Source: Getty Images
Brazile and Sellers were adamant that Harris could not be overlooked as an option. “I said, ‘Oh hell no, you are not taking Vice President Harris out. That is not going to happen,’” Brazile explained.
The Association of Democrats Decides to Back Harris
Two days before Biden announced he was stepping down, Ken Martin organized a meeting of the executive committee for the Association of State Democratic Committees. At the meeting, the attendees committed to voting for Biden if he followed through with running for reelection. If not, they decided they would fully back Harris.
Source: Freepik
“There is a real need to unify. Time is not on our side. We can’t have internal conversations over a month that focuses us inward,” Martin said. “There was nobody that objected to that executive committee call.”
Harris Emerges as the Favorite to Become Democrat Nominee
Biden officially withdrew from the presidential race on July 21. Within 32 hours, Harris had already emerged as the favorite to clinch the Democratic nomination and their best option to reduce the likelihood of a second Trump administration.
Source: Getty Images
“If she’d had to raise money starting from zero, hire her first staff, open her first office, and do all of that right out of the gate, I don’t know that she would have had time to execute. What we saw was the exact inverse of that,” said Robby Mook, the campaign manager for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential bid. “She inherited everything that had already been built and then expanded it at an extremely rapid rate.”
All Hands on Deck for Harris
All hands were on deck for the transition from a Biden to Harris campaign, and the latter was certain she could gain the confidence of the entire Democratic party.
Source: Wikimedia
Social media accounts related to Biden-Harris would need updating, Kamala’s website would need a fresh look, and, of course, more than anything, she would be a fresh influx of American cash. Six minutes after Biden’s endorsement, a post shared by Harris’ team read: “Donate to her campaign here.”
Democrats Believe Harris Can Defeat Trump
By Monday morning following the announcement, new fliers had been produced for the Harris campaign. The following day, the Vice President arrived in Wisconsin to deliver a speech in what turned out to be one of the largest Democratic events since 2020.
Source: Wikimedia
“At the end of the day, for all my days, I will be so proud of what these guys did. They did it because they believed in the boss. And they did it because they never lost sight of what this was about. This was about beating Donald Trump,” O’Malley Dillon said. “They became a team. From the leadership on down, they became a team.”
Campaign Funds Come Pouring In
In the seven days following her official announcement, Harris raised over $200 million for her presidential campaign, 66% of which came from new donors.
Source: Freepik
“We knew the potential was there, but to see it realized and realized so quickly is historic,” said Quentin James, a Democratic organizer who helped put together the call for Black men.
Overwhelming Support From the Black Community
According to James, he was on vacation in Cancun when he learned that Harris was running for president.
Source: Freepik
“Over 100,000 African Americans in 48 hours raising over $4 million,” he said. “It shows the potential we have to transform the nation.”
Tulsi Gabbard Debates Harris in 2019
Despite the overwhelming support from the Black community, conservatives were quick to remind Americans of the accusations brought against Harris by Tulsi Gabbard during CNN’s Democratic presidential debate in 2019.
Source: Wikimedia
Gabbard claims Harris’ time as a prosecutor negatively affected thousands of Black Americans. According to Gabbard, Harris willingly attempted to keep people in prison in an attempt to obtain cheap labor for the state of California. She also argued the former Senator willingly withheld evidence that would have “freed an innocent man from death row until the courts forced her to do so.”
Harris Gears up for Battle With Trump
Harris will face the same kind of accusations as she gears up to confront Trump in the coming moments. However, the Democrats are confident the former senator has what it takes to become president.
Source: Wikimedia
The democratic nominee has requested campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez, her old adviser from 2020, and O’Malley Dillon, Biden’s 2020 campaign manager, to stay on and help become the next POTUS.
The Harris Honeymoon
Democrats and Republicans are calling the recent turn of events the “Harris Honeymoon.” However, the real question is how long will it last. Nonetheless, many suggest progressive leaders have regained their footing mere months before Amercians are set to vote.
Source: Wikimedia
The chaos that resulted following Biden’s attempt to run despite being unfit for the task has passed. Sam Cornale, the executive director of the DNC, states, “The amount of immensely talented people turning this battleship on a dime was really incredible,” alluding to the idea that Harris has a real chance to beat Trump.