Breaking Norms By the Second

By Niya Bobban

Ever since last Sunday, the repetitive story of two middle-aged white men arguing with each other has suddenly transformed into a compelling narrative about new beginnings, yet people question whether it's for the better or for the worse. President Joe Biden has officially dropped out of the 2024 Presidential Election, and citizens are now wondering if the newly elected replacement, VP Kamala Harris, is suitable for this significant role.

Before Biden dropped out, democrats and upcoming voters were already severely concerned about his reelection announcement; his recent behavior in presidential debates, with constant stutters and an uneven delivery, led to a deplorable reputation painted upon the Democratic Party. Trump quickly attacked Biden's vulnerable image, making himself appear more trustworthy. According to an Ipsos poll on ABC News, 38% of Americans trust Trump to do a better job of being president to unite the country, compared to 31% of Americans choosing Biden. These percentages show that with Trump's risky behavior that he has portrayed, with over 80 criminal charges and countless scandals, he is deemed as the "reliable" candidate. President Biden's decision to run again was even criticized by nearly three dozen congressional Democrats, according to the Washington Post; people such as former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saw his campaign as a diminishing outcome, hurting the reputation of fellow democrats.

As this announcement was declared, it caused an incredible media hysteria for all citizens of America to evaluate; Biden supporters were somewhat disappointed with the unexpected move, yet look forward to the future steps the party will take. Republicans viewed this as shameful, criticizing the administration as careless and bound for failure.

Kamala Harris's uprising concurs with various questions about her eligibility for such an executive position and how her stance on our urgent policies will affect the future of Americans. Her presidency could potentially bring significant changes to key policy areas such as healthcare, immigration, and climate change. Failure or not, Kamala Harris will be in the record as the first-ever woman of color running for the presidency.

Following Biden's positive COVID-19 test, the pressure became unbearable, leading to his decision to withdraw from the election. This paves the way for Kamala Harris as a replacement for the Democrat Party. While some may question her ability to lead compared to the somewhat experienced Donald Trump, Harris has held multiple positions in the legal and political field. Her experience includes serving as the district attorney of San Francisco, the Attorney General of California, a US Senator, and the 49th Vice President. This sets her apart from Trump, whose experience was primarily in the entertainment and real estate industries. 

The Republican party campaigners had personally attacked her identity, talking about how her race and gender were the only factors helping her in this race. In the past, when Trump ran against Hilary Clinton, he would repeatedly criticize her due to her gender, which unfortunately helped him win the 2016 presidential election. These are some of the infamous statements that negatively commented on Clinton's gender. 

"She's got nothing else going on,"

"The only thing she's got going is the fact that she's a woman,"

"She's playing the women's card," Trump said of Hillary Clinton. "By the way, if she didn't play the women's card, she would have no chance, I mean zero, of winning."

Nonetheless, our generation, which many have gotten the ability to vote,  has grown to widely promote diversity and inclusion in categories such as race, gender, and sexuality. This has given a boost of advantage for Kamala Harris, as she would be the first African American and South Asian female president; if Trump relies all of his attacks on targeting those characteristics, then it would paint him as someone who is not fit for our current society.

Remember, our presidential election should focus on the different views candidates have on policies and conflicts and how they will successfully establish our country as a country of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. With Kamala running in the election, she has broken norms that will be recorded in history, yet that alone would not define her presidency. It's important that we do not devalue her opinions and approaches simply because of her identity. Instead, let's focus on the policy discussions and how each candidate's offered solutions can shape the future of America.