As the 2024 US presidential election approaches, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump emerge as potential frontrunners, each with their unique strengths, weaknesses, and controversies
OdishaPlus Bureau
Kamala Harris
At the age of 59, Ms. Harris is more than two decades younger than Joe Biden, whom she succeeded as the Democratic nominee. Her diverse heritage is influenced by her mother, an endocrinologist from India, and her father, an economist from Jamaica.
In California, she achieved success as a prosecutor by adopting a relatively conservative approach to criminal justice while still appealing to Democratic voters, ultimately becoming the state’s attorney general in 2010.
Since her election to the Senate in 2017, Ms. Harris has demonstrated her litigation abilities through her performance in debates and hearings. She navigates the realm of institutional politics rather than positioning herself as a visionary or ideologue, and she has encountered difficulties in defining her national identity. Her presidential campaign in 2020 did not yield the expected results.
As vice president of USA, she is closely linked to the Biden administration’s record, which has faced scrutiny despite significant legislative efforts to enhance domestic chip production and invest in renewable energy. To effectively counter Mr. Trump, she must confront his criticisms regarding immigration and propose a more ambitious domestic policy agenda than that articulated by Mr. Biden.
Donald Trump
Mr. Trump’s extraordinary campaign serves as a continuation of his equally significant term as the 45th president of the United States, which concluded shortly after his supporters executed a violent attack on the Capitol. His alleged role in inciting this insurrection, coupled with a broader effort to contest the 2020 election results, has resulted in two criminal indictments—one in federal court and another in the state of Georgia.
Although a judge, he appointed, dismissed an additional indictment against him, prosecutors are presently appealing that ruling. The 78-year-old asserts his innocence concerning all charges.
A billionaire who experienced both substantial gains and losses in the real estate sector before achieving fame as a reality television star, Mr. Trump’s current campaign intertwines familiar culture-war issues, such as the construction of a border wall and the critique of “left-wing gender insanity,” with fresh grievances aimed at the attorneys prosecuting his cases and the judges involved.
On July 13th, an assailant fired a weapon at Mr. Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, narrowly missing his ear and resulting in no significant injuries to him; however, a bystander tragically lost their life. In the aftermath of this event, Mr. Trump seemed to embrace a more conciliatory approach in his address at the Republican convention in Milwaukee. Nevertheless, he soon returned to his characteristic demeanor, directing insults towards his political opponents.
