The campaign for the 2024 presidential election in the United States entered a new phase this week. On Friday, September 20, the first early voting stations opened in three states in the country (Virginia, Minnesota and South Dakota).
Yet another sign that the November 5 election is fast approaching. Republican former President Donald Trump and Democratic incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris remain neck and neck in the polls, and the slightest event could tip the scales. L’Express summarizes the main news of the week.
Moment of the week: New assassination attempt against Trump
On Sunday, September 15, Donald Trump was playing golf at his club in West Palm Beach, Florida, when a Secret Service agent assigned to his protection spotted an armed suspect and opened fire. Ryan Wesley Routh, a 58-year-old American, initially managed to flee before being finally arrested three-quarters of an hour later on a highway.
This second assassination attempt against Donald Trump is once again shaking up the campaign and is good news for the Republican candidate. Despite the suspect’s changing political views, Donald Trump has blamed outgoing President Joe Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris for the attempt, saying that “their rhetoric is getting me shot,” in a statement on Monday on the conservative television channel Fox News.
Video of the week: Is Trump losing?
Since the announcement of the withdrawal of the outgoing president Joe Biden from the race for the presidency of 2024, the polls have been increasingly favorable to the Democratic camp. While Kamala Harris consolidates her lead, with 50% of voting intentions, against 46% for her Republican opponent, according to The Economist this sundaythe question arises: is Donald Trump losing his footing?
To answer this question, L’Express’ video service looked at several criteria that could tip the balance between now and November 5: whether it be the enthusiasm of supporters in relation to the previous election, the support of Republican elected officials for Harris, or the difficult calculation of the electors.
Promo of the week: a meeting-style appearance on Oprah Winfrey’s show
Kamala Harris has powerful supporters, and she knows how to use them. On the night of Thursday to Friday, the Democratic candidate was received by the pope of American television, Oprah Winfrey. This unifying figure of the small screen, already won over to the Democratic cause, demonstrated on Thursday her full capacity to mobilize the stars of her address book by videoconference: from the singer Jennifer Lopez to the actresses Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, via the comedian Chris Rock and the actors Bryan Cranston and Ben Stiller.
This big evening of support, organized in a state of Michigan where the Democratic victory is uncertain, allowed Kamala Harris to repeat her campaign themes in front of tens of millions of viewers. She notably attacked Donald Trump head-on by calling him “the architect” of the decline of abortion rights and the tragedies linked to it.
Refusal of the week: Trump no longer wants to debate
Kamala Harris is not hesitating to step up to the plate after her successful televised debate against Donald Trump on September 10. The success of her strategy, which consisted of drawing her rival to the subjects most likely to hurt his ego, prompted the Democratic candidate on Saturday to offer him a new debate on October 23 on CNN.
The person concerned responded: “It’s too late to organize a new debate, the vote has already started,” the former American president said on Saturday during a campaign rally in North Carolina. A reference to the start of early voting in three states in the country since Friday. The few American voters still undecided will therefore have to make do with a single debate between Trump and Harris to decide which ballot to put in the ballot box on November 5.
The setback of the week: the country’s second largest union prefers to remain neutral
Another twist in the campaign: the break between the Democratic Party and the second largest American union. On Wednesday, September 18, the International Brotherhood of Drivers (or International Brotherhood of Teamsters) has indeed announced that it is giving up its official support for one of the candidates for the White House. A first since 1996… And a major setback for the Democratic Party, since it has been able to count on the loyal support of this union organization, which brings together 1.3 million members, since 2000. However, two polls released by the Teamsters on Wednesday help explain this choice: its base is now in favor of supporting Donald Trump.
This week’s focus: three swing states that could lead to Harris winning
While American voters are not immune to a new surprise by the end of this election campaign with its many twists and turns, one thing seems certain: the keys to the White House are in a handful of American states. All eyes of American analysts are indeed turned towards seven “swing states” that can be won by either the Democrats or the Republicans.
L’Express looked at three of them. First, Arizona and its Maricopa County, where young Californians and Latino immigrants are transforming this Republican stronghold into a Democratic haven. Then Pennsylvania, historically Democratic until it was won by Donald Trump in 2016. Finally, Georgia, where African-American voters in Atlanta could once again change the game in this conservative state.
Meddling of the week: Trump’s emails to Biden
The risks of interference by foreign states in the American presidential election are very real, and Donald Trump would not deny it. On Wednesday, American authorities revealed that Iranian hackers sent Joe Biden’s campaign team documents “stolen” from that of his Republican opponent. A hacking that was already revealed in August, without further details, and which the Iranian Republic denies.
According to the three agencies, the emails contained “excerpts from stolen and non-public documents from former President Donald Trump’s campaign,” adding that none of the emails received a response from the Democratic candidate’s campaign team. On the same day, Donald Trump’s team used the announcement to claim that it was “proof that the Iranians are actively interfering in the election to help Kamala Harris and Joe Biden because they know that President Trump will restore his harsh sanctions.” [contre l’Iran] and will stand against their reign of terror.”
Podcast of the week: The 1964 election loser who inspired Trump
In 2016, Donald Trump’s populist election campaign took pollsters and his Democratic opponent by surprise. A new strategy? Not entirely, says the L’Express podcast.
In a five-part series called “Losers”, La Loupe looks back at five unsuccessful candidates in the race for the White House. The second episode focuses on the case of Barry Goldwater, a figurehead of the Republican camp for the 1964 election… and of American-style populism. A man whose positions were considered so warmongering that they were able to push Republican sympathizers to vote Democrat.