The race for the White House has become a duel in the strict sense, between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr announced on Friday, August 23, that he was abandoning his campaign, before appearing alongside the Republican. “I am simply suspending my campaign,” said the nephew of the famous assassinated president John F. Kennedy, in a first speech in Phoenix, capital of the key state of Arizona (southwest). He acknowledged that he “no longer sees a real path to the White House.”
The independent candidate, considered eccentric, vigorously criticized the Democratic Party in a speech, citing freedom of expression and the war in Ukraine to explain his decision to “run as an independent and now to give (his) support to President Trump.” Robert F. Kennedy Jr., commonly known by his initials RFK Jr., said his name would remain on the ballot in most states. “But in about ten contested states where my presence could skew the result, I will withdraw my name and I have already started the process,” the anti-vaccine activist stressed.
“Treason”
He was on stage a few hours later alongside Donald Trump, near Phoenix. Looking somewhat uncomfortable, he said he wanted to work with the Republican. The former president welcomed this support, saying that they would “fight together to defeat the corrupt political establishment and give control of this country back to the people”, hailing “a great guy, respected by everyone”. Donald Trump, 78, once again painted the portrait of a country on the brink, brought down by murderous migrants.
According to polls, the impact of the support of the independent candidate, credited so far with 4 to 5% of voting intentions, on the campaign of the former Republican president remains uncertain. And several members of the Kennedy family said in a statement that “our brother Bobby’s decision to support Trump today is a betrayal of the most cherished values” of the family. In this statement, five of his brothers and sisters announced their support for Kamala Harris.
“We will win,” the Democratic candidate declared as she left Chicago, without answering questions from the press about RFK Jr.’s rallying to her opponent. But her campaign team addressed the independent candidate’s potential voters in a statement. “To all Americans who are tired of Donald Trump and looking for a new path, our campaign is for you,” wrote her campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon.
Cascade of surprises
Because if Kamala Harris left the Democratic convention in Chicago on Thursday evening with a slight lead over Donald Trump in the polls, everything remains to be done, especially in the seven “swing states”, the most undecided states, where large sections of the electorate seem to be won over by her rival. The vice president accepted the nomination of excited Democratic delegates on Thursday, at the end of a euphoric convention marked among other things by Michelle Obama’s hard-hitting speech, the energy of running mate Tim Walz, and a festive musical program. She promised the United States a “new path” of unity.
Donald Trump, who bombarded his Truth Social network with angry messages during his speech, accused her of contributing to the “decline” of the United States as vice president. The duelists will be able to pit their two visions against each other on September 10 in Pennsylvania during their first debate, the next highlight of the campaign.
Who knows how many more upheavals this crazy campaign has in store, after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump on July 13 and Joe Biden’s shock withdrawal on July 21? Encouraging news for Kamala Harris came on the economic front on Friday: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell opened the door to a first rate cut by the institution, as early as September, which should lead to a reduction in the cost of borrowing for American businesses and households.