2024 will go down in history as the year of elections, with more than 100 countries holding their elections this year. But the world’s eyes are fixed on one particular poll: the US elections. Their election cycle has already been super dramatic, with two presidential debates, two assassination attempts, and even a Kennedy in the mix. And now, with the election less than a month away, all eyes are on the land of the free and home of the brave to see who they’ll pick to lead them.
Let’s look at what you need to know about the 2024 US presidential election.
🔹 The first presidential debate wasn’t great
Remember the movie Grumpy Old Men? Imagine that, but in politics, and you essentially have the first presidential debate between Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden. The two duked it out in June when CNN held the debate in Atlanta, Georgia. It was full of personal attacks and insults. Biden, 81, was barely audible and stumbled over his words in the debate’s first half. The 78-year-old Trump stuck to his usual talking points, alleging that the Democrats had stolen the vote and that there was a vendetta against him. He weirdly called his supporters who attacked the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 “hostages” and vowed to pardon them after he is elected president.
Thankfully, Biden listened to reason and withdrew from being the Democrat’s presidential nominee shortly after this debate, and now, his vice president, Kamala Harris, is on the ticket, and the “Kamala Mania” is potent.
🔹 There was a Kennedy in the race
There’s nothing as American as apple pie and a Kennedy in politics. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK) announced his candidacy last year for the presidential election. He initially launched his campaign as a Democrat but later ran as an Independent candidate. RFK is descended from American political royalty: He is the son of Robert F. Kennedy, who served as US Attorney General and US Senator before being assassinated in 1968 during his own presidential campaign. He is also the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, and Senator Ted Kennedy, a long-serving and influential U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.
RFK’s campaign was filled with COVID-19 conspiracy theories and a bizarre story about a dead bear cub in Central Park, New York. In early August, RFK withdrew from the presidential race and backed Trump, drawing criticisms from members of his family.
🔹 “KamalaMania” is in full swing. But is it enough?
Following Biden’s withdrawal from the race, Harris has stepped in, and the excitement surrounding her campaign has been incredible to watch. She took part in the second presidential debate versus Trump, where they talked about gun control, the Israel-Gaza conflict and immigration. Harris got a major boost after Taylor Swift became the latest celebrity to endorse her. In an Instagram post published minutes after the debate ended, Swift said, “I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.”
But is Kamala HQ doing enough to ensure she becomes the first woman to lead the US? Polls show that she might win the election, but like we’ve said before, polls do not predict how people will ultimately vote.
Americans head to the polls on 5 November 2024, and this election could make or break the US. If elected, Trump could do more harm than good in the world. A Trump presidency would be terrible not only for the US but for the world as a whole. A Harris presidency would reject growing American isolationism and look to build better relations between the left and right. That sounds way better than what Trump’s selling.
