In the classrooms of the US, when they ask the question in the days to come, ‘Why did Kamala Harris not win the presidential election?’, the answer will be ‘she was not white and not a male’! But bitterness apart, that is really a valid question. How does an uncultured, uncivilised boor, who has lived off his father’s wealth all his life, seem more capable than the daughter of immigrants who has risen to her present rank as Vice-President of the United States on the back of her talent and determination in the face of deep-rooted discrimination, the evidence of which the results of the presidential polls have provided?
It must be said to Donald Trump’s credit that he did not give up. It may have been out of compulsion, but he stayed the course and will reside in the White House instead of jail. The question may well be asked whether the Democrats will stand by Harris till the next presidential election or dump her in favour of some more ‘suitable’ candidate. If they do so, it will be an indication that she was never considered worthy in the first place and made the candidate only out of the desperate need to replace current President Joe Biden, a definite loser. Time will tell but, hopefully, there will be some lessons learned from Trump’s campaign.
The choice of the next President says a lot about where the US is today. First and foremost, the criticism made by the Republicans regarding Biden’s term seem to have resonated with most Americans. The handling of the economy, the clumsy retreat from Afghanistan, the ‘woke’ liberalism that challenged the family values cherished by much of the ordinary folk, as also the mishandling of international affairs leading to two bloody wars that continue without respite probably played a major role in the disillusionment with the Democrats. Harris had little in her campaign rhetoric that could convince Americans she would be different and better. Liberal and educated America that was concerned about radical conservatism that seeks among other things to ban all abortions, thereby endangering women, tried but could not hold off the Trump challenge.
There will be difficult days ahead as Trump has already promised to deliver on his declared agenda. Minorities, immigrants, women are all going to face a difficult time. America’s allies will be impacted by the inward-looking policies that fly in the face of a globalised economy. Israel and Ukraine’s war efforts may be weakened. India too will have to defend its flanks from the lack of a consistent policy. The US has missed a golden opportunity to make history by electing the first female (black) President, but it was a democratic choice all will have to live with.
