The US presidential election continues to heat up after a series of new developments surrounding the failed assassination attempt on Republican candidate Donald Trump.
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| President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump. (Source: Reuters) |
In recent days, the world's media has focused on the failed assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the Republican candidate in the 60th presidential election. The incident took place when the former US President was preparing to give a campaign speech in Butler, Pennsylvania. Fortunately, he only suffered a minor injury to his ear. The US Secret Service shot and killed the perpetrator, Thomas Matthew Crooks, at the scene. The attack left one person dead and four others injured.
Investigators are still trying to determine the perpetrator’s motive. However, the incident will certainly have a significant impact on the fierce competition between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in the November election. So what are those impacts?
Turn danger into opportunity
First of all, Donald Trump cleverly used the failed assassination attempt to build and consolidate his position within the Republican Party and his journey back to the White House. The image of this politician, despite the bleeding wound in his ear and the risk of being attacked, raising his fist in the air and shouting “Fight! Fight!” will become an unforgettable image for him and the people of the United States, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming election.
The Conversation (USA) commented: “The image of Mr. Trump (when injured) has a stronger impact than the election campaign of hundreds of millions of dollars”. Similarly, speaking at the Republican National Convention (RNC) on July 16 in Milwaukee, former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson emphasized: “The Republican Party has the greatest chance I have ever seen to win overwhelmingly (in the upcoming election)”.
Trump did not miss this opportunity. Instead of postponing his RNC attendance as rumored, he showed up on the first day. When the former US President, with a bandaged ear, appeared at the RNC, Republican voters chanted “Fight!”. This support was evident when 2,387 delegates at the RNC unanimously elected Trump as the official candidate, nearly double the number he achieved after the March primary. They also appreciated the former President’s choice of Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate, believing that the former businessman’s youth and talent would be an important contribution to Trump’s success.
Contrast
On the other hand, the attack also put the Democratic Party in a special situation. Immediately after the attack, current President Joe Biden called to inquire about his predecessor's health. At the same time, in a press conference and interview with NBC (USA), Mr. Biden criticized the attack, affirming that "there is no place for violence in American politics", although this politician also mentioned the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, when Mr. Trump was still in office.
“Even though we disagree… we are not enemies. We are neighbors,” Joe Biden stressed. Biden’s campaign paused advertising and slogans criticizing Trump immediately after the attack. However, if it continues, this restraint could lead many to believe that the current President is somewhat “inferior” in the media compared to his predecessor.
More importantly, in the current context, the attack creates a sharp contrast between two leading US politicians. On one side is Donald Trump, who successfully survived an assassination attempt and emerged strong, with solid support within the Republican Party. On the other side, Joe Biden faces a lot of skepticism within his party about his health and therefore his ability to win, especially after his press conference at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit and the televised debate last month.
Add some excitement
A July 12-14 survey of 11,328 voters by Morning Consult (USA) showed that 84% of Democratic voters supported Mr. Biden, while 89% of Republican voters supported Mr. Trump. Currently, 18 Democratic congressmen and one senator have called on the President to cede the nomination position to another politician. However, Mr. Joe Biden has denied information related to health issues, and affirmed that he is ready for the difficult journey ahead.
In fact, among American voters, Mr. Trump is dominating, especially after the events of July 13. A survey by Morning Consult shows that 44% support this politician, while the rate of trust in Mr. Joe Biden is 42%. However, this gap is not much and can completely change in less than four months.
However, for that scenario to become a reality, Joe Biden and the Democrats will need to act quickly and decisively to regain the trust of American voters. On the other side, Trump and the Republicans continue to take advantage of the July 13 incident to widen the gap.
In that context, the race to the White House will therefore be fierce, attractive and may have changes until the election day on November 5.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/bau-cu-tong-thong-my-su-co-thanh-su-tich-279260.html
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