Until a month ago, a large part of Americans were disappointed with the election campaign - many of them thought they would lose, whichever of the two elderly candidates won. However, after Joe Biden's withdrawal, a change occurred, writes ARD. Now 59-year-old Kamala Harris is facing 78-year-old Donald Trump.
And the campaign has taken on a new life - now it is a battle between young and old, people of color and white, women and men, future and past. After the party conventions, which officially confirmed the nominations of Harris and Trump, the campaign is entering its hottest phase.
The Democratic Party: Euphoria and Optimism
One thing is certain for the Democratic Party - their national convention was a bigger and more glamorous show than the Republican one. Musicians, actors and other popular figures took the stage - from Stevie Wonder to Pink to Oprah Winfrey. Almost every speech in Chicago contained the word "joy". Democrats were euphoric, optimistic and ready for a new beginning after Biden withdrew from the race for the White House. In her acceptance speech, Kamala Harris also used the word "future".
Her party is about to embark on a new path, said the candidate for the highest office in the United States. The future will strengthen the middle class, which is key to America's success. If you compare this to Donald Trump, Harris continued, you will find that he is not fighting for the middle class. Instead, he is protecting himself and his friends - the billionaires. Harris repeatedly emphasized that Trump only thinks about himself and that he is a threat to democracy, summarizes ARD.
Trump and fear
This month has been difficult for Donald Trump. After the assassination attempt in mid-July, he thought he had won the election. Today, however, he is in a completely different position and is trying to draw attention to himself. In Michigan, he criticized Harris, as usual, and blamed her for illegal migration to the United States. According to Trump, the Biden administration has let millions of people enter the United States through the open border - without checking them. According to him, they all came from prisons and mental institutions around the world.
If Harris becomes president, he will allow 100 million more illegal immigrants into the country, Trump threatened at another rally in Arizona. The 78-year-old Republican candidate provokes fear and sends primarily negative messages in his speeches, ARD writes. He speaks of an increase in crime and the decline of the country under the control of "radical socialists", which, according to him, are Biden and Harris.
In search of strategy
Instead of looking forward, Republicans are much more often focused on the past - they still talk about the "stolen" elections in 2020 and swear revenge for all who persecuted Trump as part of their so-called "witch hunt". The Republican candidate still doesn't seem to have found the right strategy for his campaign, writes the German public-law media. He's not even succeeding in one of his trademarks - inventing offensive nicknames for his opponents. So far, he's changed a few for Harris, recently calling her "comrade."
The light in the tunnel in recent weeks is that Trump and the Republicans can now hope for additional votes from Robert F. Kennedy. The independent candidate has given up the fight for the White House and supported Trump. This could have an impact in the key swing states for the election.
The first debate between Trump and Harris is also coming up
Trump is losing his lead in the polls. In the important states that ultimately decide who wins the election, he and Harris are shoulder to shoulder. When it comes to the funds raised for the two campaigns, the 59-year-old Democrat has already surpassed Trump. Harris managed to collect $500 million in donations for her campaign in just a few weeks.
However, one thing connects the two candidates - neither of them has yet clearly explained how they intend to fulfill their campaign promises. Both owe answers for many points in their programs. The next challenge is coming very soon. On September 10, the former president and the current vice president of the United States will face each other in a televised debate.
Author: Claudia Sare ARD