Kamala Harris, Biden without the baggage

Joe Biden's decision on Sunday to 'tune in, turn on, drop out' of the US presidential race puts him in a select club of American presidents who didn't seek re-election. Except, perhaps, Biden didn't really seek to drop out. The decision, 140-odd days ahead of election day, came as associates, supporters and donors called on him to withdraw. He has endorsed his veep Kamala Harris as the party's nominee. But it's still far from a done deal. A clean and quick decision on the top of the ballot would help Democrats as they prepare to retain the White House, and improve their down ballot tally.

Harris, who has been endorsed by the likes of Bill and Hillary Clinton - Barack Obama's silence on this front has been loud - could convince all quarters that she can defeat Trump. Many point to her poor performance in the 2020 primaries. But that shouldn't matter in 2024. Her age, 59, to Trump's 78 works to her advantage, especially as Republicans have made heavy weather of Biden's 81 years. Her choice of running mate will help addressing concerns. But Harris has a couple of special arrows in her quiver.

As veep to Biden, she can legitimately lay claim to the Biden administration's achievements, particularly in essaying a robust post-pandemic economic recovery, making healthcare affordable by lowering the prices of meds, laying the foundation of an industrial renewal by mobilising investments in infra, clean and green energy, and industries through the Inflation Reduction Act, and working closely with partners on the CHIPS Act.


But Biden's departure also represents the flip side to America's personality cult: a commitment to institutions - party and country - bigger than the person. In a way, Harris can be Biden without the baggage.