There have been weeks of speculation since a Presidential debate which was disastrous for US President Joe Biden, that he would withdraw from the US Presidential election which is happening this November.
After a number of weeks of trying to hold strong against the naysayers, President Joe Biden, aged 81, has now confirmed that he will no longer be his party's candidate for the Presidency.
Biden Letter Of Withdrawal
Finally on Sunday afternoon President Joe Biden issued a letter to the American people announcing that he has decided to withdraw from the re-election campaign.
In the weeks since the debate things have not got better for Biden with his time at the Nato summit seeing him mixing up the names of Volodymyr Zelinsky and Vladimir Putin and then referring to his Vice President by the name Trump. When it was announced earlier in the week that he had once again contracted Covid it just seemed impossible for Joe Biden to carry on.
As well the political heavyweights calling for him to step down, celebrities who are heavily involved in politics like George Clooney have called for him to step down.
President Biden will continue as President of the country, a position which will run until early January next year. However he will no longer accept the nomination of his party, the Democratic Party, which is holding their Presidential Convention in three weeks time.
Former President Bill Clinton, and his wife Hilary Clinton, a former Secretary of State have released a statement praising President Joe Biden and say they are 'honoured to support the President in endorsing Kamala Harris'.
Who Will Replace Joe Biden?
When he initially made the statement to the American people the President made no mention of who should take his place. Within a few minutes he released a statement fully endorsing his Vice-President Kamala Harris to be his party's nominee to stand in the Presidential elections.
As she is the Vice-President Kamala Harris has an advantage, but there is no guarantee that she will be the Democratic party's candidate. Now that Joe Biden will not the candidate the convention in August will be open and anyone could put their name forward for voting at the event.
However it will be seen as good for the party if the Democrats all 'come together' and support Kamala Harris as the nominee.
Kamala Harris is a lawyer and former prosecutor in California and if debating with Donald Trump will be expected to put up a strong performance against the former President.
Will Gavin Newsom Become The Candidate?
Governor Gavin Newsom is a well known and popular governor of California but he is also a divisive figure. California is also a divisive State in the United States. It is considered by many in the US to be the bastion of left-wing politics and many believe that it takes things too far. A governor from California is going to find it difficult to find support in many of the southern states.
How Will This Affect SA US Relations?
South Africa's relations with the US have been difficult in recent months with the countries taking different sides in the Israel/Palestine conflict.
If Donald Trump becomes the President and the Republican party take control over the House and the Senate this is likely to see a significant distancing from South Africa. A Democratic success in the Presidency and the other houses will likely see the US leaders working more closely with the South African government.
This is a breaking story.
