That time Kamala stopped Barack

After Joe Biden's choice to pass the baton to Kamala Harris, a new chapter in the history of the United States of America opens.To be written in just 100 days.

For those who haven't noticed, the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, has finally decided to give up continuing the race for a second term in the White House.The decision was made in a moment of physical difficulty and strong pressure.But in the end, as often happens, it was his body that told him that it was time to stop, to be satisfied with what he has done and will still be able to do for his people in the next six months - those remaining until the end of his mandate - without stretching further.

Biden, in fact, had to in recent days suspend the election campaign due to Covid.The right opportunity to think about what was best for oneself, for the future of the United States and much of the world, like it or not.

Most analysts called this choice wise.The choice that entered him into the register of greatest presidents in recent history “while serving the country for only one term.”And I ask you not to make these words my own because I know that many would have objections considering the management of the climate crisis and the catastrophic situation of Gaza Strip.

“By stepping aside, Biden has done the most important thing he could do at this point to protect the United States from Trump,” he responded. Timothy Naftali, journalist and historian who collaborates with the “Institute for global politics” at Columbia University, during an interview released to Foreign Affairs magazine.An answer to a question whose purpose was to try to understand what could be done to avoid finding ourselves in a situation similar to that of 2016 when much of the gains achieved with great difficulty by then President Barack Obama were swept away with the Donald Trump's victory.Canceled one by one due to the double majority - both in the House and in the Senate - obtained by the Republican Party.

This time, however, if Biden's decision, while not hindering Trump's return to the White House, prevented the Republicans from conquering even just one of the two chambers, then one could say that it was the best choice.Yes, because only in this way would there be a counterweight to the excessive power of the president capable of make safe, or safe, some of the foreign policy decisions.Even in this case, it is very subjective to evaluate Biden's work in managing, for example, the war in Ukraine, but it is very likely that a total victory (presidency plus Congress) of Trump would pave the way for the cession of a large part of the occupied Ukrainian territories to Russia.

In any case, what must be underlined is that losing or giving up a second term does not mean being a "bad president".Naftali claims this during the same interview, understanding the psychological situation experienced by Biden and comparing it to that of Bush senior:“He was extremely qualified and had the right tools to manage the end of the Cold War as well as the first years that followed.However, he did not want to be remembered as a one-term president.So when he was defeated in 1992, he left office in a state of depression, as if he had somehow failed as president, even though his one term had, in fact, been important and significant."Naftali concludes by hoping that time may help Biden too to realize how much good he has done for his country.

Well, now it's time though look ahead.As many of you know, among the most popular people to take Biden's place in the race for the White House is his deputy: Kamala Harris.I leave you two articles on his figure, his experience, his story.One made by Mara Budgen at the time of 2020 victory and the other from Luigi Mastrodonato the day after Biden's decision.What I would like to focus on here now is to try to understand why much of the climate world has hope from the hypothesis that Harris could win the November 5 elections.What comes to our aid, in this case, is an anecdote reported by Emily Atkin, author of the Heated newsletter.

Atkin remembers that time, in 2016, when - as attorney general of the state of California - she managed to block a plan for drilling on the Pacific coast in search of fossil fuels, through the controversial drilling technique fracking.A plan that at the time had been endorsed by none other than Barack Obama.A choice that for Obama was justified by considering fracking as a transition technique between the old fossil industry and renewables.A consideration that for Harris was arbitrary, discretionary and contrary to environmental laws:“We must take all possible measures to protect our precious coast and our ocean.”

Four years later, as senator, Kamala Harris advanced, together with the congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a bill to put the climate justice and the fight against social inequalities at the center of US environmental policies.All assumptions that lead us to hope that Harris can be even more convinced and decisive than Biden in carrying forward the fight against the climate crisis.Moreover, even if Biden has shown himself to be a supporter of the development of renewable sources, he has not shown himself to be equally convinced of the need to abandon fossil fuels at the same time.It is no coincidence, in fact, that oil extraction in the United States has reached its peak today the largest crude oil producer in the world.We are talking about almost 14 million barrels per day, many more than even Saudi Arabia.

What is certain is that Kamala Harris, if she becomes the new Democratic candidate, will have to work hard to convince all people who today do not feel represented by Trump, but not even by Biden.And it won't be easy because for four years he had to share many controversial decisions, remaining almost in the shadows.Leaving its potential unexpressed.Or perhaps guarded.Waiting for the right time to come.And for Harris the time is now.This is the time to convince minorities, people forced to the margins of society.Those who in recent years have fought and loudly asked to put an end to the wars that have caused millions of deaths in a very short time.Those who fought against the climate crisis that has shocked entire territories.Just like a war does, but on a global scale.

Harris has just over a hundred days to succeed in this feat, will he do it?