Barack and Michelle Obama were not among the first to support Kamala Harris when Joe Biden announced that he was exiting the race for reelection.
The former President of the United States, Barack Obama, along with his wife Michelle, made their presence felt at the Democratic convention in Chicago.
The couple’s speeches were far from “lukewarm,” and no one can say that they will not create results, particularly significant ones for Kamala Harris.
When a month ago Joe Biden announced that he was stepping down for the good of the country and his party from the race for reelection, Barack and Michelle Obama were not among those who quickly stepped up to openly support Harris.
When they finally did so with their phone call to the Democratic candidate, it became a campaign ad from the team managing Harris’s campaign.
The Obama couple’s influence in American society
The Obama couple has exceptionally strong influence not just within the party but primarily in American society.
Barack Obama retains the title of a key figure for the “blue” faction because he is the only Democratic President who not only produced policies while in the Oval Office but also advanced the future of the party.
Joe Biden was his vice president during both terms, and Kamala Harris made her strong political entry largely due to Barack Obama’s moves.
However, the significant member of the Obama family from a communication perspective seems to be not the former President but his wife.
Michelle Obama, who has been a strong name that Democrats could rally against Trump if Harris did not persuade them, is perhaps the only non-political figure today who enjoys widespread and collective acceptance from Americans.
It is no coincidence that Michelle Obama spoke at the Democratic convention before her husband, and it is also no coincidence that Barack Obama made special mention of this fact.
Although Michelle Obama may not have made the move this time and chosen to run for office herself, her stance will play an important role in rallying those who have not yet decided which side to support in the elections on November 5.
“In the ‘battle,’ no one is surplus”
The fight for the Oval Office will officially begin tomorrow when the Democratic convention concludes its proceedings. However, the war has been underway for months and is expected to be both tough and unpredictable.
The Obama “card” may be the strongest for the Democrats but also the most challenging for the Republicans. The message from the “blue” camp was clear: in the battle, no one is surplus.
Donald Trump’s next moves
The question now is what the Trump camp will do, as it essentially cannot target only one person.
The Trump-Vance campaign will soon need to change strategy and targets, as the rhetoric that only focuses on Harris appears to be ineffective.
The dilemmas for Republicans are expected to multiply soon, especially if Harris continues to gain ground in the crucial states that have “produced Presidents” in the last three presidential elections.
Trump seems to have understood that it is impossible to strike at all the Democrats in the spotlight and, more importantly, that it is not in his interest to take on everyone.
Business is undeniably his strong point, and in this context, as it stands today with a group of Democratic figures, the 45th President knows well that he does not have “the power of numbers” on his side.
What remains to be seen is whether he will manage once again to disrupt the unity that Democrats currently seem to possess and win them over one by one.
The “task” appears to be difficult, but the “prize” of the White House is not negligible…