A Historic Election
The historic election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris marks another hard-fought milestone in American history. President-Elect Joe Biden, is now the oldest elected president in US history, and more noteworthy, Kamala Harris, the first Black (Jamaican), South Asian (Indian), and female vice president of the United States of America. As the nation transitions from one presidential administration to another, what have we learned from this election cycle during a chaotic 2020?
Initially, Joe Biden campaigned against then-Senator Kamala Harris, for the Democratic presidential nomination. Biden eventually secured the nomination with a steady campaign against powerhouse Democrats like Elizabeth Warren, political mainstay Bernie Sanders, Senator Cory Booker, and of course Vice President-Elect Harris.
Biden’s History
Joseph Robinette Biden was born the first of three children and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania then Wilmington Delaware. Throughout his earlier years, he would be described by others as a natural leader, entering into politics shortly after becoming a lawyer. Joe Biden’s political career started as an elected New Castle, Delaware city councilman. In 1972 he would win a tight race for the U.S Senate, narrowly defeating the then republican incumbent by just 3,162 votes. He became the sixth youngest US senator in history. In 2008 Joe Biden would be elected vice president of the United States, serving two terms alongside former President Barack Obama.
Throughout his 47 year career, Joe Biden’s political leanings have been described as moderate, to somewhat liberal. As a young senator his opposition to the war in Vietnam, apartheid in South Africa and focus on environmental issues, made him a progressive in the eyes of some. However, his conservative views on busing (school racial integration initiative), and his support of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act, a ‘tough on crime’ bill that increased federal penalties for the use of marijuana, would come back to haunt him.
Early in 2020, Biden’s future running mate Kamala Harris would challenge him during the presidential primaries on his former stance on busing, a program that helped her integrate her school as a child. Then there was the Hunter Biden email scandal, where Joe Biden and his son Hunter, were accused of pay for play dealings with China. The email scandal was a major talking point for President Trump, but the allegations were never proven true.
President-Elect’s Mistakes
Despite Trump losing the vast majority of Black voters, President Trump would jab at Biden saying, “African American men remember, you called them super predators,” referencing Biden’s support of ‘tough on crime’ bills, earlier in his senate career. During the 2020 presidential debate, Biden would call the Comprehensive Crime Control Act “a mistake,” saying, “it should have never happened.” The president-elect would hit back, reminding Trump of his paid advertisements calling for the death of five innocent Black teenagers ––The Central Park Five.
Biden’s earlier positions on issues like same-sex marriage throughout the 1990s would also evolve from conservative to liberal. In 2015, he and then-president Obama would go on to claim a landmark victory, federally legalizing same-sex marriage. In 2020, the president-elect campaigned on marquee promises of investing in renewable energy, job creation, healthcare, and better management of the pandemic. His critics blasted him for his positions on renewable energy, accusing him of wanting to destroy the oil and gas industry.
Biden’s plan for a phased decrease to fracking was thought to be an Achilles heel for his campaign. However, it seems many voters, perhaps younger voters, prioritized climate change as a major issue, something the republican incumbent President Trump, may have underestimated.
Madam Vice President-Elect
Similarly, Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris was challenged on her ‘tough on crime’ record as District Attorney of San Francisco, and Attorney General of California. Under Kamala Harris, conviction rates were significantly higher than had been in previous years. However, sentencing rates to state prison for petty marijuana crimes were not as common. Nevertheless, the over-representation of convicted Black people proved later to be a chink in her political armor during her initial campaign for presidency, especially among progressive Black voters.
The Howard University alumna’s election as vice president of the United States evokes similar sentiments to Barack Obama’s symbolic victory in 2008. Kamala was born in Oakland California, a child of young immigrants – a Jamaican father and an Indian mother. Much like Barack Obama, her multi-ethnic roots and stellar career trajectory represent the image of Black excellence, the progeny of Shirley Chisom, and racial unity to some Americans. However, if the Van Jones coined ‘white-lashing’ of the Trump administration stands as a reminder, it is that the dream of a post-racial America is not yet realized.
Voters and The Pandemic
Leading up to election day, most polls showed Biden and Harris with a significant lead. However, both the Trump and Biden campaigns were mindful of Hillary Clinton’s shocking 2016 presidential loss. Despite polls showing Biden with a significantly wider margin than Hillary had in her race against Trump, voters were urged to ignore the polls and vote. The 2020 presidential election set records for early voting, with more than 80 million votes cast days before election day.
The climate of the country proved to be the hardest thing for the incumbent administration to overcome. For most Americans, the effects of the pandemic were the top concern. Consequently, Trump’s low rating for management of the pandemic was certainly a factor in him losing re-election. Additionally, the high unemployment rate and quarter-million American deaths from Covid-19, made the road to a Trump re-election steeper than the White House would have liked to admit. In addition, Trump’s response to the ongoing nationwide protests over police brutality and systemic injustices created even clearer distinctions for voters to choose from. By the end of their campaigns, Biden was outspending Trump, while maintaining his comfortable lead in the polls.
President and Vice President-Elect
The symbolic victory of the Biden-Harris ticket is a pivotal moment in American history, one worthy of many celebrations. But, if the Obama years are a lesson for this time, we should remember that symbolic victories are markers of progress, not destinations. The work for equality and a better society continues.
