President Joe Biden finally succumbed to pressure from his own party to drop out in the presidential race and endorsed vice president Kamala Harris as the party’s candidate for president.

The in-party pressure came from 33 Democratic congressmen and 3 senators plus the pressure from former president Barack Obama, former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, and minority leader Chuck Schumer, among others. This is a big number coming from his own party that must have swayed Biden to decide to finally drop out from the race.

It was a difficult decision on the part of the president, I would say after consulting his family, but a bold one for the sake of party unity and the American people. I admire him for that!

White House staff said that the president’s bowing down has nothing to do with age or mental health issues although the president has just recovered or still recovering from COVID. Wishing the president good health from here on!

He was trailing former president and GOP nominee Donald Trump by 2.5 points when he dropped out from the race.

Immediately after his announcement, former president Bill Clinton and former senator Hilary Clinton endorsed Harris. California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta likewise endorsed Harris together with Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren. The 50 Democratic state chairmen, all of them, endorsed Harris, a good sign of unity for an unexpected turn of events a month before the party convention and 4 months before the November general election.

Pelosi held off her endorsement for a while but last Sunday, she eventually endorsed Harris as the party nominee to replace Biden for president. Pelosi said in a statement that she endorsed her fellow Californian with “immense pride and limitless optimism for our country’s future” adding that her enthusiastic support… is official, personal and political.

“Officially, I have seen Kamala Harris’ strength and courage as a champion for working families, notably fighting for a woman’s right to choose. Personally, I have known Kamala Harris for decades as rooted in strong values, faith and a commitment to public service. Politically, make no mistake, Kamala Harris is a woman in politics is brilliantly astute – and I gave full confidence that she will lead us to victory in November,” Pelosi said.

As of today, party unification is placed at 79.5% and the leaders are hoping the party will eventually be a 90% to 100% before the party convention in a month’s time.

Current polls show Harris is trailing Trump by 2 points, a slightly better number from that of Biden’s 2.5 points. At one time, Trump’s margin with Biden was sliding from 2.5% to 7% after Trump’s assassination attempt.

My friend Joseph Thomas said had Biden dropped before the assassination of Trump, the number should have been different. The assassination attempt contributed much to Trump’s lead over Biden as a sign of sympathy votes.

Harris called on her party mates for their endorsement/support hoping to unify the party while financial supporters, we learned, are willing to support Harris. That is a good sign plus the war chest she inherited from Biden to keep her campaign moving to the very end.

In accepting the endorsement, Harris said: “It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve alongside our Commander in chief, my friend, President Joe Biden – one of the finest public servants we will ever know. And I am honored to haver his support and endorsement, and I am eager to turn on the record of what Joe and I have accomplished together. We built our country back after our predecessor left it in shambles – making historic progress in reducing prescription drugs, upgrading our nation’s infrastructure, fighting climate change, and more. We are stronger today because we took action – together – to invest in America’s future.”

I would say, Harris is the most likely party nominee because she can inherit the Biden campaign funds (war chest) which won’t be available to another candidate because she is part of the Biden-Harris campaign. Should another candidate be the nominee, he or she has to start the fund-raising campaign from the scratch which is very difficult considering that the election is only 4 months away come the general election in November.  Besides, no other candidate has the executive experience to run the government other than her who has been running the country with Biden for the past three and a half years as the latter’s vice president.  And, a new candidate other than Harris needs more time to introduce himself/herself and his/her plans for the country as president. Time is ticking and there’s lack of material time for another candidate except for Harris, who had been campaigning with Biden at the very start of the presidential race. She already had the national exposure which other candidates don’t have.

Besides, she is already knowledgeable of the national issues confronting the country and will just continue to expound on these programs Biden started which the latter was not able to explain during his debate with Trump that cost him a lot.

Observers say if she choices the right VP candidate to run with her, she may have the chance to win over Trump. VP candidates being floated as Harris running mate are Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona; Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro; Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer; Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona; California Gov. Gavin Newsom; and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Trump’s campaign shifted to concentrating on Harris, trying to magnify the latter’s position as border czar and her position on fracking. The GOP sees these as weak points for Harris.

So, the political landscape has completely changed. It’s now a showdown between Trump and Harris, the latter seeking to be the first woman US president. It will still be an issue on age, but this time, it is focused on Trump, now being the oldest presidential candidate seeking re-election to the White House against youthful Kamara Harris, 59.  Trump’s allegations on Biden being too old to be the next president will now boomerang to Trump which the Harris campaign will capitalize as one of the major issues in the election aside from Trump being a threat to democracy.

Again, I would say, it all boils down to messaging, on the part of both parties in running their respective campaigns, and its handling will make or break either of them!

Both will have a fresh start, I would say, because the Trump campaign has to shift their move to Harris from Biden and Harris moving her campaign from Biden to hers!

The American people is looking forward to a more interesting presidential campaign this time!

Fellow voters, this is the time for us to decide the destiny of the country come November! Let’s do it!

God bless America!