US elections are back on a knife-edge

What strange things has America experienced recently, hasn't it?

Biden greeting the empty air...

Addressing Ukrainian leader Zelensky as Putin...

Calling his own Vice President Trump...

Mistaking another woman for his wife...

His sobering state at the debate...

And on top of that, of course, the bullet that grazed Trump's ear...

While the net result of all these had led to the perception that the election had already been won by Trump, a development occurred that brought the election back into a state of balance: US President Biden withdrew from the race, pointing to Harris as his successor.

This, I am sure, is making Trump think—even if he says he will beat Harris even more easily than he would have beaten Biden. Because Trump had not only built his entire strategy on Biden's candidacy but had also taken steps that are difficult to reverse, such as selecting his Vice President with this in mind. First, despite being only a few years younger, Trump had effectively assumed the role of a "strapping young man" thanks to Biden's neurological condition, and had built his propaganda almost entirely on the duality of youth and dynamism versus old age and stagnation. Now, against the 59-year-old Harris, Trump is the one left on the negative side of that duality.

Furthermore, after the assassination attempt, Trump was playing the role of the "chosen one protected by God" that fate had gifted him with such enthusiasm that he was so sure he would win; it was no longer just about winning, but about turning this energy into a Voltron to radically change the order. For this purpose, he chose an far-right vice presidential candidate who had barely reached his 40s: J.D. Vance. Because for Trump, the goal was no longer to appeal to the centrist voter, but to make Trumpism permanent with this election he thought he had already won for certain.

However, with Harris's candidacy, the discussions about the assassination suddenly gave way to discussions about Harris. As the election began to look like it would end in a photo finish, the centrist voters that Trump had cast aside regained their importance. The problem here for Trump is this: Trump's cards remaining from the Biden era are exposed, but Harris is entering an election that is almost balanced with both a closed hand and knowledge of her opponent's hand. The first issue here is what kind of vice president Harris will determine against Trump's choice of Vance. Because, for example, both Harris herself and the vice president she chooses could bring back the young voters who were tending to break away from the party under Biden. Harris's choice of Tim Walz, known as a moderate Democrat, points exactly to this effort.

Additionally, in contrast to Biden's unconditional support for Israel, Harris's critical stance toward Netanyahu, along with her public acknowledgment of the humanitarian cost of the conflict for Palestinian civilians, could steer Muslim voters toward Harris, especially in critical swing states. Indeed, she must be aware of this, as she chose not to attend Netanyahu's speech in Congress and instead opted to attend a campaign event, thereby demonstrating her stance in this direction in a "softened" manner. Undoubtedly, she must also maintain a balanced approach on this issue and not forget the reality of the Israel lobby.

Another important issue is that Harris has not yet been able to produce a narrative. It is impossible not to agree with the assessment in The Economist:

"Yet the 'authenticity' that American voters expect from politicians is present in Harris's background. First of all, she is the daughter of immigrants: her late mother was an India-born endocrinologist; her father is a Jamaica-born economist. The couple met in the 1960s while they were civil rights activists in Berkeley. If someone else were in Harris's place, they could have created an unforgettable identity from these roots, but she has struggled to define herself on the national stage. As an Asian-Black woman who overcame obstacles, she is likely to inspire an emotional Hollywood production for others."

Indeed, we all know a very successful Democratic politician who wrote this story: Barack Obama. Obama imbued his identity, which could have been a handicap in the eyes of a segment of American society, with such meaning... He effectively knocked out the racism he might have faced due to his identity in a single move. He constructed this with the implicit message, "To wipe the slate clean of the past, the US must have a Black president," and effectively made the entire society a partner in his campaign. Such a change, which was previously unthinkable, was now possible, and the American people were achieving it. That is why they were shouting in unison: "YES, WE CAN!"

The secret to Harris's success lies a bit here as well. That is, what we call storytelling in political communication. If she can write a personal story that she can make society a partner in, then on that day we can say "YES, SHE CAN."