Kamala Harris needs to be installed as President now so she can fight Donald Trump as an equal, writes JUSTIN WEBB

Bring it on!’ is nan consequence from Republicans to nan almost definite imaginable that Kamala Harris is to beryllium their force successful November.

They deliberation she is simply a joke. ‘Cackling Kamala’, arsenic Trump calls her, is nan prima of a 1000 net memes successful which she looks awkward, talks oddly, not making consciousness — a spot for illustration her predecessor.

Caught connected camera discussing nan Vice President earlier this month, Trump was arsenic sadistic arsenic you would expect: ‘She’s truthful bad,’ he said, ‘she’s pathetic.’

Trump will destruct her, nan Grand Old Party (GOP) believes. And they cognize that if nan Democrats earnestly thought she could beryllium a success, nan statement would person already endorsed her.

But what if nan Republicans are each wrong? What if Trump is making a sedate correction successful underestimating Kamala’s strengths and assuming he’s connected way to triumph successful November?

Indeed, location are plentifulness of Democrats who softly dream — and possibly half judge — that Kamala has nan powerfulness to reinvent herself.

To recycle a somewhat cumbersome building she has utilized connected galore occasions, Kamala is now ‘unburdened by what has been’. She is free from moving for Joe — and she mightiness yet bring down Donald Trump.

Some propose that Kamala’s fightback started good earlier Biden discontinue nan race.

Look astatine nan money she raised successful nan first 24 hours. Her run squad is claiming it was a cool $230 million.

It was nan biggest fundraising time of nan 2024 predetermination rhythm — and astir apt a grounds magnitude for immoderate campaigner connected time one. Money matters: if you are to drawback nan attraction of nan immense mostly of Americans who couldn’t attraction little astir politics, you must pay. She will person nan cash.

Kamala’s supporters are now hoping she tin formulate a connection that resonates pinch a federation that successful galore ways was arsenic unenthused pinch some Trump and Biden. She tin pat into a hunger for a divisive and volatile section to beryllium closed successful American life.

Kamala is not yet 60. In comparison to 81-year-old Biden and 78-year-old Trump, she’s practically a outpouring chicken.

She is besides — for each her gaffes and ‘word salads’ — a very successful woman. As Attorney General of California, she was a bold and reliable prosecutor, unafraid to put group successful jail.

Donald Trump, arsenic she will endlessly punctual people, is simply a convicted felon.

During her little clip successful nan Senate she made waves: famously asking 1 of Donald Trump’s candidates for nan Supreme Court, now Justice Brett Kavanaugh, whether location were ‘any laws that springiness authorities nan correct to make decisions astir nan antheral body’ — a reference, of course, to abortion rights. The speech went viral connected societal media.

She has been an effective and changeless campaigner for women’s authorities and location is nary uncertainty that galore Americans consciousness very powerfully astir nan issue.

Many Democrats blasted Donald Trump for appointing nan Supreme Court Justices who repealed nan Roe v Wade ruling successful June 2022, ending nan law correct to abortion.

Recent history has shown that erstwhile abortion is connected nan ballot — arsenic it has been successful immoderate authorities elections precocious — nan Democrats do well.

It is, successful different words, an rumor that unites Democrats and divides Republicans. Kamala tin energise nan rumor and fiercely return connected those successful Trump’s statement who want to prohibition abortions completely.

Her beardown grounds connected nan taxable will surely springiness her a assurance that she did not person successful nan past. There is thing weird that happens erstwhile powerfulness gets close: you go a ‘serious person’ almost by default — and this could hap to her.

Crucial to Kamala’s prospects could beryllium her prime of moving mate. Normally nan VP doesn’t matter excessively much, but successful specified bonzer circumstances, it might. A dependable politician of a plaything authorities that nan Democrats request to triumph mightiness thief Harris to person Americans that she intends business.

But location remains 1 point successful nan measurement of her early occurrence arsenic a politician. She needs to return complaint now. To strut her worldly connected nan world shape truthful that she tin meet Trump arsenic an equal.

That intends Joe Biden opinionated down, not conscionable from nan campaign, but from nan presidency itself. Stubborn Joe, of course, is wished to enactment successful nan Oval Office arsenic agelong arsenic he can.

But location is simply a precedent for this that, eerily, mightiness beryllium relevant. President Boris Yeltsin of Russia shocked his federation astatine nan opening of this period erstwhile he announced his resignation arsenic president conscionable six months earlier nan extremity of his word — and handed complete powerfulness to his favoured successor, nan past Prime Minister of Russia.

His sanction was Vladimir Putin. It worked retired good for him. I americium making nary nonstop comparison, of course, but it tin thief to get nan feet nether nan table early.

Justin Webb presents nan Americast podcast connected BBC Sounds.