Between “Sleeping Joe” and “Sick Trump” … Corona is a major player in the US elections

Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper wrote: Millions of Americans began casting their votes early due to the devastating effects of the “Covid-19” virus, which caused more than 215,000 victims in this vast country, with nearly eight million registered infections. until now.

These figures reflect how what President Donald Trump calls the “Chinese virus” entered the homes of millions of Americans, without providing the White House and other political households in Washington and the rest of the states and regions with a high temperature of the race. exceptional towards the top of the pyramid of power in the American capital.

And it seemed that the Democratic Party, led by its candidate, former US Vice President Joe Biden, was at the opposite extreme of the way the Trump-led Republican administration was dealing with the worst crisis facing the United States in decades. The two sides tried to use Corona disease as a main tool to incite public opinion in the interest of each of them in an electoral battle that observers recognize will be tough.

Although the presidential poll, which accompanies the congressional elections of the 435 members of the House of Representatives, in addition to 35 of the 100 members of the Senate, is not limited to the way the epidemic is approached, the latter dominates over the other important issues that play a crucial role among Voters from now until Election Day on November 3.

Between “sleepy atmosphere” and sick Trump

President Donald Trump is now 74 years old, and when he was 70 in 2016 he became the oldest American president to be elected to a first term in the White House. But that record could be shattered if Joe Biden, 78, is elected on opening day in early 2021.

Trump has long worked to put Biden’s health on the electoral scale. He has long described it as a “sleepy atmosphere,” indicating without evidence that the former vice president is mentally unqualified for number one in America and the world. Trump told US television “Fox News” that “something is happening … it is very strange”, hoping that “we can find out sooner rather than later.” It wasn’t until the “wild virus” infected Trump himself, and the election debate quickly turned to questions about Trump’s eligibility, especially after he was airlifted to Walter Reed Hospital, where he spent three nights. The situation worsened when confusion became clear in the way the Trump administration handled this health record due to the infection of a large number of White House employees with the virus, imposing quarantine and isolation on the president and several of those who they surrounded him.

There is no doubt that the diagnosis of Trump’s injury greatly affected his presidential campaign and limited his momentum, as the White House had to cancel many political events, including a rally that was scheduled outside of Orlando, Florida and trips to collect donations in top undecided states, including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. And Nevada. Trump relies on his personal presence to raise money and generate enthusiasm among supporters. He hoped he would have more time to focus in the final weeks of the campaign on issues unrelated to the pandemic, such as the inauguration of his Supreme Court candidate, Justice Amy Cooney Barrett, and the continuation of his economic recovery plans and facing unrest. civilians. But the virus has slowed his big push to make up the difference in polls that still favor Biden.

Despite the disappearance of the symptoms of the disease in the president and the heavy losses that affected jobs and businesses across the country, Trump still faces the challenge of staying calm in the financial and public markets, driven by the force of the “American economic bull”, the world’s largest economy. The “Covid-19” virus has doubled voters’ interest in locating presidential candidates, not only because Trump’s infection with the virus caused the cancellation of his second debate with Biden, but also because one of them is 74 years old. and the other 77 years. But when CNN asked potential voters who had the most “resistance to being president,” the difference was small: 48% elected Biden while 46% thought Trump was better off. However, the Democratic candidate must play the right tone by attacking the president’s stance and policies toward the virus.

Pandemic expands voting by mail

Furthermore, the epidemic has caused major disruption. The United States continues to witness bipartisan legal battles over how to address voters’ concerns about their personal turnout at the polls.

Experts point to the risks that accompany this week’s snap election in Wisconsin, where long lines of voters wearing protective masks are seen casting their votes. University of Florida political science professor Michael MacDonald asked whether the electoral system will allow everyone to vote in November or not, indicating that many do not want to risk their lives, but do want to cast their vote. So the focus is now on expanding the reach of email and absentee voting to help Americans who have been asked to stay home, knowing that there are few states that hold elections primarily by mail. While the rest allow some form of absentee voting, but with different degrees.

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