The 2024 US presidential race: The big sleep?

THIS is supposed to be the “most important election in American history”, as the cliche employed by numerous pundits puts it. That has created expectations for a spirited presidential race, dominated by animated debates about the future of America between the two candidates, with an energised public taking active part in the political spectacle as the momentum grows towards a grand finale.

In fact, the election campaign did provide us with some initial excitement. There was the political coup that, following his disastrous performance in a presidential debate, forced President Joe Biden to withdraw from the Nov 5 race, with Vice-President Kamala Harris replacing him as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate.

And then there were the two failed attempts on the life of the Republican candidate Donald Trump, which had all the makings of a gripping television thriller, with Trump playing the role of a heroic protagonist facing villainous assassins.