Americans love tradition in politics. The division into two parties – Republican and Democrat – is old and dates back to the mid-19th century.
But never has this tradition been so broken as this year. The 2024 election, to elect the country’s 47th president, appears full of firsts.
Former president and convicted candidate:
The dispute is marked – mainly – by cases in court.
Donald Trump, pre-candidate for the Republican party, became the first former president of the United States to be convicted in court.
He was found guilty in a bribery and tax fraud case by a New York court in May this year. The sentence will be announced in July, days before the Republican party convention that will officially name the former president as a candidate.
Trump is also waiting for three other cases – two of them federal – to go to trial.
This conviction in New York alone opens up a series of questions that not even the American Constitution itself can answer.
In the United States there is no law that determines whether or not a person convicted in court can run for president, or whether they can hold the position in the American government.
Hunter Biden Conviction:
The justice system in the United States is also a shadow for Joe Biden. The president has already been investigated for taking secret documents home – exactly one of the federal charges against rival Donald Trump.
What’s more: for the first time, a president’s son was criminally tried and convicted. Hunter Biden was found guilty of purchasing a gun while a drug user.
Before the sentence – which will be released in October – another tax evasion trial against Biden’s son takes place two months before the election.
High age of candidates:
The age of the candidates also draws attention.
This is not the first time this point has been raised against someone who wants to reach the White House. Ronald Reagan faced questions when he ran for a second term in 1984.
But what we have now is that, for the first time, the two candidates are older. Biden will be 81 years old on voting day, on November 5th and Trump will be 78. Whoever wins will be the oldest president ever inaugurated in the history of the United States.
Trump tries to come back after defeat:
Trump is also trying to achieve a milestone that only another president has achieved: returning to the White House after a re-election defeat in 2020.
Others have tried, but only one has so far succeeded: Grover Cleveland in 1893.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
