This U.S. presidential election has been delivering one unexpectedly topsy-turvy twist after another. The political landscape is now reshaped into looking like a rollercoaster leaving many wondering what will happen next. And don’t unbuckle the seatbelt just yet. There remain 82 days before Election Day and 68 days until the start of early voting in Texas. There is still time for more twists and turns with an October surprise thrown in.
Nevertheless, for Democrats the presidential election looks a lot different than it did on July 21 when President Joe Biden's official Twitter account posted a letter announcing his withdrawal from the race. In the letter, he wrote, "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term." Soon after a post from the same account endorsed Harris, the vice president since 2021, as his replacement in the presidential race.
This development has drastically altered the dynamics of the election, injecting both excitement and uncertainty into the process.
Biden’s exit from the race was met with a mix of surprise and speculation. Concerns over his age and health had been a topic of discussion, but few anticipated he would step down. His withdrawal has forced the Democratic Party to quickly coalesce around Harris, who now carries the weight of the party’s hopes on her shoulders. As the first woman and first person of color to be nominated by a major party for the presidency, Harris's candidacy is historic. However, it also presents challenges, as she must quickly build a broad coalition of support, energizing both the progressive base and the more moderate voters who backed Biden.
On the Republican side, former President Donald Trump, once seen as being on a glide path to being elected again to the White House, has faced a deep decline in support. His campaign, once defined by its aggressive rhetoric and unwavering base, has encountered unexpected resistance. This erosion of support may be attributed to a combination of factors, including legal challenges, emerging rivals within the GOP, and growing voter fatigue with his divisive politics.
This election, now dominated by unforeseen shifts, underscores the volatility and unpredictability of American politics. With Biden out, Harris in, and Trump on shakier ground than ever, the race is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent history. Both parties face uncertain paths ahead, navigating an election landscape that has become anything but conventional.
Guest:
Matthew Dowd is an American political pundit and consultant. He was the chief strategist for the Bush–Cheney 2004 presidential campaign and was an ABC News political analyst.
Texas Abortion Ban Consequences
More than 100 pregnant women in medical distress who sought help from emergency rooms were turned away or negligently treated since 2022, an Associated Press analysis of federal hospital investigations found.
A complaint filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights recently is asking the federal government to investigate whether a Texas hospital violated federal law when staff failed to treat a woman’s crisis pregnancy.
Kyleigh Thurman went to the emergency room at Ascension Seton Williamson Hospital in Round Rock, Texas when she was bleeding and in pain from her ectopic pregnancy. They handed her a pamphlet on miscarriage and told her to “let nature take its course” before discharging her without treatment.
When the 25-year-old returned three days later, still bleeding, doctors finally agreed to give her an injection to end the pregnancy. It was too late. The fertilized egg growing on Thurman’s fallopian tube ruptured it, destroying part of her reproductive system.
The Biden administration says hospitals must offer abortions when needed to save a woman’s life, despite state bans enacted after the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion more than two years ago. Texas is challenging that guidance and, earlier this summer, the Supreme Court declined to resolve the issue.
Guest:
AMANDA SEITZ is an Associated Press reporter covering federal health care policy. She is based in Washington, D.C.
SA Exoplanet Conference
San Antonio will host a conference on the latest efforts to find planets outside our solar system that appear to be homes for life.
The 2nd Texas Area Planetary Science Meeting (TAPS) taking place on August 15-16, 2024, at the downtown UT San Antonio (UTSA) campus in San Antonio. The TAPS meeting aims to strengthen interactions within the Texas planetary-exoplanet science and astrobiology community and foster collaborations and partnerships between institutions and researchers.
Researchers, faculty, postdocs, and students interested in planetary science and astrobiology/exoplanet research are encouraged to participate.
Guests:
Chris Packham, Ph.D. is a UTSA Professor of physics and astronomy.
Julie Crooke is NASA HQ Astrophysics Division Program Executive for the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO)
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*This interview will be recorded on Wednesday, August 14, 2024.
