Summer Political News Round-Up
After a dramatic summer of political events, here’s a summary of everything that’s happened.
People have been speaking out on their beliefs as the presidential election approaches. Credit: Markus Spiske on Pexels
Starting this summer, former President Donald Trump was indicted on charges relating to falsifying business records and hiding payments in an attempt to influence his campaign in 2016. He pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges, but was found guilty on all counts on May 30.
On the topic of landmark court cases, the Supreme Court took on Trump’s presidential immunity case earlier this summer as well. A divided court ruled that former presidents are “at least presumptively immune” from prosecution for acts within the “outer perimeter” of their official responsibilities.
This case was taken up due to the former president’s use of the Supreme Court to prove the 2020 election invalid. It has set a precedent for how future presidents can act during their presidencies, as it gives them immunity for most of their actions, even after leaving office.
Moving away from court cases, but still following the former president, all eyes are on the two candidates running against each other in the 2024 election this November, the former President Trump and President Joe Biden — but wait, that’s not right.
After a lackluster performance at the first presidential debate on June 27, President Biden withdrew from the race. Biden then endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, and the party’s official nomination for her came not long after on Aug. 5.
“I wasn’t necessarily surprised,” said Rachel Zirt ‘28. “All signs seemed to point to a withdrawal.”
“Once [Joe Biden] got COVID and canceled his rally in Las Vegas, it seemed obvious the party did not want him to be their nominee,” said an anonymous Class of 2028 student.
Student testimonies seem to echo the opinions of the larger populace. A majority of the president’s interactions in the last year have been met with large-scale criticism by Republicans and Democrats alike. Many have lost faith in the president’s ability to run the country, which is a sentiment that rings true on a national level.
On the topic of campaign events, both candidates have been hitting the campaign trails to sway the country to vote come November, but Trump’s campaigning took a turn on July 13.
Thomas Matthew Crooks shot eight bullets in a span of six seconds in an attempt to assassinate the former president of the U.S. He did not succeed, but the act of political violence that took place in Butler, P.A. claimed the life of one — Corey Campertone — and injured three. One of those injured was Trump, who was hurt after a bullet grazed his ear.
Roughly a week later, the Republican National Convention began in Milwaukee, W.I. The public expected former President Trump to take some time to rest and miss the opening of the RNC, but he came nonetheless. He felt he had a message to deliver to the American people in the wake of the recent attempt on his life. Trump also announced his vice presidential pick for the upcoming election would be Ohio Senator J.D. Vance.
The Democratic National Convention took place a few weeks later, and it held a similar significance to the RNC. Presidential nominee Kamala Harris took this opportunity to announce her running mate as Tim Walz, Gov. of Minnesota since 2019. The DNC wasn’t just about announcing the Harris-Walz campaign though, as the Democrats also took it as a time to try to sway public opinion. They focused a large portion of the convention on displaying their mainstream ideas and compassion in an attempt to swing independent voters to join their side.
In more recent news, the popular independent candidate of this election cycle, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has dropped out of the presidential race. Kennedy joined Trump at a rally in Arizona on Aug. 23 and officially endorsed the former president.