He can bide his time no more...

Well, well, well. The inevitable has occurred. Joe Biden has succumbed to the relentless logic of politics. His party do not believe he can retain the Presidency. Many in the American electorate do not see him as having the physical and mental stamina and ability to serve a second term.

On the anniversary of the technological miracle of the moon landing, back here on Earth we are reminded that technology, especially when a software ‘expert’ installs the wrong upgrade patch, does not, dare I say it, trump the inexorable laws of existence. Mother Nature always wins. Time runs out for all of us.

One knew the end was coming the more strident Biden’s statements that he would continue to campaign became: “the candle always flares before it burns out.”

When Margaret Thatcher’s leadership was challenged in November 1990 she narrowly failed to secure enough votes to avoid a second ballot. “We fight on to win” was her declaration. Part of her must have known the gig was up. She later spoke of “the treachery with a smile on its face” when her Cabinet Ministers, one by one, advised her “ of course we will support you, but we do not think you can win.” Biden’s defectors were blunter. One by one senior Democrats told him, “we will not support you and we don’t think you can win.”

So, what now? With less than one hundred days to polling day, all attention now shifts to the machinations of the Democrats and their shift convention in Chicago from August 19-22. 

Will the Democratic Party fall behind Biden’s endorsement of Kamala Harris or will there be an almighty contest between a range of nominees?

What is the most that a fervent Democrat can hope for? The political adage, “Never waste a crisis” comes to mind. Democrats will hope that with the end of the “will he won’t he?” Biden saga, the “shock of the new” will come to their aid. Fresh candidates, fresh issues, fresh appeal et al.

The Democrats must also be hoping that recent events that have played to Trump’s hand have delivered all possible political advantage to the Repubicans and that it is time for some similar karma to fall their way. It has happened in threes: Biden’s poor debate performance, the attempted assassination of Trump and Biden’s bout of Covid at the time of the Republican Convention could not have accentuated Trump’s message of strength versus weakness more even if Spielberg had orchestrated those events.

Whoever wins the Democratic Party’s nomination, the tenor of the campaign seems fixed. Trump will run on his spirit and patriotism, particularly focussing on his ability to successfully confront American economic woes and concerns about levels of immigration. The Democrats will argue that Trump is a pathologically divisive figure and that the true strength of a nation exists in its state of consensus and community.

So many fascinating questions now emerge. If Kamala is overlooked will the Democrats be conceding that Americans are not willing to elect a black woman? Who might be Kamala’s running mate? Should Biden continue in office until Inauguration Day in January? Sadly, Biden will now be the lamest of lame duck Presidents.

Age does weary them. Last week Rafael Nadal battled his way over two three hour three set matches to make the final of the Swedish Open. From memory, it was his first tour final since winning the 2022 Australian Open.  As in American politics, the truth about the ageing process could not be avoided. Overnight, Nadal was swept aside in the final 6-3 6-2 by Nuno Borges from Portugal. Borges was the tournament’s seventh seed, and this was his first ATP title. Only 91 to go to equal Nadal!

Nadal has to hope that only having to exert half the energy on a Doubles court with Alcaraz in Paris will make his Olympic dreams be realised.

To every thing there is a time and a season. America’s election season has instantly become more unpredictable if that were possible! The Democrats will be praying that if a week is a long time in politics, the next one hundred days will be a political eternity, giving them time for their nominee to be a credible contender. 

Trump and Vance remain the favourites,  with the Democrats probably hoping that their best result will be to avoid the Republicans controlling both Houses of Congress, even if the Oval Office is lost.

Stay tuned. Stranger things have happened!

This post is dedicated to Ian Mason. Ian was a colleague and friend, whose love of tennis was lifelong. A member of Melbourne’s Kooyong Tennis Club where the Australian Open was played for many years for over 50 years, Ian passed away last week aged 92.

He told me his greatest thrill in tennis was witnessing the historic Davis Cup final between America at Kooyong in 1953. Ian told me that Lew Hoad prevailed over Tony Trabert in five sets in one of the best matches he ever witnessed, remembering that Hoad had time during a rally to readjust the sleeve of his tennis shirt to be soignee before reeling off a sizzling backhand pass.  The best player Ian ever saw? Jack Kramer.Trump and Vance remain the favourites, but stranger things have happened.

This post is dedicated to the memory of Ian Mason. Ian was a colleague and friend, whose love of tennis was lifelong. A member of Melbourne’s Kooyong Tennis Club where the Australian Open was played for many years for over 50 years, Ian passed away last week aged 92.

He told me his greatest thrill in tennis was witnessing the historic Davis Cup final between America at Kooyong in 1953. Ian told me that Lew Hoad prevailed over Tony Trabert in five sets in one of the best matches he ever witnessed, remembering that Hoad had time during a rally to readjust the sleeve of his tennis shirt to be soignee before reeling off a sizzling backhand pass.  The best player Ian ever saw? Jack Kramer.