Behind the glass door of the Democratic Party's vast campaign office in Easton, eastern Pennsylvania, rows of election signs attached to two iron rods rest along a wall. But these yard signs, typical of election campaigns in the United States, will not see the lawns of Northampton County this autumn. They became a relic of the past on July 21, the day Joe Biden, who was still running as the Democratic presidential candidate with Kamala Harris as his running mate, withdrew from the race in favor of Harris.

The life-size cardboard cutout of the president and his vice president was also condemned to obsolescence that day. What remained for the young staff member on duty, who was not allowed to speak or let visitors in, was a dark-suited Harris, which he obligingly carried to the front of the premises. They would have to wait a few more days, until a running mate is chosen, before a new Democratic ticket could be displayed on all the campaign materials available to the county's activists.

Strolling through Easton's charming town center with her partner on July 26, Eileen Hessmiller, a registered Democrat, made no secret of her relief at Biden's withdrawal from the race. The outgoing president had not been able to erase his catastrophic performance in the debate against Trump on June 27, during which he gave the impression of great confusion, fueling questions about his state of health and his ability to win against the Republican.

'A unity reflex'

"It was a logical decision, but right up to the end, I thought he wouldn't take it," admitted this retired computer scientist. Her partner, Rob Marshall, a former geologist who is also close to the Democrats, also wondered about the intentions of the outgoing president. "The polls weren't good, that's for sure," he acknowledged. "But what are they worth this far from the election? Not to mention the conditions under which they were conducted... Who picks up to answer when an unknown number appears on your phone, with all those scams?"

Matt Munsey, chair of the Democratic Party in the county, was totally opposed to changing the candidate in the final stretch of the campaign. "Those who imagined alternative candidates were operating in the virtual reality of a video game," he said. He feared that Biden's withdrawal would trigger an internal war. The overwhelming majority of Democratic party leaders rallying behind Harris in record time completely dispelled his fears. Former president Barack Obama also announced his support on Friday. "I was sure there would, if necessary, be a unity reflex, and we quickly got proof of that," noted Robert Freeman, a Democratic member of the state House. "It was unthinkable that the baton wouldn't logically pass to the vice president."

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