Afrika in Focus Special: The Ripple Effects of Biden's Exit on U.S. Policy, Africa, and Ghana

Africa in Focus takes an in-depth look at the political ripple effects following President Joe Biden's decision not to seek re-election. This significant development holds profound implications for the United States, Africa, and specifically Ghana. In this special edition, we dissect the reasons behind Biden's choice.

Biden's decision to step down is not entirely surprising, given his advanced age and the health issues that have hampered his ability to perform the rigorous duties of the presidency. For Ghana, a country that heavily relies on U.S. support, both economically and militarily, the ramifications are substantial.

The episode also delves into the controversial assassination attempt on Donald Trump. The authenticity of this event is questioned, and its potential consequences are discussed. Was it a genuine attempt or a political stunt designed to bolster Trump's image? These are the questions that linger as we explore the broader political dynamics and their implications.

Attention then shifts to the emerging Democratic contenders for the 2024 presidential race. With Biden out of the picture, figures like Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro are poised to challenge Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination. Each candidate brings unique credentials and recent achievements that make them formidable opponents.

The episode doesn't shy away from addressing Donald Trump's divisive views on Africa and the implications of his potential return to power. Trump's first term saw a mixed bag of policies towards Africa, some of which were controversial yet brutally honest. His "America First" policy, while often criticized, forced African leaders to reconsider their governance and economic strategies.

African American issues under Trump's economic policies form another critical segment of the discussion. The challenges of gun violence and unemployment in African American communities are examined, along with the potential effects of Trump's policies on these pressing issues. Trump's stance on Obamacare, for instance, could significantly impact low-income families, many of whom are African American. The potential rescindment of Obamacare could leave many without affordable healthcare, exacerbating existing inequalities.

Furthermore, Trump's foreign policy, particularly its effects on Africa, is scrutinized. The role of AFRICOM and trade policies like the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) are highlighted. These policies, while aimed at fostering economic growth, often prioritize American interests, leaving African countries at a disadvantage. 

The episode a

Chapters

• 0:02 Biden's Decision and Africa's Future
• 17:30 Potential 2028 Democratic Presidential Candidates
• 25:55 Implications for African Americans

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Good evening and welcome to this edition of Africa in Focus with myself, kwame, ghanaian broadcaster, writer, journalist, podcaster and entrepreneur. And in this week's special edition of Africa in Focus, biden is stepping down one next for America and one next for Africa. So this is a very, very interesting edition of African Focus because we're looking at why Biden decided not to run or a secret election and what could be the outcome of it in terms of the next American election, which is in November, and what it could have for Africa and Ghana. And this is what I say. It's because the US has deep interest in Africa, economically and also militarily as well, and also America is a big donor and supporter to many African countries. So this issue of Biden stepping down, not seeking re-election and some of the issues, affects Ghana and Africa as a whole. And so, before we get into the podcast, just to make you aware that we are also on YouTube. So please subscribe to the Ghana African Focus podcast on YouTube. We want to get at least 200 subscribers by the end of the year, so please subscribe to Ghana, africa In Focus on YouTube. We are also on Spotify. So far we've got over 500 subscribers, so thank you to all those who subscribe to Spotify. We want to get at least 800 by the end of the year. So you look out for Ghana, africa in focus on Spotify. Click the follow button, meaning that every time I upload a new podcast, spotify will notify you of this. All right, and if you want to, are considering to do business in Ghana, we do offer a consulting session whereby we can tailor make a package for you based on your needs and wants, all right. So if you want to book a consulting session with myself I've got more than 10 years' experience of doing business in Ghana, buying land, property, et cetera Then I'll leave you my email address in the full links to the show and you can book your consulting session with myself. All right, so let's get into this podcast consulting session with myself. All right, so let's get into this podcast.

Speaker 1: 2:29

Uh, biden not seeking re-election and some of the uh, outer layers of that, particularly when it comes to ghana and africa, and who will be next us president, and so, uh, before I get into that whole thing, my opinion, my view on the so-called Trump assassination. For me it was a stunt. Now I'm not going to get into the detail of it, but you know, america is America. And for me, looking at it carefully, I don't think I think the whole thing was staged to make Trump look good. Yeah, when he said that. I think the whole thing was staged to make Trump look good. Yeah, when he said that I took a bullet for democracy, really, you know. So I have my doubts and I think, as African people, we should be highly circumspect on this so-called assassination attempt on Trump. Was it really an assassination attempt and why would anyone in their right mind want to kill Trump, and what would be the consequences if Trump had been murdered by this guy? And so we need to be very, very circumspect as to what really transpired in terms of this whole so-called assassination attempt on Trump, because for me, there's something more deeper than this that we're not really looking at. And also for me, like I said, it's a stance, but that's for another time.

Speaker 1: 3:58

Let's focus on the main agenda Biden not seeking elections Again for me. Me, I'm not surprised about that because, essentially, biden is a very, very old man. He's 81 and if you followed Biden closely for the last two years, it is obvious to anyone with a shred of any capacity that obvious to anyone with a shred of any capacity that his advanced age, given his advanced age, you know his memory will begin to fade. The faculties are not as sharp as they were. You know his physical health. You know stumbling across the floor at a reception for American veterans, even climbing up the stairs with some difficulty on Air Force One, etc. And also the big one where he fumbled his words in the presidential election debate in june against trump. These were all signals that the health of the current president, joe biden, is not as it should be for a job that demands great stamina and great health.

Speaker 1: 5:26

And so for me it's not a surprise that he stepped down, you know, because had he run, two things may have happened. One, he probably would have lost to Trump, and B, if he had won, given his health, I don't think he would have made it. You know he would have made it four years. And so I think that he did the best thing, not just for himself, his own health, because the job is a very, very demanding job, but he did that for the betterment of the country and also his party. And so Biden stepping down, or rather not seeking re-election, for me is a good thing, but again, I'm not surprised by his decision to not seek re-election, given the fact that many in the Democratic Party did not feel that Biden any longer had where it takes the president, given his advanced age and also given the fact that there is was a strong possibility of him losing to Donald Trump in November's elections. And we've seen in recent polling, particularly in the swing states, that Biden was behind Trump. And so there may have been not there may have been.

Speaker 1: 6:51

We know that there was some, a lot of you know, memories in the background preceding Biden to not see re-election. You know it became obvious, particularly after the presidential debate in June, where he made a few gaffes, and even more recently at the NATO summit, whereby he called Ukraine Zelenskyi attributing. That was basically the nail in the coffin whereby many Democrats, you know, were the impression that this man no longer had what it took to be US President. And so, for me, his decision not to seek re-election is not a surprise, and neither should be a surprise to you listeners, because, at the end of the day, you know, there's a lot of shenanigans in the background that we're not aware of and also, like I said, given his advanced age, it is obvious to anyone that he was not, you know, no longer fit to be, uh, president or to seek re-election to become, you know, know, president of America come January next year. And so what that has done now? He has obviously now endorsed his Vice President, kamala Harris, as you know, potentially the Democratic ticket, although that's not yet robust down, because obviously, uh, the democratic convention is going to be on the 19th of um august in chicago and that conference will determine whether or not kamala harris receives the overwhelming support of the overwhelming, overwhelming amount of democrat senators and Democrat lawmakers, you know, to become the nominee for the Democratic Party for November's elections. And so, you know, a lot can happen. A lot can happen between now and August 19th, which is just under month away, where the Democratic Convention will be held.

Speaker 1: 9:09

Personally, you know, for me it doesn't really matter who becomes American president, because, as Africans, we need to take our destiny into our own hands, as what you've seen in Burkina Faso, inali, in Niger, in Guinea-Bissau and now Senegal. We need to take our destiny into our own hands and not think that comes like America will actually help us, because America has its own agenda when it comes to Africa, and I'll talk about that in a bit more detail after my take on the whole Biden, you know thing. And so we Africans must make it absolutely clear that it doesn't matter who is in the White House. You know, america's policy to Africa is going to be the same. But, like I said, I'll get onto that in a minute.

Speaker 1: 10:03

But for me, I don't trust Kamala Harris. She is not as popular with a lot of Democrats and she hasn't got the charisma to win a lot of middle America. So this is white, middle-class America and, in a certain part, the redneck part of America. So we're looking about particularly the Deep South and, in a certain part, the redneck part of America. So we're looking about particularly the deep south, where Trump has a lot of support among, you know, white Anglo-Saxon Protestant, white Caucasians. Trump has a lot of support down there and I don't think Kamala Harris have the charisma enough to actually, you know, particularly win those white middle class areas, particularly in the seven states, which are going to be key if the Democrats are going to hold on to power come January 2025. And so for me, you know, I think the endorsement of Kamala Harris by Biden may be the fact that he had no real option because, obviously, as sitting president, his number two is his vice president, and because he was nominated by the party during the caucuses earlier on in the year and last year, he basically had the right to determine who would succeed him in the eventuality of his health, you know, not being able to conduct himself in a way that would be competent with a demanding job as being President of the US, and so he really did not have any option but to endorse his vice president. Uh, kamala harris has been now the ticket for the democratic party.

Speaker 1: 12:05

Now we know that in some quarters of the democratic party, you know, kamala is very unpopular, and you know, and particularly african americans are. And you know, particularly where African Americans are concerned, she's got a bad record. Many African Americans are not really aware of it well, some are, but the majority are not because when she was, I think it was either a state governor of California or attorney of California. I gather that she, you know, jailed a lot of African American men and gave them long sentences, and so her record, particularly pertains to African Americans is a very, very dubious one. And so, african Americans, are you going to wait for somebody who has not really shown that she's in tune with African-Americans, even though she claims that she was brought up to be an African-American by her Indian mum and, let's not forget, kamala Harris has an African-Jamaican father, an Indian Hindu mum right, an Indian Hindu mum right. But she was raised in part as a Hindu woman, as an Indian woman, and does rarely, rarely, very rarely, speak about her father's African heritage or even her own African heritage, apart from when it suits her. So, when she wants to court the so-called black vote, well, it is a black vote because, unlike the UK, african-americans can determine large sways of the vote in the US, particularly in the Deep South, places like Chicago, detroit, michigan, even New York. The African vote within America is a quite important one and obviously it was the African American vote that put Biden in the White House in 2020. And so the African American vote is going to be very, very important in determining who gets to the White House. But, like I said, if the Democrats choose Kamala Harris, then they could be making a big mistake because immigration and giving what she's done to African men, particularly when she was state governor of California or attorney of California, by sentencing a lot of African American men. So for me, kamala Harris is very, very circumspect.

Speaker 1: 14:46

Now who I'd want to be? The democratic nominee for president to run against Trump would be Michelle Obama. If Michelle Obama wanted the job because there's doubts that she would even want to be the nominee but if she wanted to be the nominee, I think it would be a no-brainer for the Democratic Party to endorse Michelle Obama. In actual fact, she does have experience because obviously her husband was president for eight years, barack and also she was also a very, very innovative and creative First Lady whereby she engaged in a lot of projects, for example, the Get Moving Project that helped to tackle obesity in America, and many, many other projects she did while she was First Lady. And also at first hand she would have seen some of the issues that her husband, barack Obama, had to deal with when he was President. And so if she did decide to run for president or be the nominee, then I think the Democratic Party, like I said, would be a no-brainer in giving Michelle Obama the nod to be their nominee.

Speaker 1: 16:09

But from what we hear and what is in the background, I don't think that Michelle Obama has any intention to run for president not today, not tomorrow, because I remember when she was First Lady and in June 1 interview with Oprah, oprah asked her would you ever consider running for president. And he said no. So that put her to bed. But given the current state of the Democratic Party, it's not a long shot that Michelle Obama could be persuaded by the hierarchy within the Democratic Party to consider running for president. If she did, it would be a no-brainer and she'd definitely win. You know, beat Trump because A she is very, very popular in the American public. She also has the charisma and charm that can sway a lot of the middle, the sort of under-signed voters in particular key swing states in America, and so for me, I think Michelle Obama would be a very, very important choice, of a good choice, if she decided to run for president now.

Speaker 1: 17:30

If she didn't decide to run for president, who would be able to go against Kamala Harris? She decided to run for president Now. If she didn't decide to run for president, who would be able to go against Kamala Harris? You know there's other senators you know who would be able to run against Kamala Harris. We know that there's other people you know within the Democratic Party who could actually hold off, who could challenge the nomination for the Democratic Party. So, for example, there's people like who we're looking at in the article here. So there's Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. She's a two-term governor of Michigan and she's an increasingly popular Midwest Democrat who many pundits speculate could run for president in 2028. She also has campaigned for Mr Biden in the past and has not been shy about her own political aspirations.

Speaker 1: 18:40

Now another potential rival for Kamala Harris could be California Governor Gavin Newsom. Now Governor Newsom is one of Biden's fiercest surrogates, but he also has political ambitions on his own now. He is often touted as a possible 2028 candidate, but many democrat candidates now say he could replace Mr Biden now. In recent years Mr Newsom has raised his profile by being a key party messenger on conservative media and via a debate against further governor Ron DeSantis last year. So he's number one that could be, you know, persuaded to run against Kamala Harris, you know, in the Democratic Convention next month.

Speaker 1: 19:38

And the last potential rival for Kamala Harris is the current Transportation Secretary, pete Buttigieg. Now he also has presidential ambitions there's mainly a secret about it and he ran for President in 2020 and is often touted as one of the Biden administration's best communicators. He's managed a number of public crises during his time as some protesting secretary. He also helped to oversee the government's response to the East Palestine. Train derailment in Ohio and the Baltimore Bridge collapse and Southwest Airlines staging crisis in 2022.

Speaker 1: 20:23

Now one final candidate is another governor called Josh Shapiro. He's the governor for Pennsylvania. Now, you know he was. He served as previous state attorney. He previously served as the state attorney general for Pennsylvania and he made headlines last year after quickly rebuilding a collapsed bridge on a crucial Philadelphia highway A major political victory for a first-time governor. And so you know these are some of the candidates that could potentially challenge Kamala Harris.

Speaker 1: 21:08

If you know the grandees, the hierarchy of the Democratic Party and we know there are some there are not that confident in Kamala Harris reaching other parts of America. These four people that I've mentioned are all charismatic and are a lot younger than Kamala Harris she's 59. And also, these people can also give Trump a good run for his money when it comes to debate and also being able to really, you know, ruffle Trump's feathers. So it's not all plain sailing for Kamala Harris. I mean, better watch his face and see what happens in the Democrat convention on April 19th, just over or just under a month away.

Speaker 1: 21:57

Let's look at Trump. You know Trump is obviously the Democrat sorry the Republican nomination who survived a quote-unquote attempt on his life and has used that to good effect. Now, you know, as someone living in the UK, I don't believe all this hype that somehow Trump is a racist right. What I will say is that he may not like African people, but at least he tells it like it is. And I'd rather have someone who told it like it is than someone who says to me oh, everything's okay, I like you, but you know, in the background you're stabbing me in the back. Trump tells it like it is.

Speaker 1: 22:46

So when he said Africans in his first term, what he was saying to African leaders you need to up up your game. You need to give your people opportunity. You need to make your countries, you know, more prosperity, because right now, many Africans are leaving the continent a lot of Guineans, a lot of Nigerians. You know South Africans, you know Moroccans, tunisians are leaving the continent because of the conditions that Hiva 2, you know many African uh countries presidents have put their country into. And so when Trump said Africa should go, he was giving a symbolic message to African leaders that you need to get. You know, you need to step up to the plate and raise a game.

Speaker 1: 23:39

So I don't know about someone. He tells it like it is, that someone pretends, oh, africa, yeah, you're doing well, you're doing well, but at the end of the day, stabbing you in the back, is that good or bad? For me, it's a good thing, because at least you know who your enemy is. Yeah, unlike not knowing who your enemy is when your enemy pretends to like you but is working to undermine you and stab me in the back in the process. And so for me, you know, trump, you know, is not a racist, but what I'll say, he doesn't like black people either. And so, african-americansamericans, you African-Americans, you want to support Trump. This is a man. He may not like you, but is he really going to do anything positive for you? And let's not forget, trump has got a very, very dangerous, dangerous right wing. Don't forget. He's only got one term. He can't save more than two terms because he's done one term already, right?

Speaker 1: 24:38

So, if it does come into place in 2025, we know there's a Trump project called Project 2025, which is a dangerous, you know, dangerous, dangerous project, you know. You know that's been named by some American accommodators, and now one of these. You know. You know that's been named by some american commentators, and now, one of these you know aspects of it is that project 2025 it seeks to. It seeks to outlaw abortion and conceptions, particularly when it comes to women. Yeah, so you particularly african american women? Yeah, and we know abortion is a big issue within the African-American community. Yeah, you know.

Speaker 1: 25:19

Is this what you're going to vote for for Trump? Project 25? That seeks to outlaw abortion and contraception? Is this the sort of president that you want? And what is it that you're going to do for the African-American community? Because no, obama didn't do anything Generally for the African-American community. Because Obama didn't do anything generally for the African-American community. So what is Trump going to do? Has he laid down his policies in how he's going to stop crime in African-American areas? Because we know, you know, there's a lot of gun violence in America, particularly in African-American.

Speaker 1: 25:55

Generally speaking, what's he going to do about African American unemployment? I know that he did his first term because of the way that the economy was stimulated, but even that was the afterlay of Obama, so the economy was doing well in the last 3-4 years of Obama and then Trump, with the benefit of that, stock market went record levels and also employment. You know wheat trackers level as well, but obviously that would have helped a lot of African-Americans as well in terms of, you know, employment. But aside from that, you know, when it comes to health care because apparently he may scrap Obamacare, which is their healthcare package that obviously Biden, that Obama brought in but was scoffed by Trump in his first term and Biden brought it back there's a possibility that if Trump was re-elected to the second term, that he may, you know, rescind parts of Obamacare, if not the whole entirety of it. And so and Obamacare, you know, has given a lot of low-income families, men of whom are African-American, you know they're given a chance to actually, you know, get cheaper, affordable healthcare. So are you going to do it for Trump in your firm are African American, they're given a chance to actually get cheaper, affordable healthcare. So are you going to live up to Trump, african Americans, and he's going to take away your healthcare that you're enjoying right now? And so, as African Americans and I know some of you are very conservative, you've got people like Candace Owens, very, very hardline African American conservative, and there's quite a few of you out there but are you really in favour of Trump, somebody who openly dislikes African people? I'd consider very, very strongly.

Speaker 1: 27:48

And also the foreign policy of Trump because, like I said before, that foreign policy, whoever wins, will have dramatic consequences for africa. But africa, because let's not forget, the us at the base. Africa, africom yeah, it's not direct in africa, but I think it's in germany where the military operations are hatched up from and the consequences are felt in the african continent. This is something that a lot of african americans haven't factored in, but we know that our pages are hatched up from and the consequences are felt in the African content. This is something that a lot of African-Americans haven't factored in, but we know that many of you don't like Africa or don't consider themselves as Africans.

Speaker 1: 28:23

You call yourself black Americans fine, but have you wondered what the policies, particularly when it comes to Africa, that both the Democrats and Republicans have about how they intend to use AFRICOM to further their geopolitical interest in Africa, which is not always a good thing? And also the ALGOA, the I think it's African Growth Opportunities Act that was sort of introduced by George Bush and that Obama kind of moves upon. But really and truly that act is one way. It gives a bit of leeway to African producers of goods and services, but what real impact has it really had to African producers of goods and services? Have they really been able to you could say crack the American market? The AGOA, you know, again, that's another crucial issue that we need to look at by both parties, because AGOA is potentially something that could change the way African countries are traded in America.

Speaker 1: 29:33

So you know, there were lots of issues at stake in this election that African Americans, you know, really should examine before they vote for Trump or vote for the Democrats, because, like I said, me personally, it doesn't matter who wins the election, because, as far as I'm concerned, america's policy is still the same when it comes to Africa, when it comes to Ghana, that is, to seek to exploit African raw materials at the cheapest possible price for the geopolitical and economic interest of America. That is the key, that is the position, that is the strategy that America has always adopted and that every president in America has always adopted, because it's American corporations first, and we see how a lot of them are operating on the African continent. And so, you know, for us, as Africans, you know we really should not Expect any favours, you know, whoever wins the election, because when Obama, you know, became the so called First African American president which he wasn't. What benefits did Africa get from the age of Obama? Some people say very little. I'm not going to agree with that. And so, as Africans, we need to be very, very mindful that you know, america will seek its interests first, last and always.

Speaker 1: 31:19

So America first, and this is a key message of Donald Trump For him, it's America first, america last, america always. And so if Trump wins and there's a possibility that he could win, regardless of whoever comes up for the Republicans, for the Democrats, because you know he's leading right now in the swing states and also in the deep south, which is very, very conservative. It's like Alabama, you know, texas, the Carolinas, florida. These are very, very conservative states. We know that right now, trump is leading in some of these states, and so there's a strong possibility that if Trump wins, could win the election, it could be very, very detriment to Africarica and also african americans within america itself.

Speaker 1: 32:19

And so you know we're not going to go too deep on this, but it's just a my take on why biden decided not to seek re-election and also some of the issues at hand when it comes to Kamala Harris and who could potentially rival her, and also what potential outcome of the election could be and also why it does not matter one iota who wins the US election because, like I said, it is US for breakfast, for dinner, for lunch, as far as Africa is concerned, and so I hope you've enjoyed this edition of African Focus, looking at, you know, the decision of Biden not to seek re-election. If you like what you hear, be sure to your friends, your family, that you mean your networks and also subscribe to the Ghana Advocating Focus on YouTube and also on podcast and also on Spotify. And so from myself, kwame, and from the crew here on Advocating Focus is thank you very much for listening and we'll see you next week for some more Africa stroke. Ghana in Focus.