Fifteen moments that defined the election
The Guardian|November 05, 2024
It has been called the most critical election in US history, and it has certainly been one of the wildest races, with an incumbent president stepping down late in the campaign, a criminal guilty verdict for one of the candidates and a couple of assassination attempts.
By Lorenzo Tondo and Chris Michael
Fifteen moments that defined the election

1 The challenger

March The hard-right Florida governor Ron DeSantis was widely seen as the Republican most likely to prevent the former president Donald Trump from becoming the party's nominee for a third consecutive election. However, in January, despite being backed by tycoon Rupert Murdoch, DeSantis ends his flailing campaign and eventually endorses Trump, whose team had smeared him as "Pudding Fingers" due to his alleged eating habits. Running almost as an incumbent, Trump's last serious challenger ends up being the former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who unexpectedly takes on the mantle of the anti-Trump vote. Casting doubts on Trump's mental fitness and his loyalty to the US constitution, the former UN ambassador garners significant support and perseveres until Super Tuesday in March, when she finally stands aside, leaving Trump as the last major candidate standing for the 2024 Republican nomination.

2 The president

March In the annals of American politics, incumbent presidents seeking re-election typically enjoy a significant edge over their challengers. However, Joe Biden-the nation's oldest ever president-bucks the trend as his meandering remarks, frequent blunders and halting speech raise concerns that he might just be too old. Nevertheless, essentially unopposed, the 46th president of the United States runs the board in the Democratic primaries and is named the party's candidate for 2024, while vowing that, despite his advancing years, he is the best contender to defeat Trump.

3 The trial

This story is from the November 05, 2024 edition of The Guardian.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the November 05, 2024 edition of The Guardian.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE GUARDIANView All
Money hacks How to use your Christmas gift vouchers wisely
The Guardian

Money hacks How to use your Christmas gift vouchers wisely

The first thing to do is read the small print (it could be very small if it is squeezed on the back).

time-read
4 mins  |
January 04, 2025
'It's not job done' More change to come as M&S gets its spark back
The Guardian

'It's not job done' More change to come as M&S gets its spark back

M&S menswear, above, is starting to compete for style with specialist rivals while the company's menswear has successfully caught the attention of younger buyers

time-read
4 mins  |
January 04, 2025
Taken to court ... as a victim of identity theft
The Guardian

Taken to court ... as a victim of identity theft

A fraudulent phone contract has been taken out in my husband's name and he is now threatened with court action.

time-read
1 min  |
January 04, 2025
New start Is 2025 the right time to become your own boss?
The Guardian

New start Is 2025 the right time to become your own boss?

Going freelance is not without risk but if you want to shed the shackles of your 9-5, then Suzanne Bearne can help you plan it properly

time-read
7 mins  |
January 04, 2025
Feeling the heat British Gas hit by 400,000 complaints
The Guardian

Feeling the heat British Gas hit by 400,000 complaints

It has been both astonishing and appalling in equal measure,\" says Jonathan Hattersley, 66, from Cambridgeshire.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 04, 2025
The Guardian

Biden Blocks Japanese Firm's $15bn Bid for US Steel Over Security Fears

Joe Biden blocked a $14.9bn (£12bn) bid by Japan's Nippon Steel for US Steel yesterday, citing concerns the deal could hurt national security and following through on a pledge to keep the company domestically owned as he prepares to depart the White House.

time-read
1 min  |
January 04, 2025
We're like snipers' Lethal and cheap, drones dominate the frontline now
The Guardian

We're like snipers' Lethal and cheap, drones dominate the frontline now

Denys, a soldier with Ukraine's Khyzhak brigade, describes a new kind of war. Standing in a barracks workshop with piles of basic Ukrainian first-person view (FPV) drones behind him, he says: \"There are fewer gunfights because there are more drone fights.\" Frontlines that were once a gunshot apart are now a killing zone several miles deep as Russian and Ukrainian drone squads hidden behind the frontlines target each other's forces with aerial attacks. \"Back in 2022, we were still running around with machine guns from the tree lines,\" Denys says, almost with nostalgia.

time-read
4 mins  |
January 04, 2025
The Guardian

Profits at GB News owner's hedge fund plunge 64%

Profits at the hedge fund co-founded by the GB News and Spectator owner Sir Paul Marshall plunged by almost two-thirds last year, resulting in significantly reduced payouts for its partners.

time-read
1 min  |
January 04, 2025
Call to stick to tougher green targets amid record EV sales
The Guardian

Call to stick to tougher green targets amid record EV sales

Carmakers sold a record number of electric cars in the UK last year, prompting environmental groups to urge the government to stick to tougher green targets even as the industry argues they are unsustainable.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 04, 2025
Handbags and watches help take Thailand PM's declared worth to £322m
The Guardian

Handbags and watches help take Thailand PM's declared worth to £322m

Thailand's prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has declared £322m in assets, including a collection of 217 designer handbags and 75 luxury watches in submissions on her wealth to a government body.

time-read
1 min  |
January 04, 2025