Whatever happens next as Joe Biden prepares to govern America come January 20, his defeat of an incumbent president has one unique and extraordinary element: it was enabled by women.
Four women, in fact. In no particular order, they are as follows: Mr Biden's running mate Kamala Devi Harris; Georgia Democratic Party voting rights activist Stacey Abrams; Arizona senator John McCain's widow Cindy; and LaTosha Brown, co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund.
As the US and the wider world awaits the complete and certified result and a clear tabulation and breakdown of polling data, the broader trends among those who voted for Mr Biden are becoming apparent. According to political science professor Charles Stewart, founding director of MIT’s Election Data and Science Lab, women voted 56-43 for Mr Biden. Taylor Crumpton, who writes on music, pop culture and politics, added granular detail. “Black women saved Joe Biden,” she said. “Without our support, the President-elect would be preparing a powerful speech about how despite his defeat, the nation needs to stand together as a united people." Ms Crumpton went on to refer to the Biden ticket’s wins as “powered largely by the turnout in places like Detroit, Atlanta, Milwaukee and Philadelphia”.
Read More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
It’s a good point. Indeed, there was greater support for Mr Biden in certain demographic categories and in unexpected geographical areas, not least the reliably Republican state of Georgia. But it didn’t happen just by chance and it is four women who can justifiably be said to have been pivotal in helping Mr Biden secure the presidency.
First, to Ms Harris's candidacy. It had that rare quality, both symbolic and real significance. In picking her, Mr Biden made sure America would get its first woman vice-president in 244 years, or as the cliche goes, a heartbeat away from the presidency. As the daughter of immigrants, Ms Harris will become the first black and South Asian woman to ascend to the second-highest office in the land.
There is much to suggest that the presence of Ms Harris on the Democratic ticket did have a transformational effect, at least in terms of motivating a diverse coalition of suburban women voters of colour who saw themselves in her story.
Not only did Ms Harris appear with many high-profile black radio and digital media hosts throughout the socially distanced election campaign, popular singer-songwriter Alicia Keys released a widely watched video of her joining the vice-presidential candidate on the campaign trail in Arizona. Singer John Legend also spoke out for Ms Harris.
With her signature Chuck Taylor sneakers, propensity to dance as she stood at a lectern and the habit of bending down to speak to young girls at eye level as she campaigned, Ms Harris became a political presence in her own right. Ms Harris’s facial expressions – from congressional hearings during her four years as a California senator – were made into memes and printed on T-shirts. Sonia Sanchez, a highly regarded poet once prominent in the Black Arts Movement and who knew and was influenced by slain civil rights activist Malcolm X, has said that Ms Harris’s candidacy made her feel “a breath, the possibility of progress and of teaching us the real idea of democracy”.
That's true but the nuts and bolts of the real idea of democracy was arguably fit together by a lower-profile figure. Until now, Ms Abrams has been known mainly to political junkies, policy wonks and politically engaged black celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Legend. But the 46-year-old Yale law school graduate, former minority delegation leader of the Georgia state legislature and 2018 gubernatorial candidate is being hailed as one of the chief architects of Mr Biden's victory. She is seen as the reason that Georgia, which has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in three decades, may now go for Mr Biden. As of Sunday morning, the Democrat was leading Donald Trump in Georgia by more than 7,000 votes with 98 per cent of the intake counted.
How Ms Abrams managed this feat is set to become popular lore and possibly a case study for political science researchers. From 2013, Ms Abrams has been committed to her New Georgia Project, which worked consistently to find new voters, register and inform them about the power of their voice and finally, turn them out to cast their ballots. From 2018, within a fortnight of her wafer-thin loss in the election for Georgia governor, allegedly because her Republican opponent played dirty, Ms Abrams became one of the country's preeminent voting rights activists. She created a non-profit called Fair Fight, which ramped up efforts to combat voter suppression – mainly of African-Americans – and increase participation. As a result, it's estimated that more than 800,000 new people registered to vote in Georgia since 2018. Roughly 45 per cent of the new voters are under the age of 30 and 49 per cent are people of colour, with a surge in Latino, Asian American, and Pacific Islander turnout.
So too Ms Brown’s Black Voters Matter Fund. The organisation was born out of Ms Brown’s disappointment over her own 1998 local election loss in Alabama. When she realised it was an example of voter suppression, she decided to tackle the issue. Ms Brown, who now lives in Atlanta, Georgia, has been working in the state, as well as in Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Alabama and Mississippi to ensure that black communities are registered to vote and aware of the need to exercise it.
Ms McCain is the fourth woman who played a part in Mr Biden’s victory. Arizona, which her late husband represented in the Senate as a Republican for more than three decades, may be flipping to the Democratic column. The state has a long political history of voting Republican but Mr Biden remained in the lead there as of Sunday morning. It may not have happened without Ms McCain’s gentle but insistent championing of Mr Biden as the candidate her husband would view as "what's best for our country…a president for all people, not just Democrats".
The grieving widow's move came in the aftermath of bitter clashes between her husband and Mr Trump, who mocked the senator, a war hero, for being taken captive and tortured during the Vietnam War. Arizona's possible turn to the Democrat column has prompted some jocularity with a former McCain aide joking that a Biden win in the state could almost be the work of the senator's "ghost".
Seriously though, this may be one of the first US elections that the presidency was emphatically determined by women’s imagination, initiative and indefatigable energy.
Rashmee Roshan Lall is a columnist for The National
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The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
0-100kmh 2.3 seconds
0-200kmh 5.5 seconds
0-300kmh 11.6 seconds
Power: 1500hp
Torque: 1600Nm
Price: Dh13,400,000
On sale: now
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,000mm, Winners: Mumayaza, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winners: Sharkh, Pat Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep - Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup - Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nibras Passion, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ismail Mohammed
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Directed by: Michael Fimognari
Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo
Two stars
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
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In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein
By Fiona Sampson
Profile
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The team
Videographer: Jear Velasquez
Photography: Romeo Perez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Models: Meti and Clinton at MMG
Video assistant: Zanong Maget
Social media: Fatima Al Mahmoud
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
Stoke City v Tottenham
Brentford v Newcastle United
Arsenal v Manchester City
Everton v Manchester United
All ties are to be played the week commencing December 21.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
T20 World Cup Qualifier A, Muscat
Friday, February 18: 10am - Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm - Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am - Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm - UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am - Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm - Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm – semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm – final
UAE squad: Ahmed Raza (captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 258hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.1L/100km
Price: from Dh362,500
On sale: now
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
