Mission Accomplished — A “Boring” Interview
Author: Greg Valliere
August 30, 2024
LAST NIGHT’S CNN interview with the Democrats’ ticket elicited a one-word critique from Donald Trump — “BORING.” He was correct — and boring was exactly what the Democrats wanted.
THERE WERE some curious assertions from Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, but no huge gaffes that could dog the ticket until the next big event — the September 10 debate.
WE’LL GIVE HARRIS JUST A B MINUS, nothing higher because some of her answers were disingenuous and vague, reversing her previous stances on fracking, Medicare for all, and border security.
HARRIS IS SOUNDING more moderate on these issues than she did in 2020, and this could cost her support from activists. She even vowed to include a Republican in her Cabinet; neither Trump nor Joe Biden considered a member of the opposing party.
BOTH HARRIS AND TRUMP will say virtually anything to win Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes, so their previous stances — Harris on fracking, Trump on abortion — no longer apply.
TRUMP NOW FACES GROWING UNREST among anti-abortion activists who are threatening to sit out the election because he and JD Vance are sounding much more moderate on abortion. Trump is clearly flailing on the issue, unable to offer a concise stance.
EVERY NEWS OUTLET in the country will release their latest polls during this Labor Day weekend, and that will not be boring. These polls will set the table for the fall — and our sense is that the Harris momentum has leveled off, while Trump still faces headwinds from moderates.
HARRIS IS STILL THE SLIGHT FRONTRUNNER, but political pros aren’t focusing exclusively on the popular vote. They’re intently focused on the Electoral College, where both candidates have a plausible path to the presidency.
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