Reflecting on Political Trauma and Unity

This week, Semafor’s Dave Weigel joins Matt and Brian from Chicago to assess the Dem convention in Chicago:

* Is DNC’s treatment of credentialed journalists another sign that Democrats are consciously decoupling from the mainstream media?

* Are there any politically meaningful differences between how the convention is playing out on national television and how people are experiencing it in person?

* Can Harris get a polling bump out of the festivities, above and beyond the spike her post-launch campaign blitz generated?

Then, behind the paywall, Matt and Brian pick up where they left off last week in their debate over whether Harris has improved economic sentiment simply by restoring optimism to the anti-Trump coalition. What does the data suggest? Will she come to regret her policy rollout if it turns out public opinion about the economy is already on the mend? Can she appeal to skeptical voters without staking out views on issues like price controls or deficit reduction that could prove to be unnecessary?

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Further reading:

* Brian argues the Harris campaign is purpose built to reassmble the national anti-Trump majority.

* Matt argues this approach is too complacent.

* Dave on how Harris has driven third-party polling into the ground.