Playbook: “In a briefing for reporters beforehand, Trump advisers argued that Harris’ recent good run was just a ‘honeymoon’ or ‘suspended reality’ and would end ‘in a few days.’ This line of thinking reminds us a little bit of the many times that Biden’s advisers told us that Trump’s lead in the polls was just temporary because voters weren’t paying attention and that once the race was joined, the numbers would shift. But we learned with Biden that this doesn’t just happen — the candidate matters. When Biden showed up at the CNN debate, his party realized he was incapable of making the case against Trump.”
“In terms of reach and impact, the Mar-a-Lago news conference was nothing like the debate. (How many people were watching basic cable at 2 p.m. on a Thursday in August during the Olympics?) But Trump’s lack of focus and his inability to mount a coherent case against Harris and Tim Walz reminded us a little of Biden’s communications breakdown, even if it wasn’t as bad.”
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