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It’s Tuesday, the traditional day for elections and for our pause-and-consider newsletter on politics and policy. We think of it as a mini-magazine in your inbox.
THE TWO VISIONS FOR AMERICA FROM TRUMP AND HARRIS
By Lisa Desjardins, @LisaDNews
Correspondent
We have been waiting. And it is time.
With fewer than 80 days until the election, let us turn to the main course of this election: the policies and visions of each candidate.
Tonight, Democrats meet for the second night of their convention, with the theme, “A Bold Vision for America’s Future.” This gave your Here’s the Deal team the starting point for our attempt at a graceful, coordinated, joyful dive into deeper waters of 2024.
What vision is each presidential ticket offering? We looked at the words, pledges and slogans each candidate is bringing.
Vice President Kamala Harris is focused on the future as a better place defined on its own, not beholden to any of the past, especially one that she sees as not good for all Americans. (“We aren’t going back!”) She presents the image of a former prosecutor on guard against threats to freedoms, which she says includes her opponent.
Former President Donald Trump’s vision is to return America to what he and his supporters see as better days from America’s past. (“Make America great again!”) He projects himself as a businessman whose instincts can save the country from the present — a dark place, according to his speeches, with many reasons for fear, including government itself.
These themes weave across their campaigns.
Harris’ core messages
Slogans:
Walk-up song: "Freedom” by Beyonce
Why Harris says she is running: Freedom, justice, opportunity.
Per her campaign website, Harris “is running for President of the United States to continue protecting our freedoms, delivering justice, and expanding opportunity so that every American can not just get by, but get ahead.”
Also: To build wealth and opportunity.
At her opening campaign rally in late July, Harris told a crowd in Atlanta, “We believe in a future where every person has the opportunity to build a business, to own a home, to build intergenerational wealth; a future with affordable health care, affordable childcare, paid leave. And all of this is to say: Building up the middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency. Because we here all know, when our middle class is strong, America is strong.”
What is the danger to the country now? Assaults on freedoms.
In that same speech, Harris said, “Across our nation, we are witnessing a full-on assault on hard-fought, hard-won freedoms and rights: the freedom to vote; the freedom to be safe from gun violence; the freedom to live without fear of bigotry and hate; the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride; the freedom to learn and acknowledge our true and full history; and the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do.”
How she frames herself: As a prosecutor and fighter.
The headline on her campaign biography page reads, “Kamala Harris devoted her career to fighting for the people.”
In Atlanta, she used this idea to launch a message about Trump as well. “I took on perpetrators of all kinds: predators who abused women; fraudsters who ripped off consumers; cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain. So, hear me when I say, I know Donald Trump’s type. I know the type. And I have been dealing with people like him my entire career.”
Trump’s core messages
Slogans:
- Make America Great Again
- Make America Greater Than Ever Before
- They’re not after me, they’re after you … I’m just standing in the way! (This currently tops his campaign website.)
Walk-up song: “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood
Why Trump says he is running: To end American decline.
The Trump campaign platform page links back to the current Republican Party platform, which he shaped.
It praises the American Revolution, victory in World War II and success against the Soviet Union in the Cold War. It then states, “But now we are a Nation in SERIOUS DECLINE. Our future, our identity, and our very way of life are under threat like never before. Today we must once again call upon the same American Spirit that led us to prevail through every challenge of the past if we are going to lead our Nation to a brighter future.”
Also: Greater American ambition, preserving heritage.
In his speech accepting the Republican nomination, Trump told delegates: “For too long, our nation has settled for too little. We settled for too little. We’ve given everything to other nations, to other people. … I am here tonight with the opposite message: Your expectations are not big enough. They’re not big enough. It is time to start expecting and demanding the best leadership in the world, leadership that is bold, dynamic, relentless and fearless. … We are Americans. Ambition is our heritage. Greatness is our birthright.”
What is the danger to the country now?: Threats to safety, conservative values and American position in the world.
In his convention speech, as well as in his rallies, Trump has laid out a litany of problems he says are threatening Americans. Those include inflation, crime, world conflict, undocumented immigrants and transgender women playing in women’s sports.
How he frames himself: As a businessman and success.
Trump does not have a biography page on his campaign website.
But his company, the Trump Organization, has this: “Donald J. Trump is the very definition of the American success story, continually setting the standards of excellence while expanding his interests in real estate, sports, and entertainment. He is the archetypal businessman — a deal maker without peer.”
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More on politics from our coverage:
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UNCOMMITTED WANT HARRIS TO TURN A NEW PAGE
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Watch the video in the player above.
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By Shrai Popat, @shraipopat
White House Producer
On the first day of the Democratic National Convention, the Uncommitted National Movement hosted its own event to make its cause loud and clear as party leaders and delegates descended on Chicago.
“We need a plan. We need to know how the killing will stop,” said Abbas Alawieh, one of Michigan’s two uncommitted delegates. “We need Vice President Harris to tell us how she plans to be different, how she would be different than Donald Trump on this issue.” |
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Abbas Alawieh, at the lectern, is one of about 30 delegates affiliated with the Uncommitted National Movement who are in Chicago for the DNC. Photo by Shrai Popat/PBS News
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Thirty-six delegates are pledged to be uncommitted at this year’s DNC, representing hundreds of thousands of voters across several states who cast a ballot in protest of the Biden administration’s handling of the war in Gaza. Thirty of those delegates are affiliated with the official movement.
Organizers said they want to see concrete policy change from Harris’ campaign. This includes a permanent cease-fire and an arms embargo on Israel. Outside, thousands of protesters protested the U.S. government’s support for Israel in the war. Inside, mentions of these concerns got much less attention.
Most speakers didn’t make direct mentions of Gaza during the first night of the convention. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez credited Harris for working to get a cease-fire in Gaza. Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock made a passing mention of Palestinian children in his remarks.
That changed when Biden took the stage. The president acknowledged the protesters outside the convention walls — some of whom had broken through security barricade — saying that they “had a point.” He also stressed the importance of brokering a hostage and cease-fire deal. During his speech, a number of uncommitted delegates, wearing “Not Another Bomb” badges, held their hands over their mouths in a silent protest, while other attendees unfurled a banner which read, “Stop Arming Israel.”
When Harris ascended to the top of the ticket, those who had been critical of Biden pointed to newfound hope. Dearborn mayor Abdullah Hammoud, whose community comprises one of the largest Arab and Muslim American populations in the country, told PBS News that “the door is cracked open” for Harris to address frustrations over the ongoing war. He also pointed to Harris’ empathetic language when speaking about the humanitarian plight of the Palestinians in the region.
Organizers have asked the Democratic National Committee to have a Palestinian American speaker on the convention’s main stage — a request they say is still outstanding. DNC organizers granted space for pro-Palestinian supporters to hold panels. These will not be televised.
At the DNC, organizers for the Uncommitted National Movement will host programming throughout the week to highlight Palestinian voices and engage other delegates.
Layla Elabed, an Uncommitted co-founder and the sister of Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian member of Congress, said Harris and Democrats run the risk of losing voters in the key battleground state of Michigan if they don’t offer a substantive change in policy.
“Our votes, and our rightful place in the Democratic Party, cannot be taken for granted,” Elabed said.
‘IT’S SO HARD TO TELL THIS STORY’
By Joshua Barajas, @Josh_Barrage
Senior Editor, Digital
There were sights and sounds that punctuated the dozens of speeches on Night 1 of the Democratic National Convention.
United Auto Workers union President Shawn Fain wore a red, “TRUMP IS A SCAB” shirt. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who appeared on stage in a wheelchair, gave a thumbs up while getting a standing ovation. NBA coach Steve Kerr told Donald Trump “night night,” mimicking Steph Curry’s signature gesture.
And Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow slammed an oversized copy of “Project 2025” onto the lectern. It landed with a heavy THUD!
Many of the night’s speeches fused into a common theme: Kamala Harris is “for the people.” Donald Trump is not.
One Texas congresswoman sought to go beyond Harris’ credentials. |
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Watch the clip in the player above.
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Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a former public defender and defense attorney, painted a portrait of Harris as someone who “sees the humanity in everyone.”
The lawmaker recounted a story from early in her congressional career, when the House was struggling to elect a speaker and she faced attacks from some Republicans on the House floor. During a visit to the vice president’s residence, while waiting for an official photo, Crockett, said the vice president turned to her and asked what was wrong.
“She saw right through me. She saw the distress,” said Crockett, who started to tear up before taking a beat. “And the most powerful woman in the world wiped my tears and listened."
After a short pause, she continued, "It's so hard to tell this story," then she shared how Harris comforted her in that moment.
Tonight, Democrats will focus on Harris and her vision for America. That will include tributes from former President Barack Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. Harris will get her own chance to address the nation Thursday as she accepts her party’s nomination.
How to watch the DNC |
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Watch PBS News’ special coverage of Night 2 of the DNC in the player above.
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Each day of the convention, PBS News will have special coverage gavel to gavel, with a continuous stream from the main floor. You can find those streams here daily.
Each evening, the News Hour broadcast will begin at 6 p.m. EDT from the anchor desk in Chicago.
Starting at 8 p.m. EDT, anchors Amna Nawaz and Geoff Bennett will host on-air special analysis with a group of panelists and special guests, including Judy Woodruff, News Hour special correspondent and former anchor and managing editor.
Correspondent Laura Barrón-López will report from the convention floor, talking to delegates and elected officials.
When special coverage ends each night around 11 p.m. EDT, digital video producer Deema Zein and Barrón-López will take your questions on major moments and takeaways.
Check your local listings to find the PBS station near you, or watch online here.
You can also follow the PBS News’ coverage on YouTube, X, Facebook and TikTok, and see highlights on our Instagram. |
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More on the DNC from our coverage:
- Watch: DNC delegates on what they see in a Harris-Walz ticket.
- Fact Check: Democrats issued multiple warnings about Project 2025 on the convention stage. PolitFact sifts through what the conservative plan does and does not do.
- A Rousing Tribute: Biden already said goodbye when he bowed out from the 2024 race. That didn’t stop the crowd from giving the president a more than four-minute-long ovation.
- ‘Keep Going’: A familiar refrain was the crux of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s marquee speech.
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Photo by Erica Dischino/Reuters
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By Joshua Barajas, @Josh_Barrage
Senior Editor, Digital
We’re in a catastrophe over an apostrophe.
Ever since the Harris-Walz ticket was formalized, the grammar nerds among us have been raising alarms over how to properly deploy an apostrophe for the possessive of singular proper names that end in S.
In other words, is it: Harris’ or Harris’s? With Walz, whose surname sounds like an S, the rabbit hole goes deeper.
And yes, there’s disagreement among news organizations. The Associated Press, whose style guide is a standard bearer among journalists, has longstanding apostrophe rules that clearly fall into one camp (Harris’).
The New York Times, among other newsrooms, feel differently. Merriam-Webster, the dictionary publisher, also weighed in. (For the record, PBS News follows AP’s guidance.)
The Harris campaign, judging by its own press releases the past few weeks, has bounced between both uses too. There’s still time to comma up with a plan.
Our question: There have been three U.S. presidents whose last names ended in S. Who was the most recent one?
Send your answers to [email protected] or tweet using #PoliticsTrivia. The first correct answers will earn a shout-out next week.
Last week, we asked: Who was the last vice president to cast zero tie-breaking votes in the Senate?
The answer: Joe Biden. He never cast a single tie vote as vice president in the Obama administration.
Congratulations to our winners: Michael Prahl and Richard Mixdorf!
Thank you all for reading and watching. We’ll drop into your inbox next week. |
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