Ronald Reagan famously benefited from the euphoria arising from American successes in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Could Harris profit from a similar vibe after Paris?
Not to the same extent, certainly; the 1984 Olympics uniquely were held at home during a period of rapid recovery after the Fed significantly reduced interest rates. But the ambience associated with the Olympics–Americans of all colors and creeds happily rooting for victorious athletes representing a united country–is inconsistent with Trump’s dystopian vision of the nation. Anything that persuades the undecided that America isn’t going to hell in a handbasket has to help at least a little bit.