The blue team is feeling much better with Harris as the nominee; she brings hope and energy where none existed before. That’s good, but partisan enthusiasm alone won’t win in November. After all, the red team feels the same way about their guy.
This election will be decided by a handful of undecided voters in a few swing states. To some extent, they will be swayed by the state of the economy in November; Harris has little control over that. The other critical factor will be whether Harris can prove she is the only candidate in the race who is fit to be president. That is an issue over which she does, in fact, have considerable say.
Job 1 for Harris is to make the election a referendum on Trump’s fitness, not on the Biden economy. She can do that by choosing a good running mate, by sounding firm and competent on the stump, by taking reasonable positions on matters of policy, and by pointing out the implications of the Trump agenda for average people. The rest is up to Trump. If history is any guide–including the events of the last week or so–he’s more than ready to destroy himself in the eyes of moderates.
The perceptive reader will see that there are two notable absences from Job 1. It is not necessary for Harris to put forth a detailed and compelling vision for the future, and focusing on Trump’s criminal past is a waste of time and energy. The first is too divisive to attract swing voters, and the second simply emphasizes the obvious.