The Final Showdown as Harris and Trump Campaigns Battle for the Future of America

In what is shaping up to be the closest presidential election since 1960 when Democrat John F. Kennedy bested Republican Richard M. Nixon, both the Harris and Trump campaigns need to hammer away at key points in the remaining days leading up to Election Day on Nov. 5.

What seems to be winning messages for both sides?  We asked some seasoned political observers.

"For the Harris campaign, I would cite three key points," says Richard Greb, retired journalist who has previously reported for Reuters, the Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune.

"One is her effort to create an opportunity economy while criticizing Trump for offering tax cuts for the rich; the threat he poses to our individual freedoms here at home; and the concern that he will undermine US interests abroad while weakening NATO and cozying up to dictators like Putin."

Greb emphasizes that in order for these messages to work for Harris, they must be transparent, honest and consistent.

According to John Dempsey, longtime news director at Chicago's WLS-AM, the best strategy for former President Trump is to continue to tie Vice President Harris to President Biden's economic performance, since polls consistently show that the top concerns for voters are the economy and the cost of living.   

"Harris should continue to try and sharpen her economic message that she would be better for the middle class than Trump and should also continue to attack the former President on the subject of abortion, which polls show is one of her strongest issues," Dempsey says.

He points out that Trump also polls strongly on which candidate would better secure the southern border so he is expected to continue that line of attack, while Harris should also continue her strategy of painting herself as the candidate of change, arguing that Trump represents the politics of the past.   

"The Harris-Walz theme of "let's move forward and not go back" appears to be resonating with the American public so I would urge that be a staple of their messaging in the final weeks," Dempsey observes.

Noting that his Republican allies have repeatedly urged Trump to eschew personal attacks and stick to policy, Greb maintains that the GOP nominee appears incapable of heeding their advice.

"Trump is too undisciplined and unfocused to avoid name calling and insults," he says.  "It is so much of who he is."  

Greb urges the Harris campaign to turn that to their advantage by constantly asking the question, "Do you want this man who has repeatedly delivered incoherent and rambling speeches at his rallies to have access to the nuclear codes?"

Ernest Wiggins, an independent scholar and professor emeritus at the University of South Carolina's School of Journalism, agrees that the former president is incapable of staying on message and delivering thoughtful policy ideas.

"Trump appears to be uneducable in this regard," Wiggins maintains.  "Advice regarding staying on message assumes the candidate cares about that. I'm convinced he does not. With a record of being undisciplined and incurious about the workings of government, I don't know what his advisers can do to school him. They'll continue to offer the working media explainers and clarifiers after his missteps."

Wiggins believes that a winning strategy for Harris would be to point to the marked home front successes of the previous four years under Biden / Harris, including legislative achievements like the Chips Act, Infrastructure Bill and Inflation Reduction Act.

"While at the same time, she needs to keep reminding voters about the ineffectiveness of the Trump years as it relates to the same measures -- employment, the deficit and taxes."

Greb, Dempsey and Wiggins all maintain that the vice president should cite as part of her messaging the endorsements she has received from dozens of Trump cabinet and staff members as well as prominent Republicans like Dick and Liz Cheney.

When asked about a possible endorsement from the most prominent Republican of all, former President George W. Bush, Greb smiles that such an endorsement would be a real "October surprise!"

Another key message from the Harris-Walz team, according to all three observers, is their professional and personal stability and integrity while emphasizing over and over again, Trump's criminal indictments and the fact that he is a convicted felon. 

"It is really mind boggling that for the first time in our history, one of the two major presidential nominees is a convicted felon and is running in effect to stay out of prison," Dempsey maintains.

Democrats at their national convention and since have hit on Project 2025, a 900 page proposal put together by the conservative Heritage Foundation to serve as a blueprint for Trump's second term should he be re-elected.

"Instead of hammering away at the document itself, Harris and Walz need to step up attacks on specific components like further curbing of abortion rights; abolishing the Department of Education and Head Start; and replacing federal workers with Trump loyalists," Greb maintains, noting that all these proposals are immensely unpopular with the American public.

In the wake of the two attempts on his life, Trump has accused without evidence that Democrats' rhetoric that he is a threat to democracy has incited his would be assassins.

When asked if Harris and Walz should cease making that assertion, Wiggins says no.

"One of the things that has hobbled others is handling Trump's accusations and bogus claims," he maintains. "I think the media have too often dealt with them as credible charges simply because he made them."

Wiggins points out that Harris has expressed concerns about and condemned political violence and will no doubt continue to do so and push for smart gun control legislation. She has been clear on these. 

"Diluting her message about Trump's danger to democracy -- even as he continues to challenge the legitimacy of the election -- would undercut Harris's position and might suggest her claims about the danger he poses were just chatter or politicking," he says.

When asked about the role campaign surrogates should play in delivering messages, as evidenced by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a staunch Trump supporter, who ridiculing Harris recently over her not having children of her own, a comment which offended many independent women, Wiggins responds:

"If one thing is apparent, Trump's campaign is not disciplined," he maintains.  "The rancorous tone may be a common trait among his supporters, but they don't appear to be unified in message. This is undoubtedly reflective of the candidate's own lack of discipline in managing his communications. He's impulsive and unpredictable -- except in his impulsiveness!"