NewsNation Chief Washington Anchor and On Balance host Leland Vittert was a foreign correspondent for four years in Jerusalem. He gives you an early look at tonight’s 7 p.m. ET show. Subscribe to War Notes here.  

State of play: 

• 48 days to the election 
• Decision Desk HQ average: Kamala Harris +3.7, as of around noon ET today. Click here to see the latest numbers.
  • PredictIt betting odds: 57 to 46 in favor of Harris.

Harris’ Strategy Explained

Politico’s tweet about their own reporter’s interview of Vice President Kamala Harris said it all: “Harris’ formula for national media interviews: Don’t make news.”

This, of course, is true, and it’s the polar opposite of former President Donald Trump’s strategy. 

The difference is also in how the media covers both strategies:

• Harris and Walz’s comical answer to any economic question of “I grew up middle class” — or “we are gun owners” — is celebrated in coverage of Harris-Walz rather than strictly scrutinized as is every word uttered by Trump.
• Unpopular opinion: The media should cover Harris the way they cover Trump — not cover Trump the way they cover Harris. 

That’s the media’s fault … not hers. It’s the media’s job to get her (or any politician) offscript.

Watch tonight: Frank Sesno will discuss if or when the coverage of Harris will change or if much of the media will deem defeating Trump more important than their credibility. 

Be fair: Team Harris’ discipline is phenomenally impressive — we’ll show you some examples tonight at Mar-a-Lago that they should study.

The other side: During last night’s “town hall” — really a moderated rally with Sarah Huckabee Sanders babysitting Trump — Sanders hit Harris for not having biological children by saying Harris doesn’t have anyone to keep her humble.

• As if Trump’s biological kids keep him humble?!
• More importantly: Why? Just why? With 48 days until the election, what voter who was voting for Harris will now vote for Trump after hearing that?
• Team Trump and Republicans seem far more interested in winning the Twitter (X) war than winning the election! 

Cheap Conspiracy Theories

Republicans and the Biden administration appear hellbent on creating another JFK assassination theory. 

Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told reporters, “I am reaching the point of total outrage because the response from the Department of Homeland Security has been totally lacking. In fact, I think it’s tantamount to stonewalling in many respects. If necessary, I’ll certainly support a subpoena.”

• Thought bubble 💭: Trump supporters, not Trump himself, are leaning into the “questions” surrounding both assassination attempts — as if there is something nefarious within the Secret Service or Department of Homeland Security.
• Two things can be true
  • 1. Massive incompetence or complacency inside the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security
  • 2. There’s no conspiracy to withhold protective resources from Trump. 

Laura Ingraham last night leaned into the “questions” on Fox News. 

• It’s sad and dangerous. Watch tonight: Former acting secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf on what are the fair questions given the Secret Service and DHS keep playing hide the ball. 

Everything is Exploding!

Evidently the Israelis also placed explosives inside Hezbollah’s new two-way radios, so after all the pagers exploded, the radios started going off during funerals for those killed by the pagers. 

• We have witnessed without peer the single greatest intelligence, covert action operation in the history of warfare — nothing comes close. 
• Master class: Erick Erickson delivered perhaps the best write-up I have seen of the Israeli move.
  • It’s worth a read.

Watch tonight: We’ll show you how Israel is replacing America as the dominant force in the Middle East — it’s bad for America, but Israel has no choice. 

Why is Israel becoming so much more aggressive?

• Just watch Harris’ interview yesterday about putting pressure on the Jewish state.
  • We’ve said it for a year now — the more isolated and pressured Israel feels, the more aggressive they will become 
  • That fact is totally lost on the Biden administration and their supporters — people like David Ignatius, the Washington cocktail circuit’s favorite foreign policy thinker.
    • He writes, “An apparent masterstroke of Israeli sabotage could quash cease-fire talks in Gaza and spark a wider war.”
    • Please spare me. Ignatius, Blinken and Biden have been wrong about the Israel-Gaza war from the start.
      • It’s their singular focus on nonescalation that makes the Middle East far more dangerous. 
      • While Antony Blinken is stumbling around the Middle East trying to find a cease-fire for American political reasons, Israel keeps putting Iran in check. 

The United States keeps saying they didn’t know about the pager attack. That makes us look worse, not better. 

Slow clap: The New York Times finds the one person who criticizes the most ingenious and successful intel operation in the history of warfare … just so they can criticize Israel 

Georgia on My Mind

A new Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll shows Trump up three points in Georgia — that’s good news for Trump but even better news when you consider how the AJC poll undercounted Trump support in both 2016 and 2020. 

Yet Chris Cillizza headlined today, “Today is Kamala Harris’ best polling day of the campaign.”

Watch tonight: Cillizza joins for some tough questions on the Washington political class getting high on their own supply of Harris happiness — and who is really ahead?  

Must read: Cillizza went deep on the sudden shift left by young women. Click here to read.

• Is it a gender gap, marriage gap, education gap? 
• Will they actually vote and put Harris over the top? 

Tune into “On Balance with Leland Vittert” weeknights at 7/6C on NewsNation. Find your channel here. 

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of NewsNation.