The waters around you have grown

It’s not only in the head-to-head polling — in many ways, the transformation in public perception about the presidential race has been remarkable:

Fascinating: Biden leaving the race has had a negative impact on perceptions of Trump’s health. An increasing percent of voters feel Trump isn’t in good health, isn’t mentally fit, and is too old to be president. pic.twitter.com/vnCzMWMrf6— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) August 5, 2024

And relatedly it’s now the Republican candidate doing notably fewer public events:

This is the campaign schedule of a tired, lazy man who thought he had the presidency locked down, and was trying to get a few more Senate seats.

Oops! https://t.co/3H3DmKC5ya— David Atkins (@DavidOAtkins) August 5, 2024

Was the ratio of press coverage about Biden’s age/diminished campaigning capacity and Trump’s before the former dropped out fair? It was not. But if there was no viable way of changing that narrative it that’s beside the point — they don’t retroactively award Electoral College votes based on the handicap posed by press coverage. With Harris as the Democratic candidate what was once the biggest problem for the Democratic chances of retaining the White House is now an asset.