Vox Sentences - Kamala. Olympics. Twisters???

Hey readers,

This week felt like a year. Since Sunday, when Joe Biden stepped down from the presidential race, the Vox newsroom has mobilized to answer our audience’s biggest questions (and mine, too). 

In the US, it’s practically unheard of to enter an election with around 100 days to campaign. It’s hard to know whether Kamala Harris will garner enough momentum to convince voters in key swing states, like Ohio and Michigan. But reporter Ellen Ioanes made the smart comparison to European democracies, where campaigns are much shorter.

Normally, America’s campaign cycles are so long that candidates run the risk of voters becoming disengaged by the time Election Day rolls around, Ellen writes. I’ll be the first to admit: I was sleepwalking through the 2024 election up until … a month ago. While we can’t exactly compare apples to oranges, it’s smart to question why a compressed campaign has reenergized every party. 

It may be so Joever, but elections have never been so back. Here are some of my favorite Vox articles, pods, and videos in what I can only describe as the most chaotic July I’ve experienced.

—Izzie Ramirez, Deputy Editor, Future Perfect

You did it, Joe

The Today, Explained team went to the streets to ask everyday people how they felt about Biden’s exit from the 2024 race. It’s the podcast at its best: funny, honest, and sharp. Plus, political reporter Andrew Prokop joined to, uh, unburden the context of what has been.

Kamala Harris is the underdog 

Andrew’s been busy with the takes, too. But I’d actually describe this piece as a bucket of cold water: a reminder that, despite the general buzz around the election now, Harris still has a battle ahead of her. 

What Kamala Harris really thinks about Israel and Gaza

This is the last Harris piece I’ll recommend, I swear. The horrors in Gaza are atrocious, and there’s no denying that the US has played a role in what’s unfolding there. For many young voters, Joe Biden’s foreign policy strategy with Israel has been morally disappointing. How Harris defines her perspective on the issue will matter in separating her from Biden — and from Trump. 

There’s one perfect way to see Twisters

Now to the fun stuff: the movies. Culture reporter Kyndall Cunningham makes the case for 4DX showings, a.k.a. those screenings where you quite literally feel immersed in the movie. I know what I’m doing this weekend!

Inspired by the Olympics? You can become an athlete at any age.

Today also marks my favorite time of an election year: the coinciding summer Olympics. I’m usually moved to tears by the sheer feats of raw athleticism, but sometimes I totally think that “Yes, I could do that.” Guess what? I totally could, argues Even Better report Allie Volpe. The only thing I’m not doing is swimming in the Seine. (Check out this awesome Vox video about the very gross, stinky situation in Paris’s river, where competitors will swim.)

This email was sent to you. Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe. If you value Vox’s unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring contribution.

View our Privacy Notice and our Terms of Service.

Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036.
Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved.