Trump and Harris Can't Stop Talking; Maybe They Both Should

Kinda fascinated by the current debate over candidates talking to the press or not. So I Googled this.

Stage actor Ronald Reagan, Republican & two-time WH holder, gave by far the fewest interviews on record. And who ever knew one-time winner Calvin Coolidge (who also assumed office for two years upon the death of Warren Harding) was such a media darling!

Tonight, or last night, Donald Trump took to X Spaces with Elon Musk to chat for 2 hours. Aside from some technical difficulties, I don't think any earth-shattering comments were released or divulged. So far, there has been no discernible impact on prediction markets; Harris still ahead 52-46 in terms of odds.

Which begs the question: is talking more or saying less the winning strategy for the fall election? I'm not asking which choice should a candidate make based on free speech, transparency, policy views, and blah blah blah. I'm asking: which approach is currently winning? If you believe the polls or betting markets have any relevance whatsoever.

If you haven't figured this out yet, you're probably not paying too close attention. Or, alternatively, you might be Press Secretary or whatever the title this person goes by for #45.

I'm perfectly relaxed about all of these discussions. I don't get emotional about this at all but I sure do know other people do. And maybe voters will flip their minds and opinions on this. It wouldn't be the first time nor the last, most assuredly.

But right now campaigning by Teleprompter is getting the job done. Freewheeling Q&A's don't seem to be doing the trick. What's being said matters presumably as well; but tonight's thought piece is more on the style of delivery itself and not the content. Which matters. But in this case, it's less what you say than how and where you say it.

Politics comes to my homewown Chicago in a week. Won't that be something. The media landscape has changed a lot since the 1980s. Funny though: the more things change; the more they stay the same.