The Evening: Harris and Trump battle for the Midwest

Also, rain from Debby pounded the Carolinas.

View in browser|nytimes.com August 7, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Wednesday. Dueling campaigns in the Midwest Antiracism protests in Britain Plus, artistic swimming at the Olympics 🇺🇸 2024 The presidential election is 90 days away. Here's the latest from the campaign trail. In Eau Claire, Wis. Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press Harris and Trump battled for the Midwest The Harris and Trump campaigns made dueling appearances today in the same Upper Midwest cities, providing a split screen that emphasized the importance of the region in this year's election. Vice President Kamala Harris and her newly selected running mate, Tim Walz, held a packed rally this afternoon in Eau Claire, Wis., where they issued a full-throated appeal to rural America, promoting her economic policies and his Midwestern bona fides. Tonight, Harris and Walz will host another campaign event in Michigan. At the same time, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, Donald Trump's Midwestern man and running mate, held campaign events of his own in Eau Claire and Michigan. The rival campaigns even passed by each other at an airport. Harris picked Walz, the Minnesota governor, in part because she believed that his identity — a football coach and gun owner who speaks like a Midwesterner — would appeal to voters in states like Wisconsin and Michigan. "He sort of embodies the Midwest," Ernesto Londoño, my colleague based in Minnesota, said. "She clearly thinks that that's going to bring the kind of moderate, white working-class voters that the campaign needs." When we asked undecided voters how they felt about the Democratic ticket, several were still unsure. But Walz's extraordinarily ordinary life has helped energize Harris's base and generated tens of millions in donations. Here's what else to know: Trump has embraced new, sometimes novel tax cuts in an attempt to shore up support with major constituencies. In a Missouri House primary, Wesley Bell defeated Cori Bush, a prominent progressive incumbent. When a conspiracy theory about President Biden was proved wrong, those pushing it doubled-down or moved on. Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us, and we'll find the answers. Stay up to date: Live coverage | Poll tracker | The "Run-Up" podcast | On Politics newsletter Far-right groups called for further protests tonight. Pa Wire/Press Association, via Associated Press Britain braced for protests Thousands of police officers fanned out across Britain today amid fears that protests planned by far-right groups would descend into fresh violence after days of anti-immigrant riots. But at least as of early evening, large far-right protests had not materialized and only a handful of arrests had been made. Instead, thousands of antiracism protesters gathered in cities across the country, including Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool and London. Isle of Palms, S.C. Marco Bello/Reuters Rain from Debby pounded the Carolinas Parts of South Carolina were flooded today after receiving more than a foot of rain from Tropical Storm Debby. The storm is loitering off the coast but is forecast to come ashore again overnight. North Carolina looks to be the area of greatest concern tomorrow, forecasters said, before rain from Debby moves into the Mid-Atlantic and New England. The world's reefs are in the grips of the most widespread bleaching event on record. David Gray/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Extreme heat is threatening the Great Barrier Reef This generation will probably see the demise of the Great Barrier Reef unless humanity acts with far more urgency to rein in climate change, according to new research. The study found that ocean temperatures surrounding the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef system in the world, are at their highest in at least 400 years. The extreme heat causes the coral to bleach, meaning it loses the symbiotic algae it needs to survive. More top news Ukraine: Troops have crossed into Russia's western Kursk region and appeared to be advancing, in a major incursion onto Russian soil. Middle East: Several Arab countries are encouraging Iran to exercise restraint in responding to the assassination of Hamas's political leader in Tehran last week. Abortion: Planned Parenthood announced this week that its only Manhattan clinic would stop performing abortions after 20 weeks. Thailand: The Constitutional Court disbanded the country's most popular political party over charges that some of its proposals were an attempt to overthrow the monarchy. Health: Federal health officials urged doctors to address pain from the process of getting an IUD. Taylor Swift: Three of her concerts in Austria were canceled after officials arrested two men accused of plotting a terrorist attack. Space: NASA says problems with Boeing's Starliner may lead two astronauts to flying home on SpaceX in 2025. TIME TO UNWIND The Chinese team in Paris today. Adam Pretty/Getty Images The sport flipping, twisting and pushing for respect Being an artistic swimmer at the Olympics takes a dancer's grace, a gymnast's flexibility, a deep-sea diver's lung capacity — and a large packet of gelatin, dissolved in water and applied to the head like shellac. Today, China won the team event, while the U.S. came away with a silver medal. The event, previously known as synchronized swimming, is a flashy crowd-pleaser, and increasingly elaborate acrobatic lifts have made it much more physically demanding. But year after year, it has had to make the case, at least to the general public, that it is even a sport at all. For more: What to watch | Live updates | Medal count | Photo highlights | Olympics Briefing Sadness and Joy in "Inside Out 2." Disney/Pixar How 'Inside Out' changed therapy Olivia Carter, a school counselor, said that before 2015 she had tried out many different strategies to help her students understand how to communicate their feelings. But after Pixar released "Inside Out," all she had to ask was who had seen the movie. In the animated film, and its sequel "Inside Out 2," emotions like joy, sadness and anxiety operate a control panel inside a child's brain. Therapists we spoke to said that concept has been transformative by providing a common language for children and adults to discuss their emotions. "The Blair Witch Project" was marketed as a potentially true story when it came out in 1999. Illustration by Tala Safie Dinner table topics When reality became debatable: Twenty-five years ago, "The Blair Witch Project" compelled audiences to ask, "Was that real?" The question now permeates our modern era. Touch-screen dining: In his last essay as a restaurant critic, Pete Wells reflected on some of the ways the dining world has changed, and not for the better. The gamer and the psychiatrist: Did Dr. Alok Kanojia's livestreamed conversations with a troubled video game champion cross an ethical line? Getting fit: N.F.L. players have fallen in love with Pilates. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Armando Rafael for The New York Times Cook: Serve this zucchini scampi with crusty bread, or as a side dish to any summery meal. Watch: "The Imaginary" is one of the best children's movies to stream. Read: The novelist Peter Heller recommended his favorite books about Denver. Listen: Our critic made a playlist of songs with great guitar cues. Travel: Southern Sardinia is wild, beautiful and overlooked. Exercise: Trainers often say to "engage your core." Here's what that actually means. Dig: The right shovel can last a lifetime in the garden. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING The New York Times Meet the winners of a zillion blue ribbons It's peak state-fair season in America, when the spotlight hits concession stand foods like pecan pie on a stick and deep-fried ranch dressing (yes, that's a thing). But the real culinary action happens inside pavilions, where thousands of the best cake bakers, jam makers and vegetable canners compete for blue ribbons. The most dedicated competitors analyze categories, pick out the best produce and study how to impress judges. Year after year, they don't just take home a ribbon or two; they dominate. We talked to seven state-fair all-stars about how they do it. Have a victorious evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Kirsten Luce was our photo editor. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018