Tressie McMillan Cottom on Why Trump Is Struggling to Box Harris In

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By Tressie McMillan Cottom

Produced by Vishakha Darbha

Should voters care about Kamala Harris’s identity? In this audio essay, the sociologist and Times Opinion columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom argues that while we shouldn’t ignore the unprecedented nature of Ms. Harris’s campaign, Democrats need to balance that newness against the electorate’s desire to return to a time of political normalcy.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication in the audio player above.)

Credit…Illustration by The New York Times; photograph by Andrew Harnik/Getty

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This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Annie-Rose Strasser. Mixing by Pat McCusker. Original music by Pat McCusker, Isaac Jones and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

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