Kamala Harris mopped the floor with Donald Trump.

From the instant she strode to his podium for that unexpected handshake, Harris commanded the stage. That audacious move wasn’t mere theatrics—it was a power play that left Trump visibly shaken.

Trump, caught flat-footed, never regained his balance. It was a masterful opening salvo in what became a relentless 90-minute assault.

On abortion rights, Harris was ruthless. She attacked Trump’s support for Florida’s extreme six-week ban, exposing how dangerously out of touch he is with the American mainstream.

She branded him the architect of an all-out war on women’s autonomy, tying his Supreme Court picks directly to Roe’s demise.

Trump’s fumbling defense only cemented the image of a man hopelessly behind the times, flailing against the tide of public opinion.

When it came to defending democracy, Harris was equally harsh. Trump’s attempts to downplay January 6th as an overzealous protest sparked by Nancy Pelosi (?) were as unhinged as the man.

Harris painted a searing picture of Trump as nothing short of an existential threat to American democracy, while positioning herself as its last line of defense.

Harris wasn’t perfect. On the economy, she stumbled. Inflation is still a key issue, and her answers lacked the personal connection many voters crave. She spoke in policy terms instead of directly addressing the financial struggles Americans are facing.

Trump, ever the populist, took advantage of this weakness to push his narrative. Harris will need to tighten up her message on the economy moving forward

But on the issues that mattered most—equal rights, body autonomy, respecting the democratic process—Harris crushed him. She framed herself as the protector of rights and the Constitution, while Trump struggled with claims he tried — and tries still — to bring them down.

And, finally, Americans got to see a face other than that of a doddering white man on a presidential debate stage.

What a difference a month makes.

The Democrats have wrapped up their convention, and the ticket is set. Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz have their work cut out for them. They’re facing a divided nation, and the path ahead is rough. There’s no room for wasted breath or wasted time.

Here are five things they must do now:

1. Speak Plainly and Truthfully
People are tired of polished speeches. They want the truth, even when it hurts. Harris and Walz need to talk straight about the state of the country.

Don’t sugarcoat it. America’s in a mess, and everyone knows it. Acknowledge it, and then lay out a clear plan to fix it.

They need specifics: raise the minimum wage, support unions, and implement a fair tax code. Expand the Affordable Care Act with a public option. Cap prescription drug prices. People need concrete solutions.

2. Show Up in the Places That Hurt
It’s easy to visit the cities where the votes are guaranteed. But Harris and Walz need to go where the pain is real. They need to stand in the rusted-out towns, the farms that have seen better days, the places that have been forgotten.

When they’re there, they need to offer solutions: invest in infrastructure, support broadband expansion, and provide grants to small businesses. They need to deliver real improvements. These communities have felt left behind for too long.

3. Focus on the Future, Not Just Trump
Everyone knows the mess Donald Trump made. Harris and Walz don’t need to keep telling us. What we need to hear is what they’re going to do next.

Focus on climate change with a Green New Deal. Create millions of jobs in clean energy. Push for universal pre-K, free community college, and student loan forgiveness. On immigration, outline a path to citizenship. Secure the border humanely. The future is about building, not just undoing the past.

4. Embrace the Working Class
The Democratic Party has lost touch with the working man and woman. Harris and Walz need to change that. Talk about jobs, wages, and dignity.

Show they understand the struggles of working hard and still barely getting by. Policies like job retraining, apprenticeships, and strengthening Social Security will resonate. Protect Medicare and pensions. The working class needs to feel like the Democrats are in their corner again.

5. Lead with Decency and Strength
The country needs leaders who can be strong without being cruel. Harris and Walz need to show they are those leaders.

Be tough when it matters, but never lose sight of humanity. Push for criminal justice reform. End mass incarceration. Hire minority cops. Mandate body cams nationwide. Rebuild alliances through diplomacy. Keep a strong military as a deterrent. Decency and strength must go hand in hand if they want to earn trust.

These things aren’t a guarantee of victory. Nothing is in politics. But if Kamala Harris and Tim Walz can do them, they’ll have done what’s necessary.

And in times like these, necessary is all anyone can ask for.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dropped out of the race. Finally. Good riddance.

It’s about time we put an end to this farce. Here was a man who had every opportunity to carry on the Kennedy legacy, to stand for something meaningful, to be a voice of reason in a world full of noise.

Instead, he turned into a walking conspiracy theory, a symbol of what happens when privilege collides with paranoia.

At first, it seemed like maybe, just maybe, he’d be a voice for reason and change. But then he went off the conspiracy deep end, swapping the legacy of courage and progress for the dubious honor of being the poster child for every nutjob with a Wi-Fi connection.

And now? Now he’s out. The guy who could’ve used his name for something good ended up using it to chase shadows and stir up fear.

It’s almost tragic, really. The Kennedy name used to mean something—a fight for justice, a push for progress. But Robert F. Kennedy Jr. managed to drag it through mud. This is the guy who:

This is the guy who:

• Claimed that vaccines cause autism, despite overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary.
• Promoted the idea that 5G technology is part of a massive government conspiracy to control the population.
• Echoes conspiracy theories about fluoridated water.
• Expressed support for the notion that the COVID-19 pandemic was deliberately planned by global elites to exert control over the population.
• Floated the idea that Bill Gates and other billionaires are using vaccines to implant microchips in people to track them.
• Claimed that the CIA was involved in the assassination of his father, Robert F. Kennedy, without substantial evidence.
• Suggested that HIV does not cause AIDS, aligning himself with discredited theories that have been widely debunked.

So now we’re down to Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Pundits are already claiming that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s exit might help Trump, but you know what? That’s okay. Sometimes it’s best to keep the lucid and the loony on opposite sides of the fence.

And maybe we can focus on a real election, one where the stakes are high, and the choices actually matter. His departure could very well shift the dynamics, but at least it’s a shift toward clarity. And choice.