‘The American people are looking for a new message’: behind Harris and Trump’s different campaign strategies

Victory might be decided by which of the quasi-incumbents can rebrand as a breath of fresh air in a weary nation

When Kamala Harris sat down for her first interview as the Democratic presidential nominee, she praised Joe Biden for his intelligence, commitment, judgment and disposition. But twice she used the phrase turn the page". And twice she used the phrase a new way forward".

This was no accident. US voters are yearning for a shift in direction, with two in three saying the next president should represent a major change from Joe Biden, according to a national poll conducted by the New York Times and Siena College. Yet in November they face a choice between two known quantities: Harris, the sitting vice-president, and Donald Trump, a former president with an inescapable four-year record.