A week in a swing state taught me a lot about the Maga cult, and gave me hope for Kamala Harris | Henry Porter

Barack Obama came out blazing in Pennsylvania with a moral indignation that may help turn tide against Donald Trump's lies

To attend a Trump rally in rural America makes you worry for humanity's future. After six hours in the baking sun watching 60,000-plus Trump supporters lap up his lies, I am here to tell you that there are few more lowering experiences to be had in modern politics.

But it isn't all we have, and there is much of a positive nature to report from the US, including an inspiring intervention from Barack Obama last week and the truth that the Democrat candidate for presidency, Kamala Harris, is conducting a very good campaign indeed. Given that she's had just three months to pick her running mate, coordinate strategy and key messaging, and confront a wretchedly divided nation, she's performing with grace and steadiness, while the campaign has united around building a coalition with disaffected Republicans and conservatives of conscience who were in Congress or the Trump administration.