The Same Old Tired Shtick  —  The Harris-Walz barnstorming tour heads for the Sun Belt today, with rallies scheduled in Arizona and Nevada.  As Politico notes this morning, those events will provide an interesting test for “whether Walz's folksy, Midwestern brand can resonate beyond middle America.”

Harris Used to Worry About Laughing.  Now Joy Is Fueling Her Campaign.  —  Democrats are smiling again, and so is a vice president who once weighed the political risks of cheerfulness.  The high spirits are also providing air cover for scathing attacks on Republicans.

Is Donald Trump ‘quiet quitting’?  Here's what his ‘meltdown at Mar-a-Lago’ reveals  —  The first question during Donald Trump's “angry,” “rambling, incoherent, demented,” “complaining,” and “lie-filled” Thursday afternoon news conference from Mar-a-Lago was about campaign strategy, and would he be changing it.

GOP lawmaker questions Pentagon on Walz's military record  —  Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday expressing his “grave concern” with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's representation of his military service and demanding more information about the Democratic vice presidential nominee's record.