In today’s newsletter, the power of “uncommitted” voters, and then:
Andrew Marantz
Staff writer
In February, ahead of the Democratic primary in Michigan, I spent a few days in and around Detroit, trailing some left-wing activists whose top priority was opposing the war in Gaza. They seemed to represent a constituency of about a hundred thousand likely voters—hardly a majority, but maybe, if the margins in November end up being as close as in recent elections, a big enough bloc to swing the state.
I ended up taking four reporting trips to Michigan this year, driving hundreds of miles across the state. I spent time in churches and synagogues, hookah lounges and union halls. I met liberals who believe that the Israeli military campaign in Gaza is necessary and just; social conservatives who view the same campaign as a genocide; loyal Democrats who had become disillusioned Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., fans; and other voters whose policy demands seem to defy categorization. A lot has changed since February, obviously—both President Joe Biden and Kennedy have dropped out, for a start—but, for many of these voters, the basic ballot conundrum remains the same. To some, it seems obvious that the worst thing that could happen to the Middle East would be another Donald Trump Presidency, and so they are committed to getting Kamala Harris elected. To others, it seems just as obvious that the Biden-Harris Administration is responsible for continuing to arm the Israelis, and so they are determined to punish the Democrats at the polls. Where will these voters ultimately land, and how much will it matter? Six weeks or so until we find out.
The Lede
The Case for Having Lots of Kids
Photograph by Stephen Simpson / Getty
In “Hannah’s Children,” an economist and mother of eight interviews highly educated women with large families—and examines the reasons for America’s declining fertility rate. The book has become “something of a cult classic among conservative wonks and policymakers.” Emma Green reports »
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“The next few days will bring the most beautiful fall weather, so that later, when a second summer emerges, you’ll be sure to be hopelessly overdressed.”
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