As a child, the Olympic Games were big—faster, higher, stronger. However, I’ve found myself increasingly bored with them in recent years. Other tournaments, such as the World Cup, have become bigger and brighter and taken their lunch, while the Games have faded. In its quest to remain relevant, the Olympics has introduced new sports like skateboarding and breakdancing. While I appreciate the skill involved in these events, are they sport? Objective competition is pure, its simple winners are determined by the fastest times, the longest jumps, or the most points scored.
These athletes are incredibly talented they deserve recognition for their skills. It’s just that the core of what makes the Olympics special—objective, measurable achievement—seems to be in opposition to these events. Aram Fisher put it well during our discussion: “I think it’s weird that they’ve taken a distinctly American art form and turned it into an Olympic competition.” when he spoke about Breakdancing, it’s a sentiment I share. The Olympics should be about who runs the fastest, jumps the highest, or lifts the most—things that can be measured and celebrated without debate. But let’s move from the subjective world of Olympic judging to something that, at least for now, seems a bit more clear-cut: the U.S. political landscape.
Objectively speaking, Kamala Harris has seen a significant surge in the polls, and that’s worth noting. As we edge closer to the 2024 election, Harris has managed to pull ahead in battleground states—places that could very well decide the outcome of the race. According to Logan Phillips, “Kamala Harris has taken the lead in the polling... the question is whether the electoral map will mirror 2020 or if we’re witnessing a fundamental shift.” This shift could mean that the Democrats have found a new pathway to the White House, one that doesn’t rely on the traditional strategies of the past.
Zee Cohen Sanchez highlighted another aspect of Harris’s rise: her appeal to younger voters. “Kamala Harris has become part of pop culture. That’s huge for young voters, but there’s still a fear—RFK could be the wild card,” Zee pointed out. It’s a reminder that while Harris’s surge is significant, the race is far from over, and unexpected factors could still come into play.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s campaign is showing signs of strain. Aram Fisher, in his typically sharp analysis, noted the chaos within Trump’s camp. “Trump is struggling to find his footing against Harris, and it’s showing in the polls and his campaign strategy,” Aram remarked. It’s clear that Trump is facing a tougher battle than he might have anticipated, and the coming weeks will be crucial.
Across the pond, the UK is grappling with the economic fallout of 14 years of Tory rule, and Labour, under Keir Starmer, is trying to steer the ship through economically tight times. However, the economic figures for June have shown a relatively strong recovery. Rishi Sunak’s decision to call an early election has been criticised as a strategic mistake, particularly as the UK’s economic indicators have started to improve. “Keir Starmer is lucky, but only because Rishi Sunak made the strategic blunder of calling an early election,” Corey pointed out.
It seems that Starmer’s honeymoon period is over. I speculated that this is because Starmer is the continuity Prime Minister when the country is crying out for a clear new direction. Olissa Jones didn’t mince words when she said, “The entire British political system is lacking credible, charismatic figures at this point in time—it’s like we’re tinkering around the edges.” It’s a harsh but fair assessment of where British politics stands today.
So, whether we’re talking about the declining star of the Olympics or the nature of subjective judging, the objective polling numbers in the U.S. presidential race, it’s clear that we’re in a period of flux—on both sides of the Atlantic.
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