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In the Milwaukee suburbs on Monday night, Vice President Kamala Harris and former Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney teamed up to deliver impassioned speeches, aiming to sway moderate Republicans and undecided voters. Yet, despite their efforts, their messages appeared to resonate primarily with an already convinced audience.

The event, hosted under the banner "Country Over Party," saw both Harris and Cheney sharply criticize former President Donald Trump on multiple fronts, including his disrespect for the Constitution, rule of law, and his actions—or lack thereof—during the January 6 Capitol attack. Cheney, known for her steadfast opposition to Trump, stressed that Trump is "a man who's unfit to be the president of this good and honorable and great nation." However, these critiques seemed reminiscent of past debates and failed to introduce new arguments likely to sway undecided voters.

Harris, given an opportunity by moderator Charlie Sykes, a conservative-turned-anti-Trump commentator, struggled to present a forward-looking vision that might appeal to Republican-leaners wary of voting for a Democrat. Although she spoke about shared national values and bipartisanship as seen during her tenure on the Senate Intelligence Committee, her remarks lacked concrete policy proposals or a clear governing agenda that could reassure centrist voters.

An audience member, a self-identified lifelong Republican, reminisced about the bipartisan cooperation of former leaders like Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill and asked Harris and Cheney for tangible reasons to support them. Cheney responded by asserting that Trump is undeserving of American voters' trust, while Harris emphasized America's ambition and optimism but fell short of providing specific promises or policies.

Despite the challenges, Cheney praised Harris as a leader who would uphold the rule of law and act with integrity, stating, "We might not agree on every issue but she is somebody that you can trust and that our children can look up to."

Harris' campaign could benefit from more dynamic and future-oriented messaging, especially as she faces attack ads labeling her as a liberal due to her past positions. The joint appearances with Cheney in Milwaukee, suburban Philadelphia, and Detroit marked significant attempts to highlight bipartisan unity, yet they might not be enough to tip the scales in Harris' favor without clearer policy details and reassurances to those hesitant about a Democratic leadership.

In the final weeks of the race, the clock is ticking for Harris to broaden her appeal beyond Trump denunciations and capture the decisive swing votes crucial to her campaign’s success.