A common adage you’ll hear in a variety of personal and professional contexts these days is that ‘the internet is not real life’. It operates by a different logic, the thinking goes, and the way people talk and conduct themselves online does not reflect reality.
It’s a resonant message in politics too. Globally, leaders constantly remind themselves that the preoccupations of social media do not necessarily cohere with real-life political priorities or voting intentions.
But it’s also a truism that seems to become less and less true with every passing day. Take today’s announcement that Kamala Harris had chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her vice-presidential candidate over the widely tipped Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
When Joe Biden first announced his intention to step aside from November’s election, Walz was not an obvious contender for the ticket, despite a record of solid legislative achievement in his home state. Indeed, he was scarcely mentioned at all.
