Some strategists will tell you that a good political campaign should have the same message at the beginning and at the end.

What you say at the beginning, we often tell our clients, you know, you should be able to air your launch video at the end of the campaign.

That was Doug Fornell, a longtime Democratic strategist and ad man.

So here's Joe Biden in April of last year kicking off his campaign.

But if we give Donald Trump eight years in the White House, he will forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation.

The character of this nation. Well, here's Biden in a closing ad last week.

The character is on the ballot, the character of the country.

And this is our opportunity to leave the dark angry politics the past four years behind us.

And on the other side, President Trump launched his reelection campaign talking about the strength of the economy.

And as long as you keep this team in place, we have a tremendous way to go.

Our future has never, ever looked brighter or sharper.

That was June of 2019.

And these days, he's campaigning on the promise of an economic comeback.

Next year will be the greatest economic year in the history of our country.

Of course, the whole notion of a closing message implies that there are still voters left to persuade.

And there may be some, but consider this.

In a year when so much has changed in the lives of so many Americans, this election has looked remarkably stable.

From NPR, I'm Ari Shapiro. It's Monday, November 2nd.

After months of campaigning, we are finally on the cusp of knowing what happens next in the White House and in the halls of Congress.

The NPR politics podcast will be there with you every day with the latest results and will tell you what you need to know in these uncertain times.

It's considered this from NPR.

So let's start last December.

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