Every presidential election feels like the most important yet. This one, though, may actually rise to the label. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump offer visions of the future for the US that couldn’t be more different. Their campaigns have diverged widely in tone, style, and substance. Maybe the only thing they have in common, in fact, is the extent to which they’ve been documented online.
But while the memes and shares have in many ways defined the 2024 US presidential election, there’s a whole world of moments that have occurred outside of the viral limelight. At WIRED, we took a step back to look at the last months in moments, exploring places, scenes, and people that don’t always make the feeds. Below, we’re offering a different picture of an America that’s often at odds, and seldom offline.
Supporters of former US president Donald Trump are seen through a photo cutout as they arrive for a campaign rally at Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan, on November 1, 2024.Photograph: ROBERTO SCHMIDT/Getty Images