Why did Cheney announce her support of Harris in a conversation in front of students, rather than from a podium at a national convention or in the calm and professional setting of a television studio? Maybe it was just a matter of timing and convenience. But she may also have thought it appropriate to say what she had to say in a context different from the normal venues politicians inhabit. She made the case against Trump and for Harris at a discussion about defending democracy. That’s not an accident. She was emphasizing that the 2024 election isn’t just politics as usual.