The scope and scale of Vice President Harris' influence in the Biden administration has become one of the most important and disputed questions of the campaign, Axios' Zachary Basu writes.

• Why it matters: In the next three months, hundreds of millions will be spent defining a role Harris has held for nearly four years. Whether she inherits President Biden's political baggage could determine who wins in November.

🖼️ The big picture: Harris' unorthodox campaign pitch — a quasi-incumbent pledging to turn the page to a new generation of leadership — presents messaging challenges on both sides.

• The Harris campaign is walking a tightrope, aiming to amplify the VP's role in Biden's biggest accomplishments, while keeping his vulnerabilities at arm's length.
• The Trump campaign is publicly attacking Harris as the "co-pilot" to Biden's "failed" presidency — but privately acknowledging that her candidacy has scrambled the race.

Zoom in: There's little doubt the 59-year-old Harris has vanquished the Democratic Party's biggest political headache — Biden's age and acuity.

• "The bad news is that Kamala Harris does not have the same baggage as Joe Biden," Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), Donald Trump's running mate, said on a private call with donors last weekend.
• "Kamala is a lot younger. And Kamala Harris is obviously not struggling in the same ways that Joe Biden did," Vance acknowledged, calling Biden's withdrawal from the race a "political sucker punch."

🥊 Reality check: Republicans still see opportunities to go on offense.

• On Biden's age: "Kamala was in on it. She covered up Joe's obvious mental decline," MAGA Inc., the main Trump super PAC, alleged in a $3.5 million swing-state ad last week, according to AdImpact.
• On the border: The Trump campaign sees illegal immigration as baggage Harris can't escape — and is pouring $12 million into TV and digital ads on the issue over the next two weeks.

🔭 Zoom out: On the economy, however, there are early indications Harris won't be saddled with the same dismal polling that frustrated Biden for much of his presidency.

• A Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll of voters in seven swing states found Trump leading Harris by five points on inflation, down from a 13-point edge over Biden early this month.

On issues particularly salient to young voters, Harris has drawn some distance — at least rhetorically — from Biden.

• On the war in Gaza, for example, Harris vowed to "not be silent" about Palestinian suffering after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — angering Israeli officials.

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Hamas' top political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran early this morning, Axios' Barak Ravid writes.

• The group blamed an Israeli airstrike on a house in Tehran.

Why it matters: Haniyeh is the most senior Hamas leader killed since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

• Haniyeh, who had been based in Qatar, was in charge of Hamas' international relations, and played a key role in the negotiations for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.
• Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani of Qatar, which is mediating the talks, tweeted: "How can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on other side?"

🌐 The big picture: The assassination "threatens to engulf the region in further conflict," the N.Y. Times notes.

The last 24 hours have been devastating to the pro-Iranian proxies in the region:

• First Israel killed Hezbollah's top military commander in Beirut.
• U.S. forces bombed a pro-Iranian militia's base in Iraq.
• This strike in Iran — most likely conducted by Israel — killed one of Hamas' most senior leaders.

Between the lines: Haniyeh had been visiting Iran in recent days for the inauguration of new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

• He met yesterday with both Pezeshkian and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

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The Harris campaign is pressing Wall Street donors to cut checks as soon as possible, citing a financial rule that bars contributions to tickets featuring a sitting governor, Axios' Hans Nichols writes.

• Why it matters: The urgency of the requests has led some donors to conclude Vice President Harris plans to pick a governor — not a senator, like Mark Kelly of Arizona — to be her running mate.

If the campaign signals are being correctly interpreted, that would narrow the veepstakes to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

• Kelly is the only senator currently seen as a front-runner.

💰 How it works: The SEC has a strict rule for some employees at financial services firms regulating their donations to campaigns for state office, like a governor's race.

• The rules apply to a federal race when a state official, like a governor, is seeking federal office.

⏰ What we're watching: Harris will hold her first rally with her running mate on Tuesday in Philadelphia, suggesting she'll make her pick in the next six days.

• The campaign announced that Philly will kick off a tour of the seven battleground states next week, with stops in western Wisconsin; Detroit; Raleigh. N.C.; Savannah, Ga.; Phoenix and Vegas.

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Vice President Harris — speaking yesterday at the most raucous Democratic rally this election cycle — challenged former President Trump to commit to a debate:

"So he won't debate me, but he and his running mate have a lot to say about me. ... Well Donald, I do hope you'll reconsider to meet me on the debate stage. Because as the saying goes, 'If you've got something to say, say it to my face.'"

Trump told Fox News on Monday that he'd "probably" debate Harris, but "can also make a case for not doing it."

• He had previously suggested the existing Sept. 10 ABC News debate be moved to a different network.

The Atlanta supporters danced to a live performance by Megan Thee Stallion and a campaign soundtrack that included Whitney Houston, Justin Timberlake and Kool and the Gang, Axios' Thomas Wheatley writes.

• The crowd — overwhelmingly young and mostly people of color — was Harris' largest since launching her presidential bid, campaign officials told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Trump will hold a rally in the same arena on Saturday.

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For more than a week, former President Trump has been trying to break into the news cycle dominated by Vice President Harris, Axios' Sophia Cai and Delano Massey write.

• This afternoon, he'll have a chance at the largest gathering of journalists of color in the country.

Why it matters: By appearing at the huge National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago, he's positioning himself in front of local, national and Black media outlets and, potentially, their audiences.

• The NABJ didn't accept Harris' offer to speak virtually, so she won't attend.

Earlier coverage: Trump at NABJ divides journalists.

A major talent shakeup announced yesterday at CBS represents broader challenges hitting the TV news industry during a historic election, Axios' Sara Fischer writes.

• Longtime CBS anchor Norah O'Donnell announced yesterday she's stepping down as anchor of the "CBS Evening News" for a new role conducting major interviews and leading editorial packages across the network's shows and streaming platforms.
• "I don't need to tell you what a transformative time our business is facing. I see this as an opportunity," she said in a note to staff.

Zoom out: Networks are eager to work out deals for TV talent who can draw eyeballs, regardless of the platform.

• Rachel Maddow, MSNBC's highest-rated anchor, signed a major deal last year to reduce her weekday prime-time hosting duties while she worked on other projects that can be accessed across NBC News platforms.
• Sean Hannity, Shannon Bream and other Fox News anchors have separate series on the network's streaming service, Fox Nation.

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Mania for Din Tai Fung — a Taiwanese restaurant chain famous for soup dumplings — has hit Manhattan, Axios' Felix Salmon, Danielle Alberti and Sarah Grillo write.

• Why it matters: Axios Markets set out to create an index measuring how much purchasing power New Yorkers have compared to their global counterparts ... using soup dumplings.

The restaurant's legendary xiao long bao cost more in NYC ($18.50 for 10) than in any of its other 170 locations except for London.

• That hasn't stopped the new Manhattan location from being solidly booked out.

🖼️ The big picture: Axios' index is a spin on The Economist's Big Mac index, which has been going since 1986.

• In both cases, Taiwan and Malaysia serve up the cheapest meals.

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Simone Biles — pictured mid-flight during her beam routine yesterday — helped the U.S. win the women's team event and cemented her legacy as the greatest American gymnast. Keep reading.

🍿 What to watch today: Men's all-around gymnastics final (11:30 a.m. ET) ... Swimming finals continue, including Katie Ledecky's signature event (2:15 p.m. ET) ... U.S. men's basketball vs. South Sudan (2:45 p.m. ET).

• Full NBC schedule.