Interesting to me that news broke right when this great analysis came out that Joe Biden planned to travel to swing states in the coming weeks. More interesting to me: the Biden-Harris campaign chose not to nip on the heels of Trump traveling to Kenosha, Wisconsin, but instead plans to start in Michigan and Pennyslvania (sounds like Wisconsin will be later). To me, that's a smart way to emphasize that, as president, Joe Biden doesn't need to be at the center of mayhem to be effective and strong; rather, he wants to go out and prevent the mayhem from occurring in the first place through good policy and leadership.
This insight is exactly what I needed to hear. None of what he is doing and how we are reacting makes sense. My only question is where is Joe? Unfortunately I feel like he needs to risk his life by being in public to be seen.
Brilliant - it does appear the right wing takes this approach "he may be an a$## but he is ours and we need a bully in the world." Then they try to say nothing could have been done about the sars-Cov2 virus, and when shown what was done with Ebola or H1N1 w/ Obama they suddenly become experts. Alas, thank you for the insightful newsletter and great podcasts
On the one hand, this makes sense. But I am concerned that it's letting Trump define the terms of the election. He has a narrow definition of strength. He wants to cultivate fear of violence and define strength by who can best quell it. If those are the terms of the election, it's his best chance of winning--he can stoke violence and chaos, and then send in his goon squads and militias to make him look strong. Biden can't compete in that space. Already public support for BLM has dropped significantly in the past month.
But voters have other fears, most notably economic insecurity. And they are looking for someone strong enough to solve those problems. This is Trump's kryptonite. Health care? His administration will be arguing before SCOTUS the week after the election that the ACA is unconstitutional. Social Security? Defunding it via the payroll tax. Hello??? These are killer issues that he has handed to Dems on a silver platter. These will resonate wherever swing voters live. Health care gave us the House in 2018. It's still potent. It would be criminal negligence for the campaign walk away from it.
I was alarmed that I heard little to nothing about health care and SS during the convention. Reading your post on the convention messaging, I get that it was about getting to know Joe. To win, that's not going to be enough. On Trump' s character, on Covid19, public opinion is already baked in. Remember 2016 when we thought "when they go low, we go high" would do it? "Joe's empathetic" is the equivalent. Necessary but not sufficient.
I say go for the jugular on SS + health care. Framed properly, these aren't distractions, they're a competing definition of strength where Trump has demonstrably failed. The violence/strongman act is Trump's distraction and he will do everything he can to keep it that way.
Dan, I know you're like 50 different kinds of busy, but I think it's time to pin a different post to the top of the site. I share your schadenfreude, what with the crushed hat in hand, the undone tie, the slumped shoulders, and the melted face, but I'm beginning to dread clicking this bookmark because it always shows me this fucking guy. I think it's time for a Biden/Harris/competence/hope-themed pin.
Thanks for listening, and of course for the work you continue to do. Cheers!
Thank you for your articulate, clear-headed, insights and recommendations. They form an actionable path into and through the morass that is social media, muddled ethics, lies, and double-talk. Thank you also for the great good humor that informs every piece you write or speak. Thank goodness for this. Your two books have become my go-to, bible, what-have-you, of political communications and upright living in the COVID-19 trumpist world. Gratefully, a nurse, former teacher, artist, and activist who lives in KY. Yup, the soon to be former land o'Mitch and home base for Amy McGrath.
Dan- i love this piece. How can Democrats communicate more effectively to the electorate that Trump is trying to "surf their anxiety into a second term?" To me, that strategy is so disingenuous and should incite voters. Also, you consulting with the Biden camp?
Can we copy and paste your talking points if we cite you? Your description of why and how trump is weak is spot on. Also, if the active military thinks Biden is a better leader, well...
Interesting to me that news broke right when this great analysis came out that Joe Biden planned to travel to swing states in the coming weeks. More interesting to me: the Biden-Harris campaign chose not to nip on the heels of Trump traveling to Kenosha, Wisconsin, but instead plans to start in Michigan and Pennyslvania (sounds like Wisconsin will be later). To me, that's a smart way to emphasize that, as president, Joe Biden doesn't need to be at the center of mayhem to be effective and strong; rather, he wants to go out and prevent the mayhem from occurring in the first place through good policy and leadership.
This insight is exactly what I needed to hear. None of what he is doing and how we are reacting makes sense. My only question is where is Joe? Unfortunately I feel like he needs to risk his life by being in public to be seen.
Brilliant - it does appear the right wing takes this approach "he may be an a$## but he is ours and we need a bully in the world." Then they try to say nothing could have been done about the sars-Cov2 virus, and when shown what was done with Ebola or H1N1 w/ Obama they suddenly become experts. Alas, thank you for the insightful newsletter and great podcasts
really smart, insightful take - hope the campaign is thinking similarly
On the one hand, this makes sense. But I am concerned that it's letting Trump define the terms of the election. He has a narrow definition of strength. He wants to cultivate fear of violence and define strength by who can best quell it. If those are the terms of the election, it's his best chance of winning--he can stoke violence and chaos, and then send in his goon squads and militias to make him look strong. Biden can't compete in that space. Already public support for BLM has dropped significantly in the past month.
But voters have other fears, most notably economic insecurity. And they are looking for someone strong enough to solve those problems. This is Trump's kryptonite. Health care? His administration will be arguing before SCOTUS the week after the election that the ACA is unconstitutional. Social Security? Defunding it via the payroll tax. Hello??? These are killer issues that he has handed to Dems on a silver platter. These will resonate wherever swing voters live. Health care gave us the House in 2018. It's still potent. It would be criminal negligence for the campaign walk away from it.
I was alarmed that I heard little to nothing about health care and SS during the convention. Reading your post on the convention messaging, I get that it was about getting to know Joe. To win, that's not going to be enough. On Trump' s character, on Covid19, public opinion is already baked in. Remember 2016 when we thought "when they go low, we go high" would do it? "Joe's empathetic" is the equivalent. Necessary but not sufficient.
I say go for the jugular on SS + health care. Framed properly, these aren't distractions, they're a competing definition of strength where Trump has demonstrably failed. The violence/strongman act is Trump's distraction and he will do everything he can to keep it that way.
Dan, I know you're like 50 different kinds of busy, but I think it's time to pin a different post to the top of the site. I share your schadenfreude, what with the crushed hat in hand, the undone tie, the slumped shoulders, and the melted face, but I'm beginning to dread clicking this bookmark because it always shows me this fucking guy. I think it's time for a Biden/Harris/competence/hope-themed pin.
Thanks for listening, and of course for the work you continue to do. Cheers!
Thank you for your articulate, clear-headed, insights and recommendations. They form an actionable path into and through the morass that is social media, muddled ethics, lies, and double-talk. Thank you also for the great good humor that informs every piece you write or speak. Thank goodness for this. Your two books have become my go-to, bible, what-have-you, of political communications and upright living in the COVID-19 trumpist world. Gratefully, a nurse, former teacher, artist, and activist who lives in KY. Yup, the soon to be former land o'Mitch and home base for Amy McGrath.
Dan- i love this piece. How can Democrats communicate more effectively to the electorate that Trump is trying to "surf their anxiety into a second term?" To me, that strategy is so disingenuous and should incite voters. Also, you consulting with the Biden camp?
Can we copy and paste your talking points if we cite you? Your description of why and how trump is weak is spot on. Also, if the active military thinks Biden is a better leader, well...
Dan - BIG Thanks for helping us understand the draw of this failed presidency, and providing the language that can boost the Biden/Harris ticket.
Thanks, Dan. I'm sharing with everyone I know. We need to change how we're talking about it, and you made this easy.