Dems Have Finally Figured Out How to Run Against Trump
With less than 70 days until the election, there's no time like the present to become a paid subscriber to Message Box. This newsletter is a version of the strategy memos I used to write for Barack Obama and other politicians, tailored for people who talk and text about politics all day. My goal is to give every activist the same political analysis, poll breakdowns, and talking points that insiders get from their consultants. Dems Have Finally Figured Out How to Run Against TrumpKamala Harris and the rest of the party have cracked the code on campaigning against a wannabe dictator.Before we get started, a special offer for the Message Box community Pod Save America will be live at The Met Philadelphia on Sunday, October 6, to swing state into action. For a limited time, I'm offering Message Box Subscribers 10% off select tickets. Use the code WEIRD10 to unlock the tickets labeled “DNC offer”. Watch as we try to keep it together ahead of the most consequential election of our lives (again). Get your tickets here! (Offer ends 8/31) ******************* With its excited crowds, incredible speeches, and great ratings, the Democratic Convention hit all of the marks. Other than a few overly long speeches from some folks on the undercard, the convention went off without a hitch. For the attendees, the convention is a big party, a chance to connect with old friends and allies, and an opportunity to prepare for the campaign to come. But for the campaign organizers, it’s one giant messaging exercise — the single, best chance to communicate their message to tens of millions of voters on their terms. That’s why the big speeches — those that happen in the final hour when most people tune in — matter the most. Watching and re-watching those speeches left me with one conclusion about the Democratic Party in the Kamala Harris era — we finally figured out an effective way to talk about Donald Trump. This is the third convention in a row where the primary piece of business was defeating Donald Trump. For much of that long period, we have struggled to find the right way to talk about Trump’s chaos, corruption, and general awfulness. This has been true since Kamala Harris became the nominee, but it was brought home throughout the convention. Democrats learned the lessons of the Trump era and are using them with ruthless efficiency. The Mistakes of the PastDespite winning almost every election since 2016, Democrats struggled to find the right tone when talking about Trump. There were typically three errors that we couldn’t stop making:
Over time, Democrats have improved in fits and starts — especially since the 2016 campaign. But up until a month ago, we kept falling into the same traps. No more. Not with this campaign or at this convention. So, what was different this time around? 1. Minimizing Trump’s ImpactFor the last decade, American politics revolved around Donald Trump. The thrust of Democratic messaging has been about Trump and the threat he poses to the country. To the extent Democrats had a positive message, it's that we weren’t Trump. Kamala Harris’s campaign has made politics about something other than Donald Trump. Sure, most of the convention speakers mentioned Trump. There were slickly produced videos about January 6th and a coterie of folks holding a giant copy of Project 2025. That’s to be expected; but the convention spotlighted Harris and Tim Walz rather than Trump. That’s a welcome change, and based on the ratings, something for which the public has been yearning. 2. Responding On Our TermsThe first sign that Kamala Harris had Trump’s number came when Trump questioned her racial identity during an unhinged interview at the National Association of Black Journalists conference. Another candidate would have responded with outrage, which would have been completely understandable. You can imagine a solemn speech about Trump’s racism or a podium-pounding tirade. Instead, Kamala Harris brushed it off as “more of the same old stuff.” Watch this video of Harris’s response and note the big smile at the front end. No one is arguing that you should turn the other cheek or ignore his transgressions, but we should respond without fueling the outrage cycles that are Trump’s political lifeblood. 3. Making Trump Weak and SmallThe way to beat a wannabe strongman is to expose their weakness, not raise concerns about how they will use their power. The idea that Trump is small and weak was a consistent theme through all of the major speeches. In his convention speech, former President Obama captured this notion when he said:
At one point, Obama took the admonition to make Trump seem small to an unexpected and perhaps overly literal level. Vice President Harris did something similar in her speech by referring to Trump as an “unserious man.” This new, smarter approach to Trump contributes to the former President’s unraveling before our eyes. 4. Trump Only Cares About HImselfMonths ago, the Biden campaign settled on a message about Trump — he only cares about himself and rich and powerful people like him. This is a good message because it is so obviously true. Because his campaign was overwhelmed with concerns about his age, Biden could not drive this message. Over the four nights of the convention, speaker after speaker hammered home this point. I thought former President Bill Clinton said it in a particularly compelling way:
In her speech, Harris took the “Trump is a narcissist” message to another level by connecting his selfishness to a policy impact on people’s lives:
In many respects, this convention was a rip-roaring success, but the anti-Trump messaging, in particular, bodes well for the next 69 days. Invite your friends and earn rewardsIf you enjoy The Message Box, share it with your friends and earn rewards when they subscribe. |
Older messages
Why You Shouldn't Panic About RFK Jr Endorsing Trump
Sunday, August 25, 2024
The endorsement isn't the massive win Trump supporters were hoping for ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Kamala Harris Turns the Page on the Trump Era
Friday, August 23, 2024
Despite being the sitting Vice President, Harris has come to embody the change people so desperately want ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
What to Expect from Kamala Harris's Big Speech
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Tonight, the Vice President will have her best chance to tell her story ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Why 2024 Feels a Little Like 2008
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Kamala Harris's Campaign has some important things in common with Barack Obama's ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Message Box and the Battle Against MAGA
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
In just four years, the Message Box Community has grown to more than 80000 people fighting to protect democracy from MAGA extremists. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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