Reader Posts
« previous | TPM CAFÉ READER POSTS HOME | next »
Four Simple Ways Obama Can Better Connect with the Blue Collar Vote
Lets face it when it comes to getting the blue collars to like you you are no Bill Clinton. Bill could do it--he knew about the world they come from--he was a bubba himself. But how come his wife can also do it. Sort of? How many lessons can you take from her awkward yet effective little additions to her oratorical repetoire? There are a few-and some new ones you are going to have to develop yourself if the swift boating destroyers of elite liberal looking democratic nominees from Dukasis through to Kerry are not going to claim you as their next victim:
1. Use a more emotional approach. For you it is quite easy to see how the game is played so the working class always lose. How Washington politics are so corrupted now by money and influence --essential things cannot get done--while the rich corporate interests line their purses with tax breaks etc. As well as pointing this out in intellectual terms--our politics are full of 50 cent words like 'distraction' and 'division'--some of your more favored words--use 25 c
words like broken and busted.
2. Get emotional --you don't have to break down or tear up but Hillary is getting better at painting word pictures of the victims of the horrendous health care system where people are refused treatment or left to die for want of insurance. You do some of this but not well enough. You recount these stories in the same tone--there is not much of your outrage and passion showing through yet.
3. Take your jacket off occasionally and your tie. Yes you passed the presidential look test--you are the GQ 21st century Prez--no doubt you have the look. The danger is that the look now is so good that it reinforces a certain elitist image-Wall Street lawyer. When you chose to become a community organizer in Chicago you rejected that look. There is now a way you can get back to the more authentic you--when you next talk in smaller groups with people at least hang the jacket over your shoulder-- look -it took Gore a long time in his campaign to do this and when he did --he started to connect.
4. Give us more of your backstory--we are getting to know your front story--your mother, grandmother, your grandfather etc--the narrative arc of your career--but we dont connect them and you together in the same frame. How about the conversations you had about the choices you had--when did you get the urge to go into politics--it was earlier than Harvard law. What in your background drove you in that direction?
Comments (6)
1. Do more shots at local bars
2. Learn to bowl
3. Focus more on your whiteness
4. Drive a truck
May 14, 2008 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree. Almost, as I don't feel he talks about his family enough and I'm constantly wondering why because I think it's all part of people getting to know him. The Clintons are known entities, we got to know them in the 1990s. There's a strong sense of familiarity with them. And while Obama does get people to know him better, the family is still kinda missing from the picture.
As far as emotion and painting pictures, I think it's a matter of a different speaking style. He has his strengths and she has hers. He could certainly do better in the emotional area.
May 14, 2008 4:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Though Obama's family represents a colorful American picture on the surface, I think it could further isolate him from this group because of its nontraditional nature. It is an amazing story, but does not have that conventional charm like the Clintons (minus bj's in the Whitehouse) that I suspect this voting block would gravitate to. He was all over the world, practically estranged from his father, being raised by his grandparents, etc. To me it is a beautiful story of adventure, courage, and love, but perhaps to this block it represents a threat to the cultural norm of the close nuclear family and a sort of regional allegiance. Just my thoughts!
May 14, 2008 5:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
1. First, go really scary black... giant Afro, daishiki and give Black Power Salute everywhere you go. Have Secret Service guys dress like Black Panthers and Nationof Islam security.
2. Talk about reparations and repealing the anti-slavery laws and forcing white people into bondage. Calculate that 40 acres and a mule is now prime real estate in every state in the union PLUS $5 million cash and no taxes for life. White families will be moving into Compton and Cabrini Green and the projects in other cities. Black families will be "movin' on up". So will Hispanics and Asians and Native Americans.
3. Change all mass media to be Afro-centric. No more white pundits. Pat Buchanan is banned for life as is Tucker Carlson. FOX is taken off the air. The new Brian Williams is Ed Gordon. George Stephanopolous is demoted to copy boy. Only black journalists are allowed on the telly.
4. Install Rev. Wright as the national pastor of the new National Religion.
When faced with these "possibilities," the working, hard-working Americans, white Americans will be begging for the real Obama to return. And damn happy to vote for him and not the "scary" image the opposition has cooked up.
Like the old song says, "You never miss the water til well runs dry."
May 14, 2008 5:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sounds like Laurence Peters wants Obama to take the failing strategy for some apparent reason.
O wait...Peters is a Republican. Duh.
Why aren't you interested in how McCain is doing?
He needs help in a straightforward way.
May 14, 2008 5:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Something many people may forget is that when Bill first ran he was viewed with much suspicion by union folks because of his support for free trade agreements and for his relationships with business leaders back in Arkansas.
He did a pretty good job of wooing labor during the primaries (one thing he did was shake hands on the picket line in Peoria during a big Caterpillar strike there). After his nomination they made their peace with him, and he ended up being the first Democrat the Teamsters had endorsed for President in quite some time (that due to a major change in Teamsters leadership).
Here's the interesting thing, though: "The right of workers to organize unions" is a standard part of BHO's stump speech. With the Edwards endorsement I think you'll see more industrial unions rally behind Obama (some already have, of course) and I'm inclined to think that in the long run he'll do at least as well with this group as Bill ever did.
May 14, 2008 5:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Post a Comment