Suppose you and I run against each other for a political office. In an interview I say that I have heard that you watch a lot of extreme porn. And that you hang around playgrounds where young children frolic.
You scream “Foul!” You claim you don’t watch porn. As a matter of fact… And the playground is where your niece sometimes plays.
Too late. Some voters now entertain thoughts about you and porn and kiddies. In their minds you will ever be branded as that guy who was accused of…
Meanwhile, if you don’t protest, some will think you guilty. After all, you did not defend yourself.
Meanwhile, if you protest too much, others will begin to doubt you. ‘Tis human nature.
Many will toss these accusations back and forth in their minds. They won’t forget them.
This is not a new tactic in politics or debate. “When did you stop beating your wife?” is ancient. A newer version is “Is that what your therapist thinks?”
In today’s politics we see stark naked versions of this tactic.
Trump is masterful in his use of it. “Crooked Hillary” could have been his campaign slogan. The Bush family might as well chisel “Low energy Jeb” on Jeb Bush’s gravestone now. That nickname and the derision it inspired will follow Jeb to his final breath. Jeb tried to dodge the charge. He became obsessed with trying to project energy on the campaign trail. But people in focus groups raised “low energy” repeatedly. The term had stuck in their minds.
Bush looked a proper donkey, trying to un-pin the tail Trump pinned on him.
Elizabeth Warren has the same problem with “Pocahontas.” Courtesy of Mr. Trump.
He recently commented on candidate Beto O’Rourke’s hand movements. “Is he crazy? Or is it just the way he acts?” From that moment on, hand movements will be Beto’s scarlet letter. He is as labeled as Jeb.
Meanwhile, Democrats have come together on a similar strategy. They have gone lock-step to declare Trump is racist. A white supremacist. If you don’t hear or read this charge once a day you are not following political news.
They have to stretch, really stretch, to find evidence that Trump is such. That does not matter. They want to tag him with the charge. They want defenders to rise and say “Donald Trump is NOT a racist!”
They would love it if the President took the bait and said “I am NOT a white supremacist!” Because lots of folks believe the opposite of what people claim. Try this: Declare to all your friends that you would never cheat on your partner. You will thereby plant seeds of doubt in their minds.
The air is full of the racism charges against Trump. Movie stars, political hacks, Al Sharpton and his fellow race-hustlers, many commentators and columnists. They pile on. With good reason. With reason that rattles their cages.
Trump’s numbers have risen among African-Americans. As they have with Hispanics. Democrats know that if these numbers persist, Trump will be extremely hard to beat.
The racism strategy is as transparent as water. As transparent as Trump’s thinking when he created “Low energy Jeb” and other nicknames.
Do such strategies always work? They are more likely to when voters feel or see there is some substance to the tag. Hillary has left an endless trail of scandal. Jeb’s manner of walking and talking does remind many of lethargy. Mario is little. Elizabeth Warren’s claim to be Native American did seem a touch loco.
Do African-American and Hispanics perceive Trump to be racist? Will the tag of white supremacist stick to him? Or will it fall off?
Come next election we will see, won’t we?
From Tom…as in Morgan.
Find Tom on Facebook. You can write to Tom at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com. His website is www.tomasinmorgan.com.