Swift-boating: Attack people at their point of strength.
Bernie Sanders, the plutocrat!
Trump and his media allies are branding Bernie Sanders a fraud and hypocrite. It seems illogical and impossible--fundamentally backward--but it works politically.
And it is happening right now. Watch out, Bernie.
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| Fox story on Thursday |
Two days ago this blog revisited a simple archetype for branding politics, using the framework articulated by Sandford Borins, the political scientist from Toronto who examines narratives. He notes that there are three primary roles, into which politicians attempt to fit themselves. The Hero, the Fool, and the Knave. One positions oneself as The Hero for the current circumstance and then defines the opponent either as unworthy because of weakness and naivety (Fool) or unworthy because of power and dishonesty (Knave.)
This coincides with a recurring theme in this blog, that Trump reduces politics to a duel between himself--the Bad Boy professional wrestling hero--versus his various opponents, who he defines as unworthy: "Little Marco", the Fool, or "Lyin' Ted," the Knave.
And in the general election he defined "Crooked Hillary," as another Knave.
And in the general election he defined "Crooked Hillary," as another Knave.
Sanford Borins wrote me to note how swift boating is best used to brand someone as a Knave:
"Remember that the knave fable is most effective when it includes an aspect of kleptocracy, i.e. the politician benefiting personally from office. That is why Trump has been so assiduous about not revealing his personal information. Someone in the Trump Administration and/or GOP is working to tell knavish storers about the Democrats before they begin telling their own."
Supporters and admirers of Bernie Sanders understand that part of Sanders appeal is that Sanders is the guy who never sold out, the uncorrupted politician.
His brand was unkempt hair, rumpled suits, and modest living. He doesn't pal around with billionaires. This makes him uniquely legitimate in calling out the lobbyists and the DC swamp who use their office for personal gain, while he represents the opposite, the everyman-truth teller. An honest politician. A Hero.
Swift-boating attacks Sanders at his point of strength, calling him a rich guy hypocrite and fraud.
Of course, the reality--even one reported deep inside the Fox story--is that Sanders has a home in Vermont, something essential to a Vermont officeholder, and a one bedroom, one and a half bath townhouse in DC, i.e. a permanent residence in the two places he is expected to domicile. No big deal. He also recently bought a vacation home on a Vermont lake, using the proceeds from the sale of his book.
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| Fox Link: CLICK |
A vacation home is consistent with the circumstances of other successful professional people in long careers, e.g. accountants, attorneys, physicians. There is nothing surprising or exceptional here, but it is described as blatant hypocrisy.
The Fox story also notes that he flew 300,000 miles last year, implying this is extravagance. Again, on closer read, he flew in order to carry out his work of making speeches around the country. It wasn't extravagance. It was arduous duty.
Still, the headline story is wealth and extravagance. "His lifestyle doesn't always match the rhetoric."
Long time followers of Sanders will think this ridiculous, but a great many people are just learning about Sanders. What they are now hearing is that maybe Sanders is not the Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Frank Capra-style hometown Hero. Maybe he is really cashing in.
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| Email subject: "Crazy Bernie." |
And, simultaneously, they are hearing Trump's label for him. "Crazy Bernie" the subject line in the fundraising email I received from Trump on Thursday.
The re-branding message is that Bernie Sanders is a conniving politician who secretly cashes in on fabulous wealth and a luxurious lifestyle while simultaneously plotting to steal your money.
The re-branding message is that Bernie Sanders is a conniving politician who secretly cashes in on fabulous wealth and a luxurious lifestyle while simultaneously plotting to steal your money.
A Knave.
Tomorrow:
Underway now: Swift-boating Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The silly little Fool.
8 comments:
Bernie was a failure in private industry, and he got rich while working in government. If Bernie truly believed the nonsense that he peddles, then he'd contribute his wealth to the poor. Socialists don't need to own 3 houses and have millions in the bank. Bernie is a fraud.
The above anonymous comment is obviously trolling and dishonest. Sanders earned a million dollars last year from book sales. But I leave it up sonreaders can witness for themselves what the Fox-Trump-GOP message machine looks like and what they will attempt. The writer of the above anonymous comment knows he or she is lying, but doesn’t appear to care. Sell the lie. Create dissonance between the Sanders brand and the new story. The author maybe a Russian, but more likely a Republican activist partisan, possibly local, one of the 2,000 or so readers this blog gets daily.
I think it's obvious who the above writer is. He writes anonymously because that's what cowards do
They are rightfully concerned about Sanders. He will likely raise 200 million from individual donors and they need to do what they do best, lie.
“No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.” H.L. Mencken
That being said, I never shunned taking on a perceived "lost cause."
Andy Seles
Socialism doesn't mean everyone is poor. The "socialism" described by Regressives isn't Democratic Socialism which is a choice made by a society consistent with its values and principles, but rather something more akin to an authoritarian state or oligarchy where leaders use threat of violence and other means, like propaganda, to impose privation. Despite fierce resistance the US has been becoming increasingly Socialist in modern times and will likely continue to do so.
Sen. Sanders is an example of how someone can prosper in America. I'm sure he pays his taxes. A deeper dive may find examples of hypocrisy, but his lifestyle isn't one. I personally feel he is overreaching and cornered by a stubborn adherence to pretty unrealistic goals, but I'm ready to accept his time has come. It's the difference between a moderate who might be tempted to compromise in the name of incremental progress and a zeal for sweeping systemic change...maybe..We got to the moon, didn't we?
Only a simpleton would call him a fraud, but there you go...
Says the anonymous bot.
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