Maybe it's time for the old guard to let go. There is a new generation out there.
Let's look at two of them.
"Let the word go forth. . .that the torch has been passed to a new generation. . . .so let us begin anew."
John F. Kennedy, Inaugural speech, 1961
In the public memory, Kennedy's speech was about patriotism. Ask what you can do for your country. But most of the speech was about taking a fresh look. You old guys had your turn, Kennedy said, in the presence of outgoing President Eisenhower. Now it is our turn, he said.
Kennedy had charisma.
Today I present two short video clips, one from Saturday Night Live and one from Fox, two poles of the media environment. I pair them because each of them show relatively young people with ambition, and each of them are in enemy media territory. Both look comfortable, likable, and easy to watch on the TV news.
They have charisma.
They have charisma.
Lt. Commander Dan Crenshaw, 34, is a newly elected Republican congressman. He is on Saturday Night Live, accepting an apology from a SNL comedian. Crenshaw has "star quality," whatever that is. He seemed easy with himself. Gracious. This blog has gotten severe criticism in the past for daring to mention the obvious. Here it is, again: Crenshaw is nice looking, attractive
A second clip is 6-year congressman Eric Swalwell from California, on Fox News. Swallwell is 37, turning 38 this month. He is a familiar face on television now as a frequent guest on cable TV, mostly mainstream news, but also Fox. He is openly considering running for president and has appeared multiple times in Iowa (as this blog described yesterday) and in New Hampshire. He, too, is attractive and good on TV.
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| Democratic candidate support |
The Democratic Party old guard is not letting go, yet. They are frontrunners still and probably going to run again. At this moment they have name familiarity and a reservoir of supporters: Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Michael Bloomberg. (There is an outlier in the group of frontrunners, Beto O'Rourke--the new guy, the guy who creates some excitement. More about him in upcoming posts.)
What Iowa and New Hampshire are all about is the opportunity for new people to emerge. In a meeting hall in Davenport, Iowa or Concord, New Hampshire new people can create an element of "wow." Activist tells activist. Crowds grow. In these two early-primary states It is just the candidate and whomever he or she can get to come to the meeting. It is open casting. Everyone has a shot. Charisma matters.
I watched Trump and Bernie create excitement in New Hampshire in September of 2015. I watched Martin O'Malley and John Kasich try to create excitement, and fail. People were polite and interested, but that wasn't enough.
Today, let's look at the two new guys, these politicians in their 30s. People in Iowa and New Hampshire will soon decide which of the dozen or more choices will move ahead politically. At some point it will be people like the two shown here. They are the next generation.
Perhaps the public is ready to push reset and pass the torch.
Perhaps the public is ready to push reset and pass the torch.
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| Click: 4 1/2 minutes. |
And this clip from Fox News, a conversation with Eric Swalwell. He projects confidence and competence.
4 comments:
Interesting topic...what you are noting is that 2020 starts NOW!
Lots of first term congresspeople with ambitions for higher office, cabinet jobs and such. It seems to be shaping up to be a scrum until some folks shake out and both parties select candidates. I predict 10+ fields on both sides. Trump will have challengers, including some from the Freedom Caucus who will try to out-Trump him, some in hoods.
Democrats will have to unite, which means accommodating Bernie, who I hope will see the light and JOIN THE PARTY! That alone will help Democrats craft a coherent message.
Good observation about charisma needed. Also needed is name familiarity. You (and the poll) left off Joe Kennedy III, for example. And also Sherrod Brown. I am regularly getting emails from Joe. He has a structure already built up. The same with Elizabeth Warren. I get emails from her and from Sanders regularly. I immediately unsubscribe to almost all emails, so I choose to get these few. Joe Biden is a great guy, but I do not see the charisma, and age is a factor. Biden does not have a wide social media and email list with regular communication, that I know about. With Beto or Joe, there is excitement without the old baggage.
I dearly hope (without hope) that neither Sanders or Clinton would run again.
My preference, with all things considered, is still Warren.
Let's not fall into the "charisma" trap, at least not at this early stage. Yes, most voters inevitably treat presidential elections like a high school personality contest. Focus now needs to be on issues and values, as much as that is anathema to Wall Street Democrats. Look for honesty, integrity, consistency and, for heaven's sake, let's drop the delusion that Republican-lite can beat an actual Republican.
"When voters are given a choice between voting for a Republican, or a Democrat who acts like a Republican, they'll vote for the Republican every time." Harry Truman
Leaders, accomplished people, they don't surrender power for the sake of advancing the political or career ambitions of more youthful aspirants. To the eager replacement who says stand aside, the incumbent says earn it yourself. Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Diane Feinstein Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Nina Totenberg, Barbara Streisand and their generation would do a profound disservice to America, Democrats and women by moving over for someone who wants to fill their shoes. Nothing would be more unnatural in the realm of power and success allocation. The idea rings backward and regressive to a baby boomer in her invigorated stride at 70 being the new 50. It is a course our generation, the generation that is rewriting the rules of ageism, will soundly and defiantly reject. Yielding power to millennials because they demand it? LOL baby!
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