Posted by
Political Prescience on Monday, August 11, 2008 7:00:00 AM
Many have been wondering about the diminishing “Republican
brand,” of late, and why polls show that the party is bleeding loyalists
particularly among the youth. It is obvious that some of it has to do with
President Bush’s inability to communicate his agenda clearly. Many have posited other reasons, but I
believe the answer is clear.
Many of today’s young people get their “news” from a series
of sources that are sarcastic, often misleading and patently anti-Republican. A
study carried out by the Project for Excellence in Journalism states that 16%
of Americans habitually watch Comedy Central's late-night “news shows,” The
Daily Show, and The Colbert
Report. (Add these numbers to the millions more who get information
from disreputable and slanted online sources and you have the recipe for a
major problem for Republicans.)
These shows emphasize (and often exaggerate) any Republican foibles,
present many false premises and, generally, belittle conservative
ideology.
Cultural mainstays such as the late night talk shows are
also working against Republicans in a more obvious fashion than in the
past. The Late Show with David
Letterman (averaging about 3.4 million viewers according to Nielsen Media
Research data) does a regular feature “Great Moments in Presidential Speeches”
which show the President making minor errors or tripping over his words after
inspiring speeches by past (often Democrat) Presidents. This feature was even followed, on at
least one occasion, by a graphic that read: “George W. Bush – Boob.” Jay Leno does regular mock interviews
that present President Bush in the same unflattering light.
Due to the fact that the humor of these shows is snarkey and
sarcastic it is particularly appealing to young people who see anything
rebellious as “cool.” When a
party’s ideas and beliefs are disparaged with simplistic and biting humor and their image
is portrayed as stodgy and angry, day-after-day, without a competent response, to millions of voters, that group can
expect the diminution of its brand.
If McCain wins, he must surround himself with young
competent professionals who can win back these voters with clear and positive
explanations of his policies.
These people must engage the media, in all its formats, in an
aggressive, but constructive manner every single day, otherwise the country
will see an expanding Democrat base especially among those that are willing to
look beyond facts and accept snotty jokes as reality.
I must add, however, that President Bush does not help himself, or his party, change the image that is being presented of them when he sits casually in Beijing watching the American basketball team shellac the Chinese while Russian tanks and jets attack an ally.
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