What Is Goin’ On?

Drew Westin has written a book that gets the blood flowing and the neurons firing. With a slightly partisan slant, he identifies why the Democrats have not won presidential elections and what they ought to do to improve their chances. If you think you have been down this road before, I assure you, you haven’t.

This is not a rehash of “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” or “Don’t Think of an Elephant.” This is different. I have read them all, including Al Gore’s “The Assault on Reason” and come away wondering how many new words and phrases do Democrats have to dream up to win the hearts and minds of voters. I mean if that is what a Democrat has to do, I am not sure the game is worth it. I do have my pride, you know.

Thanks to Westen, I don’t have to worry about dreaming up words and playing games. I am about half-way through the book, but it appears the good news that Westin wants to impart is that sound bites and cute phrases are not the key. The key: Just speak plainly and tell the truth! How many times did we cringe when Kerry gave an explanation that was long enough to bore or confuse a Nobel laureate while his opponent tripped on his shoe string and still made the play.

Westen suggests that at least one reason Democratic candidates can’t speak directly and to the point is they are scared of being misunderstood. Who cares? The people that are going to misunderstand you are going to misunderstand you anyway. That is why they are people.

Westen analyzes political ads, debate answers and a lot of other political fodder to demonstrate how the medium appeals either to our reason or our emotions. According to Westen, Democrats love to appeal to the reasoning power of the electorate. Quote facts, prove the point and they will follow you all the way to the circle for the runner-up!

How I don’t know, but Republicans have somehow learned to appeal to emotions. The way the brain is wired, emotion always trumps reason. That is why poor people vote for tax cuts for the wealthy, because they vote based on an emotional component in politics (anti-abortion). You can appeal to their reason all you want, but you will lose.

It is an intriguing discussion of the interplay between our emotions and our power of reason, when seen in the context of how and why our brain actually responds to stimuli.

The point for political candidates: Learn how to be emotional, tell it like it is with conviction and faux pas will not matter. Fight for what you believe and don’t let fear of a misstatement convey the a message of weakness.

Reminds me of Give ‘em hell, Harry!