Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 11:24am

Ten Simple Ways to Lose a Presidential Election

 

I always thought that Bill Clinton had preternatural political skills.  During Hillary’s campaign this year his appearances tended to be lackluster and he gave off an air of frustration.  Perhaps this is why:

 

 

In the waning days of the presidential campaign, Bill and Hillary Clinton had a knock-down, drag-out fight about her effort to blame FBI Director James Comey for her slump in the polls and looming danger of defeat.

‘I was with Bill in Little Rock when he had this shouting match with Hillary on the phone and she accused Comey for reviving the investigation into her use of a private email server and reversing her campaign’s momentum,’ said one of Bill Clinton’s closest advisers.

‘Bill didn’t buy the excuse that Comey would cost Hillary the election,’ said the source. ‘As far as he was concerned, all the blame belonged to [campaign manager Robby] Mook, [campaign chairman John] Podesta and Hillary because they displayed a tone-deaf attitude about the feeble economy and its impact on millions and millions of working-class voters.

‘Bill was so red in the face during his conversation with Hillary that I worried he was going to have a heart attack. He got so angry that he threw his phone off the roof of his penthouse apartment and toward the Arkansas River.’

Bill has a luxurious penthouse apartment with an outdoor garden at the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock.

During the campaign, Bill Clinton felt that he was ignored by Hillary’s top advisers when he urged them to make the economy the centerpiece of her campaign.

He repeatedly urged them to connect with the people who had been left behind by the revolutions in technology and globalization.

‘Bill said that constantly attacking Trump for his defects made Hillary’s staff and the media happy, but that it wasn’t a message that resonated with voters, especially in the rust belt,’ the source explained.

‘Bill always campaigned as a guy who felt your pain, but Hillary came across as someone who was pissed off at her enemy [Trump], not someone who was reaching out and trying to make life better for the white working class.’

According to the source, Bill was severely critical of Hillary’s decision to reject an invitation to address a St. Patrick’s Day event at the University of Notre Dame.

Hillary’s campaign advisers nixed the idea on the grounds that white Catholics were not the audience she needed to reach.

Go here to read the rest.  The Hillary Clinton campaign was a monument to political malpractice.  Here are ten simple ways to lose a presidential election.  The Clinton campaign was guilty of each one of them.

  1. Campaign theme-Don’t have one.  Clinton’s theme was the vapid Stronger Together.  She might as well have been running on Apple Pie.  Trump’s campaign theme of Make America Great Again, tied in with his constant assertion that nothing works in America anymore.  That most people believe that something is deeply wrong with the country is borne out by the polls that constantly show most Americans believing that the country is on the wrong track.
  2. Ignore the Election Calendar-Americans routinely toss out the party in power after eight years.  Any member of the same party running after a two term president is going to have an uphill climb and should plan accordingly.
  3. Despise your Adversary-Ignore his strengths and concentrate on what a loathsome character he is in your eyes.
  4. Campaign Lackadaisically-Clinton, perhaps due to her health, often had one or two campaign events a day.  Trump would usually have four to five massive rallies all about the country.
  5. Identity Politics-Split the American people up into warring factions and cater to some of them.  Forget that other factions will almost always deeply resent this favoritism.
  6. Believe the Polls-If the polls show you ahead, relax and attempt to coast to victory.
  7. Enthusiasm-Ignore that your adversary has lots of it on his side and you have nil.  Assume that a good ground game can compensate for the fact that most of your voters view you, at best, as a typical pol.
  8. Economy-Pretending that the economy is good at a time when millions of workers have abandoned job searches as futile is a sure path to popularity on election day.
  9. Rely upon the Media-If the media is on your side relax, even if most voters view the media as unreliable.  The voters were probably just joking when they began repeating the old Soviet joke:  There is no truth in Pravda (Truth) and there is no news in Izvestia (News).
  10. Believe your own Hype-The handouts you give to the media should be accepted as Gospel Truth in campaign headquarters.  Yell good news to the rafters and ignore bad news.

 

 

 

 

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Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Wednesday, November 16, AD 2016 6:22am

A well merited defeat.

Greg Mockeridge
Greg Mockeridge
Wednesday, November 16, AD 2016 6:28am

As to number 3, it seemed to be effective to an extent. But you can only demonize a demon so much until it no longer has any effect.
..

As to number 4, one thing that impresses me about Trump is his physical stamina. For a seventy year old man, he has no shortage of energy.

..

Perhaps Bill’s crack on Obamacare at one of Hillary’s rallies was pay back for getting shut out of the campaign. But again, you can hardly blame Hillary’s campaign staff for keeping Bill at arm’s length. In his narcissism, he has an uncanny ability to make everything about him. Not the qualities you want in a surrogate.

..

Let’s face it Bill Clinton was a master at getting himself elected, but has the coattails of a cut-off tee shirt.

T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Wednesday, November 16, AD 2016 7:29am

If not for 60 years of left-wing public education wasting (a young mind is a terrible thing to waste) young minds and 365/24/7 media lying, Hillary should have lost by 20 million votes.
.
Hillary promised to continue Obama’s economic programs which are contrary to economic growth and prosperity for the forgotten (hated?) white, lower classes which felt left behind by globalization and the many programs that advanced green graft and Wall Street concerns.
.
Dan Mitchell, “This is the bitter fruit of creationist economics, the erroneous belief that government activity can somehow conjure new wealth and value.” Economic policies based on emotions never solve anything.
.
“When did Americans decide that 1% or 2% economic growth is acceptable, that puny wage increases are inevitable, and that we should all merely shrug and get used to the country’s diminished expectations? …the first quarter is further evidence of what has been the weakest economic expansion in the postwar era. …All of this continues the slow-or-slower pace of this entire expansion that began nearly seven years ago. Each year has had a similar GDP dip, and growth has never exceeded 2.5% (2010). The American economy hasn’t grown by more than 3% since 2005 (3.3%), the longest such stretch of malaise that we can find in the Bureau of Economic analysis tables going back to 1930. …Faster growth is possible, but it will take better policies.”
.

“This would place his presidency fourth from the bottom of the list of 39*, above only those of Herbert Hoover (-5.65%), Andrew Johnson (-0.70%) and Theodore Roosevelt (1.41%).”
.
The media propagandized everything Hillary said. In truth (the first casualty in liberal politics), the economy could only have hurt Hillary.
.
Contrary to all the hype, the election proved that eight years of 1% GDP growth is unacceptable to Americans.
.
It could have worked as it did in 1992. Instapundit quoted Powerlline, John Hinderaker: Why it isn’t “the economy, stupid,” this time:
.
“In 1992, Bill Clinton announced that “It’s the economy, stupid.” That was pretty much the sole theme of his campaign. He ludicrously claimed that the country was then experiencing “the worst economy since the Great Depression,” a lie that the press, to its everlasting shame, not just allowed but often endorsed. So what was the level of GDP growth that Clinton relentlessly denigrated?
.
“According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the quarterly growth numbers for 1992, in chained 2009 dollars, were 4.8%, 4.5%, 3.9% and 4.1%. That’s right–the growth that Bill Clinton derided as the “worst economy since the Great Depression” was around four times what we are now seeing under Barack Obama. And Hillary Clinton promises to continue Obama’s anti-growth policies.”

Don L
Don L
Wednesday, November 16, AD 2016 7:55am

Number 11: Never play poker with just two cards: racism and gender victimology. Both are accusatory, negative and frankly tiresome, not good when you have but an “ex-wife’s screeching nagging personality.”

Pinky
Pinky
Wednesday, November 16, AD 2016 9:55am

6a. Believe the positive polls.
6b. Don’t believe the negative polls.

Don’t do one without the other!

I mean, everyone’s talking about the polls being wrong. But they showed the race tightening nationally in the final couple of weeks, and they’d showed Clinton weakness in swing states for months. They must have been showing low voter enthusiasm.

c matt
c matt
Wednesday, November 16, AD 2016 10:59am

In his narcissism, he has an uncanny ability to make everything about him

Hill and Bill are two peas in a pod – Trump forced her to change her campaign slogan with one line. In response to her narcissistic “I’m with Her” he retorts “I’m with America.” Millions of “I’m With Her” signs hit the trashbin.

Another couple losing strategies – blame everyone but yourself for your failures – the Russians, the FBI, Assange; and get the most obnoxious annoying celebrities to endorse you – repeatedly – by lecturing voters on how stupid they are for not doing exactly as the celebrities demand. Yes, a half naked pierced purple haired twerking Miley Cyrus makes a perfect endorsement for the most powerful secular position on Earth.

.Anzlyne
.Anzlyne
Wednesday, November 16, AD 2016 11:19am

A house divided against itself cannot stand. Donald McClarey mentioned preternatural skills. The evil ones making tools and fools of the left are dividing against each other, as of course they have always been. There is no harmony in hell. Only discord- howling wailing discord.
Some of the wiki-leaks indicate a familiarity with satanic rituals. Long ago, the Devils’ own fall was caused by himself. He has wielded some limited power in the last 100 years and is, as they say on the radio- “up against a hard break.”
We realize that poor Miley Cyrus and so many others have just been totally fooled. We hope and pray for grace- not as a result of our repentance, but enabling us to repent.

Don the Kiwi
Wednesday, November 16, AD 2016 3:43pm

Too bad..
So sad.
Never mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blpe_sGnnP4

CAM
CAM
Wednesday, November 16, AD 2016 5:37pm

For what it’s worth, let’s not forget that twice Ross Perot helped elect Slick Willy by pulling many financial conservatives away from the Republican nominees. In the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections Bill Clinton did not have majorities of the popular vote.

Michael Dowd
Michael Dowd
Thursday, November 17, AD 2016 4:41am

Yes, and we might add seeking a job for which you do not qualify by accomplishment, temperament, intellect and moral bearing.

Conclusion: The Democrat Party is bereft of ideas and border on the absurd when they present their two candidates in the Primary: Hillary–First woman President or Bernie, the first Communist President. Hopefully, Republicans will make the most of this opportunity.

Michael Paterson-Seymour
Michael Paterson-Seymour
Thursday, November 17, AD 2016 5:10am

“Campaign theme-Don’t have one”
One recall’s Disraeli’s novel, Coningsby:
‘And now for our cry,’ said Mr. Taper.
‘It is not a Cabinet for a good cry,’ said Tadpole; ‘but then, on the other hand, it is a Cabinet that will sow dissension in the opposite ranks, and prevent them having a good cry.’
‘Ancient institutions and modern improvements, I suppose, Mr. Tadpole?’
‘Ameliorations is the better word, ameliorations. Nobody knows exactly what it means.’
Plus ça change

Art Deco
Art Deco
Thursday, November 17, AD 2016 8:34am

let’s not forget that twice Ross Perot helped elect Slick Willy by pulling many financial conservatives away from the Republican nominees. I

IIRC, survey reseach on Perot voters showed he was drawing about equally from the candidates. He’d have to have taken about 2/3 of his voters from Bush to have accounted for Bush’s loss. The 1992 election was strange, inasmuch as an incumbent president was rejected for no obvious reasons in favor of a shady character like Bilge Clinton. I’m thinking that both the 1992 election, the 1997 election in Britain, and the 2008 election here demonstrate the effect of boredom and branding on crucial components of the electorate.

Ernst Schreiber
Ernst Schreiber
Thursday, November 17, AD 2016 11:15am

And then there was the whole getting “Comey’d” by Lawrence Walsh thing.

Ernst Schreiber
Ernst Schreiber
Thursday, November 17, AD 2016 11:25am

further thoughts on amateurishness and losing election plays

Art Deco
Art Deco
Thursday, November 17, AD 2016 1:49pm

Don’t agree.

http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1992

I do not see any of the advertisements as responses to Perot’s signatures. The 2d and the 3d were definitely attacks on Clinton.

I think some of the rubrics which had contained the degree to which the media aided and abetted the Democratic Party were no longer observed by 1992, while some of the trust the media had accumulated in the Newseum era had not. Both the Democratic Party and the media were promoting the idea that the country was in economic distress when it was not. You could see George Bush’s approval ratings plummet for a year and a half. Some of that was to be expected as they were abnormally elevated at the end of Gulf War I. Keep in mind that the recession lasted 8 months and ended in April 1991, but you would hardly have known that from the coverage. Propaganda can move the needle.

One shtick partisan Democrats deployed routinely for about 20 years was smearing Republican candidates over their military service record. (A tactic the Kennedy claque developed for use contra Hubert Humphrey). Hendrick Hertzberg was a frequent practitioner, but a less severe offender than rank-and-file Democrats who send ’round repulsive memes. In truth, the notable participants in the presidential sweepstakes with anomalous service records have been Joseph Biden, Bill Bradley, Al Gore, Alan Keyes, and Jesse Jackson. To that you might add Jerry Brown and Gary Hart, who were perpetual students (9 and 10 years in college) at a time when graduate students were excused. The only candidates definitively implicated in something sketchy to avoid military service have been Bernie Sanders, Pat Robertson, and …Bilge Clinton. They ran a man they knew perfectly well had scammed around to avoid fulfilling his ROTC service obligations and ran him against a combat veteran. How did that succeed?

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