Ignore that at our peril. I attend lots of golf tournaments and college football games and other events where white America dominates, especially older generations. It is incredible how simplistic they are. I was in Naples attending an LPGA golf tournament a few weeks ago. This was during the impeachment hearings. It is an older white area. I was stuck in a large shuttle bus back and forth to the event for 4 days, listening to people discuss the hearings and politics in general. It was nauseating but at the same time enlightening. Every time I'm in that setting the standout aspect is that details and policy mean nothing to them. They form a quick unbreakable position, based on a handful of variables at most.
There was a Democratic debate smack in the middle of that golf tournament. I heard it discussed in the shuttle bus the following day. To my surprise and relief, they didn't automatically reject the entire field. Some among the talkers seemed willing to consider a Democrat above Trump as long as the few variables cooperated. The term being thrown around was "too far out there." It meant too liberal. Biden seemed to have greatest acceptance. "That's what he has going for him, he's not too far out there." The most vocal guy said that. Then a woman seated across immediately agreed. "Oh definitely. The rest of them are just too far out there." Then a third guy piped up, "But not Bloomberg. The only two I'd consider are Biden and Bloomberg." A handful of voices instantly agreed. That surprised me. I hadn't been thinking about Bloomberg as viable. Then the original guy summarized, "Biden is in his 70s but he can sound older than that. He gets confused. Not Bloomberg. He is 70s but still sharp." That summary gained unanimous agreement. Granted, we're talking about 8-10 people but I don't discount that type of thing. We have to rescue from white America, not continue to forfeit.
Trump won the debates against Hillary in 2016. That makes no sense point to point or how they were viewed at the time. But the exit polling indicated that voters who chose based on the debates preferred Trump. Whenever I'm in that white America setting I never have to ask why. Trump in all three debates quickly seized upon the jobs loss aspect in states like Ohio. Hillary was rambling about policies and directing people to visit her website. Our primary debates always spotlight issues. That's what our more sophisticated audience wants to hear. It does not translate well to a general election. We can't have someone rambling about the Dingell-Norwood bill while the other side has a BS artist up there emphasizing that I'll keep you safe and lower your taxes and bring back your jobs.
It is not a Rachel Maddow world. Nobody likes it when I rip her and emphasize that, but I'll continue. I am never surprised by results like the British election because I don't get suckered by Rachel Maddow types, ones who focus on day to day policy debate -- those 800 pages -- while completely whiffing the big picture. Side by side weeks from an election and BS is enormous benefit, unless our candidate is extra special and doesn't forfeit vital points via demographic and ideology alone. Female is forfeiting points, whether we like it or not. Overly liberal is forfeiting points. There was a reason I instantly spotlighted those election night 2018 exit polls with Andrew Gillum rejected by 44% (later amended to 46%) as too liberal for the state, and likewise Stacey Abrams rejected by 42% for the same reason. There is always a hint 2 years earlier toward how the electorate is thinking.
Also, we are already being outworked. As a Miamian it is evident to me every cycle. I am a lifetime registered Democrat and have never voted for a single Republican for any office. I have been contacted 3 times by a political party in the past 2 months, twice by mailing and once by phone. All 3 times it has been by Republicans. That has never happened previously. Since I am a white baby boomer male I have a feeling they are targeting people like me because I fit the profile of someone who would ordinarily support their side.
They are throwing out specifics like my registration realities, while applying simplistic generalities. I wish Democrats would get the hint and do the same. That's why I proposed the campaign slogan, "Remarkable You."
Steal a few percent instead of throwing away a few percent
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