Meanwhile in his Wall Street Journal op-ed Karl Rove makes a point I wish that both candidates would take to heart:
Every successful modern presidential candidate for change decried the country’s shortcomings while offering a heavy dose of optimism and cheerfulness. From John F. Kennedy (“We stand today on the edge of a new frontier”) to Ronald Reagan (“The American spirit is still there, ready to blaze into life”), the victors’ tones weren’t dystopian but hopeful, uplifting and inviting. The candidate who gets that right this year will look like the true candidate of change. And may well win.
That point is not original to Mr. Rove. I think I first heard it articulated by a prominent Democratic political analyst a couple of decades ago but I suspect the idea goes back much farther than that.
Presently, Vice President Harris’s campaign is being perceived as one of joy. I have seen contradictions, contraindications, and outright refutations of that but the nonetheless that’s how it is being perceived and in politics perceptions are reality.
Dave Schuler: I think I first heard it articulated by a prominent Democratic political analyst a couple of decades ago but I suspect the idea goes back much farther than that.
It does. For instance, Hubert Humphrey was well known as the “happy warrior”. But it goes back to William Wordsworth:
If I were running for president today, I’d take dancing lessons.
My guess is that the only reason for voting Trump now would be the millions of lives he would save, but what is that compared to Joy?
THIS of course has nothing to do with the coming elections.
https://www.latintimes.com/immigrants-are-becoming-us-citizens-fastest-average-rate-decade-557697
Really dont remember the cheerful optimism from Trump. It was more about “only I can make America Great again”. Also, while Obama offered optimism I dont remember it being especially cheerful. He didnt claim America was a third world country or claim, that I can recall, that we were all going to die if he wasn’t elected so maybe that counts as cheerful?
Steve
steve: while Obama offered optimism I dont remember it being especially cheerful.
Obama Sings Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together”
You don’t need to be truly cheerful or optimistic just more cheerful and optimistic than the other guy.