"The lack of a backlash is notable because using a term like 'weird would seem condescending to some voters — something akin to Hillary Clinton’s deplorables comment in 2016."
Key difference is Democrats today are calling *Republican political leaders* weird, while Clinton called *voters* deplorable.
How about “ They’re so weird, they tried 50 times to take away your health insurance, they oppose Medicaid expansion, they plan to privatize Social Security, they oppose unions and reasonable gun laws,” etc. “Weird” is just the gateway label.
Thanks for bringing this up, Dan. I've been thinking the same thing, or at least I've been aware of it on some unconscious level. Republicans are weird; it's a fact. But to hammer that idea home, day after day, loses its spark and does begin to feel a little bit like MAGA behavior. I much prefer the messages that i heard Kamala and Tim back at the United Auto Workers rally in Detroit. The values of unity, shared goals toward a common good...those are the messages that feel important to me in this election. Let the notion of their weirdness hang out in space. We already all know it's there.
“Weird” has been fun and I am fired up, but I think with the honeymoon period winding down, it’s time for a hard look at the facts. I believe, if we vote tomorrow, Trump wins. Biden was ahead in polling by 5-10% points in 2020 and he only actually won in swing states by ~<2%. If that ratio holds, Harris is on track for a loss, even with her recent gains.
Can you address this in upcoming conversations/podcasts/newsletters? I think it’s time to recage our conversation to focus us on the fact that this is winnable, if we play the game of inches to build the lead. MAGA is skidding and we have a huge opportunity from the candidates all the way down through the volunteers to simple conversations on the street.
It feels as though "weird" is already slipping into its (rightful?) place as a door-opener that has done its job, and that no longer needs to be hammered upon daily. I hope so.
I agree the word is right on target in identifying the essence of Rs. But maybe this fast-moving campaign will continue to "refresh" by now pivoting to their deeper messaging.
They spent decades nurturing their brand as the Silent Majority (i.e., normal). But when Trump purged all the normies from the R party and made it his MAGA cult party, they literally became the Weird Party. And Ds are now clearly much more normal by comparison.
We fought hard against the normalization of Trump in the past, even while MSM was normalizing like hell (because focusing on horserace etc. is better for clicks and profit). But this seems like an important moment to push the weirdness and de-normalize the MAGA cult. Whether or not it comes with short-term electoral gains (but if it can be used to deliver effective electoral payloads, why not), it certainly deserves to be part of a long-term branding effort to "other" the MAGAs.
This could be a sea change moment in the culture wars.
Some might say 'weird' is stooping to Trump's level. Nonsense. Trump showed nicknames are effective and have staying power. And compared to 'vermin' and others, weird is a mere pittance.
This is not your father's presidential election - all bets are off- no holds barred. Trump set that ship to sail in '16.
“Weird” is less an epithet than a framing. Every time Trump babbles about sharks or JD…well, opens his mouth, it will reinforce the framing. I think it opens the door for slow alienation from the Republican Party. Great column by Jamelle Bouie in the NYT today on this theme.
I think “weird” has been terrific. Sure, it may not move traditional data needles, which are oh so sexy, but it was a galvanizing rally cry that worked in tandem with Kamala’s campaign rollout to get Democratic voters out of their slumber and fired up. That’s huge. And it 100% rattled Trump and Vance and their MAGA consultants. It got in their heads and stayed there rent free. Just a simple word that garnered free media coverage for weeks. Political warfare is asymmetrical. The ripples of each tactic in the battle amass to create waves. I have no doubt that the ripples from “weird” will bear fruit down the line in those data driven details Dan delights in daily.
"In other words, calling Donald Trump and JD Vance “weird” may be more cathartic than constructive." I agree, and we need a catharsis right now as much as we need joy right now. The same is true for the couch jokes, which are fading out. Let's have fun, get through the convention and then keep the momentum going. However, I do feel a bit of whiplash. Biden spent his time running for a second term talking about his accomplishments and all we heard was that it was boring and that voters weren't listening. Now we're hearing that Harris/Walz need to turn to discussing policy and accomplishments. There is one constant in all of this - mainstream media, which gives a pass for Trump's declining mental health, rambling, forgetfulness, racism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, etc. As Lawrence O'Donnell said last night, it's 2016 all over again for the MSM. Trump changed the rules of the game and so did social media, for better or for worse. I don't think anyone should completely abandon the traditional political game because it does work with some voters, but it doesn't work with all voters, not any more. Trump and his team are running into walls because they could not conceive of Biden stepping down from such power; they could not conceive of voters being enthusiastic about a mixed race woman; and they can't conceive of a VP candidate who doesn't exude their style of masculinity and who is willing to stand behind a woman. And, most of all, they cannot conceive of how totally pissed off women voters are. This failure of imagination will only cause Trump's poll numbers and crowd sizes to decrease even more.
I think "weird", as you say, was great to bust through the door, but it's problematic for people who have been marginalized or bullied. I don't think that's what Harris and Walz are doing nor is that the energy they have, but it is a concern. Ideally they will have more zingers. I think "mind your own business" was fabulous - and to restate that it is creepy that Republicans are so obsessed with policing people's genitals. I think it would be great for the team to emphasize how difficult it is for a person to transition without having people pile on and make it even harder.
I also think the Trump campaign, especially Trump, is leaving the door open for many, many other lines of attack - the fabricated helicopter ride, for example. When Hillary Clinton exaggerated and said she'd taken fire in a helicopter ride, she was pilloried and had to apologize. This is a great way to poke Trump about his imaginary helicopter ride.
The fact that the Republicans are whining about being called weird is definitely nice. And nice hit on Morning Joe!
Agree that "weird" has worked so far, but I think we need to pivot to something stronger and more specific - weird is too 'cute' a way to address the underlying dangerous policies and beliefs of said weirdos. (Similar to the 2020-ish calling of serious election interference "shenanigans".) Can we come up with a new descriptor for men who do porn-checks with their sons or who want to track my reproductive data? Plus, I don't think it is great form to resort to general othering/name-calling.
You're overthinking this. "Weird" is a versatile, all-purpose word because it isn't real specific. I and other fans of f/sf (fantasy and science fiction or "sci-fi" for you mundanes <g>) have been calling ourselves weird for decades. At first I didn't want to share it with the MAGAs, but then I realized "Hey, it fits!" The MAGAs, and the current crop of Republicans, pride themselves on being "normal," or what they think normal ought to be. "Weird" means "not normal" or "not quite normal." My colleagues and I are proud to be not quite normal. In fact, we may even put some effort into it. This is not the case with the GOP. They think they're normal but they're really extreme. "Weird" calls attention to that but in a semi-humorous way -- and it's hard to defend oneself against without coming across as, well, weird.
Do you feel Democrats should begin speaking out about Project 2025? Will they do this at the convention? I feel Democrats need to speak up more strongly about the maga lies and certainly what they plan to do if elected. Kamala needs to go on the Sunday morning shows,even if she is in one place and the interviewer is in their studio. But I would prefer it be in-person.
I think the weird label has done a great job of opening the conversation, not just about behavior or statements, but about policies ...banning books, obsessing over trans rights, mass deportation, controlling women's bodies vs/ ... child tax credits, free school lunches, affordable health care, common sense gun control, etc...
"The lack of a backlash is notable because using a term like 'weird would seem condescending to some voters — something akin to Hillary Clinton’s deplorables comment in 2016."
Key difference is Democrats today are calling *Republican political leaders* weird, while Clinton called *voters* deplorable.
Now THIS is weird! TRUMPS DAILY SCHEDULE
8 AM: hair
10 AM: hide in basement
12 PM: lunch with white nationalists
1 PM: try to sell special TRUMP-APPROVED Bibles to pay bills
1:30 PM: Project 2025 planning call
2 PM: hide in basement
5 PM: sit in golf cart
6:30 PM: hide in basement
10 PM: post disturbed, confused, typo-riddled rants online
“No one has ever seen anything like it!”
How about “ They’re so weird, they tried 50 times to take away your health insurance, they oppose Medicaid expansion, they plan to privatize Social Security, they oppose unions and reasonable gun laws,” etc. “Weird” is just the gateway label.
I was about to post a similar comment. Use the fact that the term can be used as a vehicle for exposure of the values and policy messages.
There could be a whole series of "weird" balloons (on TikTok or elsewhere), each one with a different values/policy payload.
Thanks for bringing this up, Dan. I've been thinking the same thing, or at least I've been aware of it on some unconscious level. Republicans are weird; it's a fact. But to hammer that idea home, day after day, loses its spark and does begin to feel a little bit like MAGA behavior. I much prefer the messages that i heard Kamala and Tim back at the United Auto Workers rally in Detroit. The values of unity, shared goals toward a common good...those are the messages that feel important to me in this election. Let the notion of their weirdness hang out in space. We already all know it's there.
I think we have to stick with Trump Vance and Republican *leadership* is weird.
The best message remains “We’re not going back.” Calling weird folks “weird “ is fair. No one ever imagined that the naked emperor inspired respect.
“Weird” has been fun and I am fired up, but I think with the honeymoon period winding down, it’s time for a hard look at the facts. I believe, if we vote tomorrow, Trump wins. Biden was ahead in polling by 5-10% points in 2020 and he only actually won in swing states by ~<2%. If that ratio holds, Harris is on track for a loss, even with her recent gains.
Can you address this in upcoming conversations/podcasts/newsletters? I think it’s time to recage our conversation to focus us on the fact that this is winnable, if we play the game of inches to build the lead. MAGA is skidding and we have a huge opportunity from the candidates all the way down through the volunteers to simple conversations on the street.
It feels as though "weird" is already slipping into its (rightful?) place as a door-opener that has done its job, and that no longer needs to be hammered upon daily. I hope so.
I agree the word is right on target in identifying the essence of Rs. But maybe this fast-moving campaign will continue to "refresh" by now pivoting to their deeper messaging.
I thought I heard shades of the pivot in the Detroit rally.
Pardon me for linking to NYT (!), but Jamelle Bouie has an illuminating essay on why Rs hate being called weird:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/09/opinion/trump-vance-harris-walz-weird.html
They spent decades nurturing their brand as the Silent Majority (i.e., normal). But when Trump purged all the normies from the R party and made it his MAGA cult party, they literally became the Weird Party. And Ds are now clearly much more normal by comparison.
We fought hard against the normalization of Trump in the past, even while MSM was normalizing like hell (because focusing on horserace etc. is better for clicks and profit). But this seems like an important moment to push the weirdness and de-normalize the MAGA cult. Whether or not it comes with short-term electoral gains (but if it can be used to deliver effective electoral payloads, why not), it certainly deserves to be part of a long-term branding effort to "other" the MAGAs.
This could be a sea change moment in the culture wars.
Weird is ABSOLUTELY the way to go.
Some might say 'weird' is stooping to Trump's level. Nonsense. Trump showed nicknames are effective and have staying power. And compared to 'vermin' and others, weird is a mere pittance.
This is not your father's presidential election - all bets are off- no holds barred. Trump set that ship to sail in '16.
Let's help make #VotingGOPisWEIRD trend.
“Weird” is less an epithet than a framing. Every time Trump babbles about sharks or JD…well, opens his mouth, it will reinforce the framing. I think it opens the door for slow alienation from the Republican Party. Great column by Jamelle Bouie in the NYT today on this theme.
I think “weird” has been terrific. Sure, it may not move traditional data needles, which are oh so sexy, but it was a galvanizing rally cry that worked in tandem with Kamala’s campaign rollout to get Democratic voters out of their slumber and fired up. That’s huge. And it 100% rattled Trump and Vance and their MAGA consultants. It got in their heads and stayed there rent free. Just a simple word that garnered free media coverage for weeks. Political warfare is asymmetrical. The ripples of each tactic in the battle amass to create waves. I have no doubt that the ripples from “weird” will bear fruit down the line in those data driven details Dan delights in daily.
"In other words, calling Donald Trump and JD Vance “weird” may be more cathartic than constructive." I agree, and we need a catharsis right now as much as we need joy right now. The same is true for the couch jokes, which are fading out. Let's have fun, get through the convention and then keep the momentum going. However, I do feel a bit of whiplash. Biden spent his time running for a second term talking about his accomplishments and all we heard was that it was boring and that voters weren't listening. Now we're hearing that Harris/Walz need to turn to discussing policy and accomplishments. There is one constant in all of this - mainstream media, which gives a pass for Trump's declining mental health, rambling, forgetfulness, racism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, etc. As Lawrence O'Donnell said last night, it's 2016 all over again for the MSM. Trump changed the rules of the game and so did social media, for better or for worse. I don't think anyone should completely abandon the traditional political game because it does work with some voters, but it doesn't work with all voters, not any more. Trump and his team are running into walls because they could not conceive of Biden stepping down from such power; they could not conceive of voters being enthusiastic about a mixed race woman; and they can't conceive of a VP candidate who doesn't exude their style of masculinity and who is willing to stand behind a woman. And, most of all, they cannot conceive of how totally pissed off women voters are. This failure of imagination will only cause Trump's poll numbers and crowd sizes to decrease even more.
I think "weird", as you say, was great to bust through the door, but it's problematic for people who have been marginalized or bullied. I don't think that's what Harris and Walz are doing nor is that the energy they have, but it is a concern. Ideally they will have more zingers. I think "mind your own business" was fabulous - and to restate that it is creepy that Republicans are so obsessed with policing people's genitals. I think it would be great for the team to emphasize how difficult it is for a person to transition without having people pile on and make it even harder.
I also think the Trump campaign, especially Trump, is leaving the door open for many, many other lines of attack - the fabricated helicopter ride, for example. When Hillary Clinton exaggerated and said she'd taken fire in a helicopter ride, she was pilloried and had to apologize. This is a great way to poke Trump about his imaginary helicopter ride.
The fact that the Republicans are whining about being called weird is definitely nice. And nice hit on Morning Joe!
Agree that "weird" has worked so far, but I think we need to pivot to something stronger and more specific - weird is too 'cute' a way to address the underlying dangerous policies and beliefs of said weirdos. (Similar to the 2020-ish calling of serious election interference "shenanigans".) Can we come up with a new descriptor for men who do porn-checks with their sons or who want to track my reproductive data? Plus, I don't think it is great form to resort to general othering/name-calling.
You're overthinking this. "Weird" is a versatile, all-purpose word because it isn't real specific. I and other fans of f/sf (fantasy and science fiction or "sci-fi" for you mundanes <g>) have been calling ourselves weird for decades. At first I didn't want to share it with the MAGAs, but then I realized "Hey, it fits!" The MAGAs, and the current crop of Republicans, pride themselves on being "normal," or what they think normal ought to be. "Weird" means "not normal" or "not quite normal." My colleagues and I are proud to be not quite normal. In fact, we may even put some effort into it. This is not the case with the GOP. They think they're normal but they're really extreme. "Weird" calls attention to that but in a semi-humorous way -- and it's hard to defend oneself against without coming across as, well, weird.
Do you feel Democrats should begin speaking out about Project 2025? Will they do this at the convention? I feel Democrats need to speak up more strongly about the maga lies and certainly what they plan to do if elected. Kamala needs to go on the Sunday morning shows,even if she is in one place and the interviewer is in their studio. But I would prefer it be in-person.
I think the weird label has done a great job of opening the conversation, not just about behavior or statements, but about policies ...banning books, obsessing over trans rights, mass deportation, controlling women's bodies vs/ ... child tax credits, free school lunches, affordable health care, common sense gun control, etc...