What the Debates Tell Us About How to Run a Campaign
I’m not sure how many of you watch the Republican CNN/YouTube Debate last night but I did. If you did not, let me just say this… good choice. Just listening to these blowhards out compete each other for who hates immigrants more, or who loves American values better than the man next to him is sickening.
I especially loved CNN’s attempt to focus the entire debate on Rudy and Romney, but this post isn’t about republican candidates, but about the genius of Bloomberg. I don’t believe anyone on that stage won in the eyes of the American people. When there are 8 people (or however many it was) on the stage at one time, each only slightly differing from the others, and comments are limited to around 30 seconds, the pressure to say simplistic sound bites is just too tempting. Nuanced points are impossible in these arenas. I bet any of those candidates, even the CNN favorites, would prefer to skip this process and just be on stage with 1 Republican and 1 Democrat.
This is what Bloomberg is doing, by waiting he is actually cutting through the messiness of pre-primary politics. When he finally joins he race he will have an opportunity to jump right into that very situation. By putting a smart, articulate candidate, unspoiled by months of negative attacks, on stage with whoever comes out of the mud fight in both the Republican and Democratic camps, it is clear that the American people will see who is most presidential.
By my sources I have been assured, the campaign is being “Actively Managed” as we speak. I bet they had this same thought process a year ago, and I believe it is working perfectly.