Positioning Concerned Citizens and Tea Partiers as Racist Loons
BY: NCViking
It has come to this: The Tea Party movement and conservatives are nothing more than racist bigots against a black president.
This is the baton that prominent Democrats are serving and the main stream media is now running with. Even opposing politicians are under this bus! “You lie” Joe Wilson is now “You lie boy, you uppity N*****!“, Confederate flag waving white supremacist Joe Wilson. Couldn’t possibly be because he 1.) Was just angry and out of line and 2.) Frustrated with Obama’s misstatements on health care. No, he along with all the other Town Hall disrupting ‘Teabaggers’ are just bigoted, white, redneck GOP pigs.
Why has this happened? How can average citizens concerned over government spending, expansion and corruption, and/or dissenting politicians get characterized in this way? Positioning.
Marketing and branding is my business so it may seem a little more clear to me than the average Joe. The battle for any product, service or message (in this case) is for a certain image in the mind of a target audience. Its called positioning in marketing-speak and Democrats are experts at it. Dems with help from the mainstream media (carrying their water) have successfully ‘positioned’ the movement and conservatives in this way. It also doesn’t help that some politicians can be twits and the Tea Party movement is indeed a ragtag, grassroots one. The fact that the movement is a little discombobulated proves this fact. There is no singular comprehensible message that can be branded and positioned, just anger and frustration at the government. It is easy pickings for spinsters. Just look at the below “Jay Walking” video that selectively seeks out far right loons to reinforce this Dem race-baiting position of the movement.
This video is very illuminating of the effort to label dissenting conservatives as racist, and the lack of a coherent message the movement actually has. It just comes across as pissed off right wingers. Why are they all of a sudden pissed off and now marching on Washington? Because we have a black president. So this is what it becomes. Perception is reality.
Here are two examples of big shots in the MSM furthering this perception:
Unfortunately, once the movement is branded in this way, it is very difficult to get the intended brand image to coincide with the brand identity, no matter how much people like Glenn Beck try and no matter how many Republicans wrongly try and capitalize on this disorganized angst. Unfortunately, unless the Tea Party movement gets organized somehow with a clear position, brand and message, it will likely fizzle out and join the Reform Party in the scrapheap of insignificance.
Exit question: What would the media do if a fantasy movie about the assassination of President Obama was shown in 144 U.S. theaters? Wait, that wasn’t Obama, that was Bush. We all know how the media liked that.
The film was shown to a sell-out crowd at the Toronto Film Festival, who applauded at the end of the screening and several times during a question and answer session with the producers.
Civility.
- Economic Crisis of Confidence - February 8th, 2010
- Cato Analysis and Fact Check of SOTU Speech - January 28th, 2010
- State of the Union Déjà vu? - January 26th, 2010
- Purple Predestination - January 25th, 2010
- Prince Composes New Vikings Fight Song (Oh Yes He Did!) - January 22nd, 2010
Wait just one moment…I thought the “Teabaggers” were an organized group with a coherent message. Wasn’t this what Rachel Maddow connected together on her seldom watched cable access show on MSNBC to show this sinister plot to bring down the President? Man, I’m so confused!
Viking, you are absolutely correct on the branding issue. As you know, I was involved with tea party events in February and April here in St. Louis. It started so small and grew quickly as more Americans identified with the perceived message. It means different things to different people and shows the true lunacy foisted upon us by the media and the left that the right is mounting an organized and coherent effort with the tea parties.
The left is very organized and very adept at running cohesive and targeted campaigns on the public airwaves. This is helped by a willing media and a willing following to stick to the party line message. You don’t see many democrats or liberals straying off message on major issues but it is very difficult to steer republicans and conservatives in the same direction. Any time there is a particular issue they want to push everyone on the left seems to be on the same page (saying the same talking points.) Rush likes to say “mind numbed robots” to describe this group (the left).
The problem with the GOP is that they are in an identity crisis not knowing who their target market is (sound familiar Viking and Windbag?). Is it the blue bloods, the independents, the right-wingers, the pro-lifers, etc. Without this knowledge of their core base I doubt the picture will change on the national level. Grass roots will be the flavor for the next couple of years.
There were a lot of racist messages in the 9-12 event, as there were in the Town Hall meetings, as there were in other Tea Parties. This is a case of the loons taking over the conservative movement and the failure of non-loon conservatives to distance themselves from the lunatics.
Conservatives should have distanced themselves from Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, from Birthers, from death panels, and from Sarah Palin a long time ago.
They didn’t. Many Republican congressmen have taken some of the loony ideas and introduced them as mainstream in their own Town Halls, playing to the fringe of their party while at the same time seeding the charge that they are in “la-la” land and that they are racist.
The motto for any public figure is always that “you are the message.” They should never have allowed the other side to effective label you. By the other side, include Democrats as well as loons like Glenn Beck.
Glenn – the worst thing for the Republicans.
On a related topic, Wilson is completely out of touch with reality on the health care and illegals issue, on a number of levels.
First, whether explicitly stated or not, Obama and the Democrats did not intend and do not intend, to allow illegal aliens to have subsidized health care insurance. Therefore to argue that he “lied” is way over the top. Wilson is reacting to the Rush/Glenn out of control rhetoric. I’ll discuss below the actual provision.
Second, Wilson is a weak member of the party, but he and other Republicans should have played it way way smarter. They should have simply stated that the provisions in the bill are inadequate and stated that they could support the bill if their proposal was included in the bill. They didn’t. Republicans don’t want their fingerprints on the bill.
If Wilson is frustrated at anything or anyone he should be frustrated at his own party’s leadership.
Third, I doubt any of you read the entire bill. I have and it almost silent on health care for illegal immigrants. It does not provide any new benefits for illegal immigrants and specifically states that illegal immigrants would not qualify to receive subsidized insurance. Illegal immigrants are now excluded from Medicaid and this bill does not aim to change the current laws.
Most states, and if you believe in states rights, have laws that require hospitals to treat severely ill people, regardless of immigration status. This bill does not usurp state laws.
To believe that Obama lied about illegal alien status, or the intent of the bill is to be right up there with Birthers.
Could R’s and D’s work on immigration? Sure.
But to continue to believe that Obama wants to benefit illegals is pure nonsense. R’s are at best in “la-la” land.
And if you want to prove they are racist, just look at who shows up at Tea Parties and other demonstrations.
Mike,
I agree with most of what you say except that the Conservative movement has been taken over by loons. It goes back to the substance of the post – perception. The loons are a tiny minority but the ones being effectively ‘positioned’ to represent it by things like the Jay Walking video, media and Dems up to and including the blatant, consistent and effective effort to label Rush as the head of the Republican Party. Madman (since he has attended Tea Parties) can speak better to the actual crowd participants on whether they are racist neo-Nazi’s or average people that are fed up with government expansion, corruption and waste.
Still trying to push the racist message huh Mike? So by your standards we should indict the whole crowd because a couple of people at some rallies had some questionable signs? Now that is an open minded way of thinking!
I’m not a GOP’er, but here is a great exchange between Wolf Blitzer and GOP Chairman Michael Steele. http://www.eyeblast.tv/public/checker.aspx?v=GdkU4z8z8z Racism, huh.
We all know you don’t like the talk show guys on the right (Beck, Rush, etc.), but I’m not sure I understand why you even pay it lip service. It does seem that a huge number of people are interested in what both of these men, most of all Glenn Beck, have to say judging by the massive numbers Beck get every day despite the ridiculous boycott of Fox News. Explain that one for me.
It is obvious that the same ole same ole is not going to work for the GOP from now on. The electorate is finally involved and whether they are on target or misguided, this is immaterial. The post was addressing the obvious marketing and image positioning the GOP has and how to actually brand themselves to win elections in 2010 and 2012. As it stands now, as pointed out by Viking, there is no coherent message being put out by either the GOP or conservatives.
As far as the attendees at the tea parties I have been to, I witnessed no racist behavior. I personally took pictures of almost every sign and there were no racist signs there. Now, to be fair, I was at only one event in one city, but I would love to see this massive “racist” movement that the MSM’s love to point out to the public.
Are there racists at tea parties? Probably. In a crowd numbering over 100,000, you are bound to find one guy who uses the N-word to describe Obama. That said, most of the people are there because the have an philosophical difference on politics than the President. They are not ignorant racists.
Here is an example of a “racist message” for a critic of tea parties: “You lie!”. Why? Not because there is real racism in there, but just because critics imagine words at the end of that, and BINGO… Rep. Wilson is now a member of the Klan. Whether than imagined word is boy, uppity, the n-word… it does not matter.
Find Obama’s large government proposals unacceptable? You are a racist. You don’t like the government taking over parts of GM, that’s because you don’t like seeing a black man in power. Think a government takeover of healthcare will negatively affect service, you have deep rooted hatred of blacks and think they should be slaves.
This is not from the fringe, this is from columnists of Time, Newsweek, the New York Times, and Congressmen for goodness sake. One thing you can say for Obama, he has not entered this cesspool of racism… although he can not stop his allies and those around him from doing the same.
Putting Beck and Limbaugh in the same category as Birthers is completely off base. Birthers, Truthers, Subscribers to Iraq Blood For Oil, and Clinton Adminstration Murders are all nuts. I would say those who see racism everywhere are also qualified to enter the nut category as well.
NCV
“Taking over” can mean many things. It can mean the physical numbers, or it can mean message or focus. As far as numbers go, the loons are a minority.
But not so on message. McCain’s pick of Palin was a bow to the loons. He needed numbers and he was willing to put the country at risk to get elected. I wonder why that didn’t go over big among mainstream Republicans.
To correct the issue of message, I quote from my entry above:
“Conservatives should have distanced themselves from Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, from Birthers, from death panels, and from Sarah Palin a long time ago.
“They didn’t. Many Republican congressmen have taken some of the loony ideas and introduced them as mainstream in their own Town Halls, playing to the fringe of their party while at the same time seeding the charge that they are in “la-la” land and that they are racist.”
Good post by the way
ACM,
I am not saying that the GOP is racist. I am saying that they allowed their image to be tainted by racists.
“Conservatives should have distanced themselves from Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, from Birthers, from death panels, and from Sarah Palin a long time ago.”
They should have all come out and stated there is no place for racists, loons, birthers, and the “you lied” crowd in their party. Instead they pushed loony ideas until it got out of control. You reap what you sow.
I would contend that McCain actually received more votes BECAUSE he picked Palin. McCain is way too center to be elected by conservatives. I have nothing to back up my assumptions nationwide, but I wouldn’t have pulled the lever for the R without Palin on the ticket. I was leaning Libertarian before the pick.
The video post was meant to illustrate a point about the protesters and their lack of racism, plus the complete idiotic statements from Wolf Blitzer. It had nothing to do with you thinking the GOP were racists.
From my point of view, Palin is part of the loony side of far right conservatives. From other points of view, they may dismiss what I see and believe that she is right for America. We can discuss the merits of Palin some time.
If you look at my analysis of the election, suppose McCain had picked someone like Mitt Romney. He would be a conservative that would attract you and other fair minded conservatives.
Instead McCain picked Palin, to me a “bow to the loons.” He needed numbers and he was willing to put the country at risk to get elected.
About Glenn, Rush …
It’s not whether I like them or not. My post was that they are doing a great deal of harm to the Republican party. To demonstrate my point, which would have been better for Republicans: get a lot of clear thinking R’s out at town halls, or get a bunch of loons, some carrying confederate flags and some fully armed ?
Oh no, the R’s would never stand for reason.
Viewership and advertisers dropping out are two entirely different phenomenon. Viewership is loons coming out and watching the show. Companies are dropping their advertising because they don’t want to be associated with the extreme loony branch.
Was that s sufficient explanation?
I have to say, I did not get influenced by Palin’s addition like Madman, and I would have likely voted GOP either way (best candidate of the two from my point of view. On the other hand, I thought she was kind of gimmick, and a bad play from a political point of view. For every Madman, there was a person like me who thought that McCain had sacrificed the “adult” party theme. He took the best argument against Obama, that he was green as a lawn, off the table by introducing Palin into the mix.
But that said, she is neither a loon or an idiot. Lefty bloggers railing about her magazines of choice or her accent did not advance the conversation one bit. When she went toe-to-toe with Joe Biden, she not only held her own, but I think did a better job point-by-point. You may disagree, and that is your right.
The Death Panel argument is a little silly, if you ask me. Obama’s argument in his non-SOTU address was a strawman. No serious GOP pol (including Sarah Palin) say that Death Panel means that government employees would sit on a panel and condemn people to death per se. What Obama said:
It is simple hyperbole… if a healthcare system needs to ration care, which many fair minded individuals believe will happen if we follow any of the Democratic plans, then someone needs to decide how that is rationed. Some life saving care would need to be rationed. As a result, someone will need to decide who gets care and who does not. Someone could die as a result of that decision… hence the term “Death Panels”. It is stated to draw people to that conclusion. To suggest that any one but the most basic simpleton believes Obama’s strawman is the GOP argument is disingenuous.
And yes, Palin is a smart grown up who knows the difference.
Mike – thanks.
Windbag – I would say that Beck straddles the loon fence with crying fits and some conspiracy rants.
Beck has done some nutty things, and he is fringe, but he is not a lunatic. He is an emotional wreck sometimes, and I don’t always agree with him, but calling him a loon is a little off base.
WCW,
I think your reply is balanced, but I beg to differ with you on Palin’s statement. You said “No serious GOP pol (including Sarah Palin) say that Death Panel means that government employees would sit on a panel and condemn people to death per se.”
On Aug 7, 2009 on her Facebook page she said,
“The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s “death panel” so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their “level of productivity in society,” whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil.”
She repeated this again on Sept 8, 2009,
The president’s proposals would give unelected officials life-and-death rationing powers.
There are several reasons why this point is based more on Glenn Beck than a rational studied view of Health Care proposals. These are (1) she called them Death Panels, (2) she said bureaucrats will decide, (3) they will withhold treatment, (4) she did not say (nor anyone else) that they would issue a death sentence, or arrange an execution.
Let’s objectively discuss rationing. This is pure and simple fear mongering.
- Obama is not proposing to make medical decisions, or to run the entire health care as a government program. He is proposing to provide a self-funded competitive insurance. It would be lower cost than current programs. He is hoping that it would end the spiraling inflation in medical coverage. It would force insurance companies to make improvements in their performance.
- Medicare and Medicaid today don’t deny (rescind) coverage. Why are we to believe a new program will?
- Finally, you all know that rescission is a very real mechanism used by insurance companies today. It is not just used to deny coverage for people with paperwork issues. They deny coverage to many people, some would say to 100% of the extremely seriously sick. You also know that rescission is rationing. So you know that rationing exists today.
The point is that under Obama’s plan, the rationing practice is being eliminated. It is a reform that should have come a long time ago.
I would agree on that one Windbag. I’ve listened to Beck for years when I can and like his delivery and his point of view most of the time. Shouldn’t surprise anyone given my lego name.
What should amaze anyone reading this blog are the sheer numbers his TV show commands – at 4pm cst no less. His message has not changed just the size of the audience – which is why he is getting so much flack from the left.
He resonates with a huge portion of the viewing audience and my guess is that these people do vote. The next election cycle should be interesting. I look forward to watching the spectacle.
And he is driving out mainstream Republicans with his conspiracy theories. The number of people who self identify as Republicans has gone down.
So much for converting people to vote Republican. His audience is from mostly red states already and while he get a viewers, he is not converting anyone.
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