August 2022 | Messaging Matters

Monthly Archives: August 2022

Democrats’ midterm election “Freedom” theme takes hold

Written on August 30, 2022 by Messaging Matters in Democratic Messaging, Media Watch

Democrats in array this time

When one thinks of a political party marching in lockstep, using the same campaign phrase, the Democratic Party usually does not come to mind. However, that’s just what’s happening as the 2022 midterm elections approach. As we indicated in July, the Democrats, starting with President Joe Biden, began saying that “Freedom is on the ballot” in the upcoming elections:

This fall, Roe is on the ballot. Personal freedoms are on the ballot.

Until then, we will do everything within our power to ensure that women have access to the medication they need and that they will have the freedom to travel to seek the care they need.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 5, 2022

In what could not be a coincidence, President Biden was joined at the same time with the same language by Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell:

Freedom is on the ballot this November.

Freedom from gun violence

Freedom of health care choices

Freedom to vote #ChooseFreedom

— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) July 5, 2022

Those two concurrent tweets were enough to identify a theme here, but now President Biden and Rep. Swalwell have been joined by more Democrats expressing the “Freedom” message for the midterms:

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Tags: 2022 midterm elections, abortion, campaign, Congress, Democrats, Eric Swalwell, freedom, guns, healthcare, John Fetterman, President Joe Biden, Republicans, Senate, Twitter, voting

Dr. Oz Senate campaign implosion reaches comical levels

Written on August 25, 2022 by Messaging Matters in Democratic Messaging, Media Watch, Republican Messaging

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. and U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman

The 2022 Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race between television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz on the Republican side and Democratic Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman is capturing tons of national media attention, but not for the reasons Dr. Oz would prefer. The Oz campaign has been especially tone-deaf, making one mistake after another, and Fetterman and his campaign have been quick to capitalize on each one.

Essentially, the Oz-Fetterman race has turned into a Culture War, to the great disadvantage of Dr. Oz. Usually, it’s the Republicans who try to run on Culture War issues, whether it’s abortion, attacking LGBTQ people and their rights, book banning, guns, etc., mostly as a distraction, because Republicans are extremely unpopular on economic and other issues of importance to most Americans. In Pennsylvania, however, Fetterman has turned the tables on Republicans regarding cultural issues.

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Tags: 2022 elections, Chef José Andrés, Congress, Democrats, Dr. Oz, food prices, healthcare, inflation, John Fetterman, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Republicans, Twitter, U.S. Senate, veterans

President Biden to celebrate Inflation Reduction Act in road show

Written on August 16, 2022 by Messaging Matters in Democratic Messaging, Good Government

President Joe Biden, about to take his show on the road

Bloomberg News reported yesterday that President Joe Biden will hold a celebration event for the Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) on September 6 at the White House, followed by a tour across the country to tout the IRA’s benefits. Here is the tweet from Bloomberg White House reporter Jenny Leonard showing the memo from White House Chief of Staff Ronald Klain which outlines the plans for the IRA celebration:

Per new WH memo: Biden will host a celebration event for the Inflation Reduction Act at the White House on September 6 and travel across the country to highlight its benefits. @POTUS will also attend the groundbreaking of @intel’s Ohio semiconductor fab. pic.twitter.com/SCXDZjWul9

— Jenny Leonard (@jendeben) August 15, 2022

The U.S. Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act on August 7. The U.S. House passed it last Friday. In both cases, the IRA received no Republican votes. Vice President Kamala Harris had to cast the tie-breaking 51st vote for the IRA in the Senate. President Biden is expected to sign the IRA later today.

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Tags: Bloomberg News, Congress, Democrats, Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare, prescription drugs, President Joe Biden, Republicans, Twitter, U.S. House, U.S. Senate, Vice President Kamala Harris, White House

Democrats co-opt Republican meme as “Dark Brandon” goes viral

Written on August 3, 2022 by Messaging Matters in Democratic Messaging, Democratic vs. Republican Presidents, Media Watch, Republican Messaging

The attack that turned into a compliment

In an amazing flipping of the script, Democrats have taken back a Republican phrase used to denigrate President Joe Biden.

It all started last October, at the Sparks 300 NASCAR race at Talladega Motor Speedway in Alabama. During winner Brandon Brown‘s post-race interview, some in the crowd began chanting “Fu*k Joe Biden!” The interviewer instead claimed, either unknowingly or deliberately, that the crowd was chanting “Let’s Go Brandon!”

Soon, Republicans started saying “Let’s Go Brandon!” as a euphemism for the epithet against President Biden. Even a number of leading Republican politicians began uttering the phrase, wearing t-shirts and masks displaying the phrase, and referring to the Biden administration as “the Brandon administration.” The “Brandon” saying was going strong as recently as this past weekend, at Donald Trump‘s Saudi-sponsored golf tournament:

https://twitter.com/magatalker/status/1554112313887805441

However, over the past week or so, Democrats have suddenly taken the “Brandon” epithet back, and have turned it into an instant smash hit for President Biden.

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Tags: Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Brandon, COVID, Dark Brandon, Democrats, President Joe Biden, Republicans, Twitter