Listen to and don't demean Trump supporters
31 August 2024
This essay is based on today’s column in the New York Times by Nicholas Kristof.
The main points are:
Demeaning Trump supporters doesn’t change their thinking - the only way to change people’s minds is to listen to them and respond to their concerns.
Many Trump voters believe they have been left out of society. Our job is to convince them of the truth - that Democrats are working to fix problems affecting the middle and lower classes, Trump only cares about himself and Republicans care mostly about being on the right side of Trump.
Some of the best advice Democrats have received recently came from Bill Clinton in his speech at the Democratic National Convention.
First, he warned against hubris: “We’ve seen more than one election slip away from us when we thought it couldn’t happen, when people got distracted by phony issues or overconfident.” That’s something that any Clinton understands in his — or her — gut.
Second, related and even more important, he cautioned against demeaning voters who don’t share liberal values.
“I urge you to meet people where they are,” said Clinton, who knows something about winning votes outside of solid blue states. “I urge you not to demean them, but not to pretend you don’t disagree with them if you do. Treat them with respect — just the way you’d like them to treat you.”
. . .
Sure, it’s satisfying to hurl invective. But calling people “Nazis” probably won’t win over undecided voters any more than when Trump supporters deride “libtards” or the “Biden crime family.”
Whatever our politics, Trump brings out the worst in all of us. He nurtures hate on his side that we mirror.
So let’s take a deep breath, summon F.D.R.’s empathy for the forgotten man, follow Clinton’s advice — and, for the sake of winning elections as well as of civility, remember that the best way to get others to listen to us is to first listen to them. More
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