<\/p>\n
As we approach the June 27 debate between President Biden and presumptive nominee Trump, much advice has been forthcoming as to how Mr. Biden should proceed.\u00a0 Written without benefit of polling data or focus groups, the below column makes suggestions based on persuasion techniques.<\/em><\/p>\n To prevail in Thursday\u2019s debate and then in the election, Joe Biden must ask \u201cwho\u201d needs persuading about \u201cwhat?\u201d\u00a0 The \u201cwho\u201d is clear \u2013 those, rightly or not, disappointed in his leadership,\u00a0 concerned by the \u201che\u2019s too old\u201d drumbeat, or disaffected from voting by single issues, be it Gaza or student loan forgiveness or the economy.<\/p>\n And the \u201cwhat?\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s left is the \u201chow?\u201d\u00a0 It is here that advocacy and persuasion lessons provide guidance.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start with mental sharpness.\u00a0 The shorter and more factual the answer to a question, the sharper President Biden will appear; the more rambling, the more he will play into stereotypes.\u00a0 That means drop the \u2018Look, let me tell you…\u2019\u00a0 prefaces.<\/p>\n To highlight mental acuity, Mr. Biden must answer the questions posed, rather than moving into talking points.\u00a0 And when Trump doesn\u2019t answer questions, Mr. Biden can say \u201che didn\u2019t answer your question; I will.\u201d\u00a0 After the third or fourth time, Biden should respond with \u201cThat\u2019s the third time he couldn\u2019t answer your question.\u00a0 Is he ducking it\u2026or isn\u2019t HE<\/em> sharp enough to understand.\u201d<\/p>\n One more essential is the \u201cdon\u2019t repeat yourself\u201d rule.\u00a0 We get it \u2013 Biden\/Harris are pro-choice, Trump\/whoever are a clear and present danger to reproductive freedom and health.\u00a0 Say it once; and if you need emphasis, highlight specific Trump proposals, like arresting women who seek abortions.\u00a0 But the audience wants more than a broken record.<\/p>\n Succinctness wins –\u00a0 if you can say it in eight to twelve words, do it.\u00a0 \u201cDonald Trump talked infrastructure for four years; we did it in one.\u201d\u00a0 Then list how \u2013 \u201cnew bridges, safer roads, cleaner water.\u201d\u00a0 Bring to that a new tagline.\u00a0 \u201cThere he goes again\u201d has been taken and will seem coached, artificial, and insincere.\u00a0 The mantra for Trump\u2019s plans can be as simple as \u201cthat hurts America,\u201d or its variant \u201cthat will hurt our children\u201d or \u201cour air\u201d or \u201cthe water you need to drink.\u201d\u00a0 And the flip side?\u00a0 \u201cThat only helps the rich.\u201d\u00a0 Not one word more \u2013 except for a concrete illustration as to how.\u00a0 Of course, offering illustrations must not be tone deaf.\u00a0 For instance, Biden\u2019s job numbers are great; but touting them too much ignores the financial squeeze many people feel.<\/p>\n When there is an issue \u2013 be it immigration or Israel\/Gaza \u2013 that takes more time to respond to, Biden should say so.\u00a0 \u201cThat issue isn\u2019t a one liner.\u00a0 Mr. Trump forgets that we have an asylum law that says we must \u2026\u00a0 And remember, with Republicans we had a plan to fix the system..until this man said \u2018vote no.\u2019\u00a0 That hurt America.\u201d<\/p>\n Calling Trump a clear and present danger to democracy or our standing in the world is true but doesn\u2019t persuade.\u00a0 Specifics do:<\/p>\n And the final need?\u00a0 Humility.\u00a0\u00a0 Because there is anger over single issues, Mr. Biden has to acknowledge that not everyone agrees on everything he does, but the vote won\u2019t be about that one issue \u2013 it will be about every danger and harm Mr. Trump poses and the alternatives we \u00a0have.<\/p>\n Humility is also best deployed when discussing Trump\u2019s felony convictions.\u00a0 Mr. Biden, wait for your moment and look for the flip.\u00a0 If Trump\u00a0 talks of \u201cweaponized\u201d justice, call him out.\u00a0 Your son was convicted by that system, and you respected the jury. \u00a0 If Trump\u2019s attack is personal, Biden\u2019s response should be: \u201cjurors are citizens.\u00a0 Citizens found you guilty of fraud and liable for defamation and sexual assault; and in case you forget, the New York courts are not a part of the U.S. government.\u201d\u00a0 And say no more.<\/p>\n Trump will lay traps, say outrageous things, and play to fear and prejudice.\u00a0 But persuasion tools abound \u2013 it is a matter of understanding and deploying them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thanks to Professors Marian Braccia and Elizabeth Lippy for their substantive comments and improvements.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As we approach the June 27 debate between President Biden and presumptive nominee Trump, much advice has been forthcoming as to how Mr. Biden should proceed.\u00a0 Written without benefit of polling data or focus groups, the below column makes suggestions based on persuasion techniques. To prevail in Thursday\u2019s debate and then in the election,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"coauthors":[330],"class_list":["post-3805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advocacy-and-evidence-blog"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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