The Elements of Persuasion

Keys to the Kingdom

I just got off the phone with Gary an unhappy friend of mine. He heads up a cutting edge architectural firm. He was disappointed to learn that his hand picked team just lost a big account, which they thought was in the bag.  Gary was granted a rare postmortem. The corporate reps said they really liked his designs. However they went with his competitor because they were blown away by their presentation.  “Your team appeared clunky and awkward. They gave us lots of data but no story.  When the other team presented they were having fun. They were graceful and they made us feels like we were involved in a beautiful ballet.” This is rare and invaluable feedback only given because Gary’s firm is held in high esteem. What are the jewels of wisdom to be recovered from the mud of defeat?

I know the members of Gary’s team. They’re all bright creative people and they work damn hard. All their effort was fruitless because they were doing what they had been taught to do in school.  Gary’s team was presenting a clear and logical thinking path without emotionally engaging their audience. Facts became weights around their necks. The more they struggled to be rational, the deeper they sank. What they had failed to do was to know and move their audience.

Great presenters study audiences. They understand what audiences want. What they want is what we all want; to be surprised; to be transported into another world. Successful presenters create an emotionally charged community where presenter and audience share a common experience. Facts alone can never transport an audience into the heart of the story. Passion and vitality are the keys to the kingdom.  The word emotion comes from Latin and it means “To stir up and to move” which is exactly what Gary’s team must learn to do in order to win the next account.

END GAME ELEMENTS

Since early in the primaries this blog has taken the position that Obama’s strong element – the basis of his campaign – is Passion (his ability rally people around a central motivating core concept) and that McCain’s is the element we call the Antagonist (his ability to define the story as his struggle against whatever is between him and his goal).

No story element is better or worse than any other. You need all five to tell a compelling story, and every storyteller has their own style and preference. But it is fascinating that as we come into the home stretch that we have such a strong visual contrast between the two campaigns.

One the one hand you have Obama gathering enormous pep rally style crowds like the one he had in St. Louis where what he says is broad and inclusive. It is worth the click. This is “come on in the water is fine” at its most public.

And on the other you have McCain and company saturating the phone lines with highly targeted robocalls that define Obama as pretty much whatever it is that the listener might find unappealing. Phone calls, even robotic ones, are by nature private and personal.

Election day has both qualities. When you vote you get to feel that you are part of something much bigger than yourself - and you get to brag about it by wearing you “I voted sticker.” And when you are actually casting your ballot you are totally alone with your own deepest and most private thoughts and fears. It is a great story contrast – a suiting end to a long and historic campaign.

COOLER HEADS

Like a lot of people who spend way too much time prowling the web I was shocked by this YouTube of folks coming out of a Palin Rally convinced Obama was a terrorist. If that is the take away from a GOP rally something is seriously wrong.

There are plenty of legitimate reasons not to vote for Obama – enough so that I don’t really have to list them here – but him being a “one man terrorist cell” whose “name says it all” is not one of them.

In The Elements of Persuasion Bob and I say:

“Of course, not every story has a happy ending, and there is a very real moral danger in creating villains… Story telling is innate in human beings, but it is in some respects a value-free process. Fortunately, there is a fail safe. Those stories that produce destructive and negative actions tend to cannibalize the people who tell them. They rapidly eliminate themselves from the cultural dialogue…”

But what do we do while we wait for the fever to run its course? Listening to the wise words of our political elders seems a good place to start.

This speech by Republican Jim Leach, formerly the Representative from Iowa’s 2^nd District, fills the bill. It was given at the Dem convention, and is an endorsement of Obama, but that isn’t the point. The point is that it is truly bipartisan.

What I really like about it is that it places the story of this election cycle in the larger context of the Four Great Questions that have been at the heart of every American election from our county’s beginning and lists progressive politicians from both parties who have helped our country move towards achieving our ideals. It would make the kernel for a great High School History class discussion.

Sometimes the real gems from a political convention don’t standout until later. This speech is one of those. To find out more about Jim Leach, click here.

ALASKA NOIR

Sarah Palin is not the only interesting story coming out of Alaska. Ted “Hell No” Stevens is on trial for failing to report “gifts” from “lobbyists.” His is also running for reelection. The DNCC put together this little gem. I don’t like negative ads, but this one is too genre perfect to pass up. If you still have doubt that great political ads are story driven, this 30 sec spot should lay them to rest.

A quick 5-elements analysis: The Passion (irreducible core) of the ad is carried by the opening sound track – a cross between a political thriller and a local news stations investigative reporter theme. It establishes beyond doubt that this will be a crime story. The people in the van are our Heroes (we even see Stevens' house on a video monitor stressing their point of view is our point of view). Stevens is the Antagonist “He thinks he is above the law”. And crucially there is a moment of clear awareness when one “reporter” says disgusted, “And I voted for him.” Finally a transformative tag line “It’s not about Alaska anymore.” This is great stuff.

BTW, if anyone has any great Repub ads I’d love to analyze them. Most of what I’ve seen from the Repubs are tired retreads, but I’m probably missing something. Enlighten me, please.

HEALTH CARE CAGE FIGHT!!

The other day I was at my doctor’s office and he started in on Health Care. Since he was holding a very large needle in his hand at the time he had my total attention.

What he said made sense but I have no expertise in this area, so I asked him to write it up and I’d post it as submitted as an example of informed grass roots storytelling. If there is anyone on the other side of the issue that wants to respond I’ll post that as is as well (same length please). Me? I just want to sit back and watch the fur fly!

Doc Eliot wrote:

The McCain Health Plan consists of nothing more or less that the unlimited federal subsidy of insurance companies.

Yes. This is true. The Republican health care plan to reward insurance company lobbyists is camouflaged by promoting the issuance of “Tax Credits”. This money would go directly to the insurance companies. Furthermore, there would be de-regulation, freeing out-of-state insurance companies to do business across state lines while violating the states’ rights to regulate, and therefore resulting in the lowest common denominator of health care. Insurance companies would be free to continue to raise prices, deny payments, and meddle in the practice of medicine. There is no current Republican plan to actually improve health care. How do they plan to raise the money by which the federal government will subsidized the insurance companies? Currently, employer health benefits for employee are non-taxable. The McCain “Health” plan would tax this money!!! The McCain plan would increase taxes in order to subsidize insurance companies.

The Obama Plan is extensive, realistic and designed to engage and address all health care issues. Please go to booth candidates’ websites and verify the truth of the situation for yourselves.

Do not be fooled. Your health and the health of everyone you care for is at stake.

If you want to fact check this, click here for Obama, or here for McCain. I did. What Doc said seemed to check out.

Am I being bamboozled? If so, set me straight.

IT'S THE NEOCON ECONOMY, STUPID

If you find yourself fighting someone you can’t lay of glove on (say a legitimate war hero or a cute, plucky, hokey Mom) you could get down in the mud and scuff up their heroic image, but you’ll end smelling like dirt. What you should do is attack not the people, but their point of view. That is what makes them Heroes in the first place.

This means that Dems shouldn’t run against McCain (or Palin) – but should run against the Repub point of view- aka Neocon dogma. And at least at first they should stick to the number one issue on voter minds – the economy.

McCain’s statement that “the economy is fundamentally sound” could be the gift that keeps on giving. But it isn’t enough to show McCain is out of touch – no duh, right? That would be attacking the man. Attack the ideas behind him.

Dems need to get voters to ask, “What caused the market to crash?”

Experts agree it was the lack of adequate market oversight. And most of the oversight protections put in place by the New Deal Dems after the Great Depression in 1932 were scaled back after the Neocon Revolution swept through Congress after 1992. Who was leading the charge to turn your money and mine over to “the invisible hand” of the hedge fund hustlers? Republican Senator Phil Gramm of Texas.

Gramm is no longer a Senator (he is too busy as a lobbyist) but until he was caught on tape calling American investors “whinners” he was McCain’s main financial adviser! Off the record it seems he still is. He, and the ideas he champions, are the Dem sweet spot. If you are looking for a place to put a stake in the heart of the neocon market monster – Phil Gramm's chest is ground zero.

So Dems should drive one simple point home – "Markets go up under Dems and down under Repubs". That is a fact. Has been for the last 75 years. If you are a Dem, say it loud, say it proud, say it often.If you are a Repub - do you best to change the subject.

The best thing about Dems running against the neocon economic brand rather than against a person is that Obama and Biden can stay out of a negative tit or tat game of gottcha. Instead of coming across slightly rabid they can come across as having a calm hand on the tiller. That is going to be key. Because when the seas get rough I don’t want a guy at the wheel who “will fight for me,” (McCain’s favorite phrase) I want a guy who knows how to find a safe harbor and keep things calm on deck until we get there.

AT THE STARTING GUN

Now that both parties have rolled out their candidate teams it’s time to look at story strengths and weaknesses. The success of each campaign will be determined by how they strengthen their weak story elements and exploit the weaknesses of their opponents.

Obama’s strong element is Passion. If you can get 200,000 Germans in Berlin to show up for your standard stump speech and wave American flags, you have stratospheric motivational mojo. But the Dems need to address Rove’s “elitist” attack and clearly establish Obama as a version of every citizen – better and brighter maybe, but essentially our equal. A guy who sees things the way we do. The President is above all our Hero-in Chief. This Ad - featuring Bidin’s voice - is a great example of how the right VP pick can help make that crucial arch of equality with key voters in a swing state. Take a look.

McCain’s strong suit is Antagonist. His campaign defines him by what he is against – as a maverick. In his acceptance speech he used the word ”fight” a staggering 27 times! He is a war hero – he has done heroic things – but he hasn’t really shown himself to be our Hero in the story sense – a point of view that we can all share. That is why the “how many houses” moment is so important. It's hard for a guy who inherited 100 million bucks (by marriage) to be a regular Joe who sees things the way we do.

Instead of addressing this weakness McCain doubled down on his Antagonist persona – choosing a self described “pit bull with lipstick” as VP. The selection of Sarah Palin wowed the Repub base but reports are that she didn’t test very well among independent swing voters at focus groups. Apparently her snide, lip-curling attacks were a bit much.

But Repubs had to do something try to recapture the narrative initiative, even if it is only a short-term bounce. The race is officially on! May the best man win.

THE BOAT CIRCLES BACK FOR JOHN

There is a posting on YouTube that is stylistically very similar to the Swift Boat commercials run against John  Kerry, but probably more damning because it is focusing on what has just become fair game - McCain's temperament. What Philip Butler, himself a POW during Vietnam - and former Annapolis classmate of McCain's - is saying is important to hear if you are at all concerned with that famous 3:00 AM phone call moment. Check it out here.

I'm not endorsing this position - I wasn''t there and don't know Senator McCain personally -  BUT IT IS MUST SEE! If only because it demonstrates a basic law of politics - what goes around comes around.

AWARENESS

In terms of our five-element story model the Dem primary story is now entering its fourth element - Awareness. It got there step by step.

Both Hillary and Obama have Passionately motivated their base voters – how passionately is clear from the record turnouts. They have each presented a coherent point of view around which their constituency can rally. Hillary’s and Obama’s policies are essentially the same, so things are more about identity politics and style than usual, but given that they are both “historic firsts” their position as Heroes was pretty much of a lock.

As Antagonists they have slugged it out across 20 long – sometimes endless – debates. We have seen Hillary tear up and Obama shake his head fetchingly with that dazzling, “oh shucks” smile he has and most true Dems have opened their hearts to both of them. So much so that the biggest applause line at the Texas debate was for the suggestion that they join together in a “dream ticket.”

Yeah right, dream on. Emotions come from struggle and to see the real, raw emotional price politics extracts it is hard to beat this clip of Rep. John Lewis talking about how much harder it was to shift his support from Hillary to Obama than to face the racist beating he took leading the Selma march in the 60s. It should be required watching in any Civics class. Check it out here.

But you can only stay emotional for so long. The rush of adrenalin passes and if you are lucky it is followed by a strange and watchful calm. That is where things stand right now for Dems. Hovered on the edge of a dawning awareness. Awareness is a mental process but as viral marketing campaigns prove it is not necessarily a rational one. Watch closely, we are now entering the time of the tricksters

LOVERS AND FIGHTERS

A friend whose opinion I respect has taken me to task on my last post. He wrote:

"You might be committing a procrustean move by asserting that Obama's  passion (fire) is in sync with the Iowa political zeitgeist, and that Hillary is about to have her  day when candidates get to the hard-nosed reality (ground; earth) of New Hampshire.

According to your own work, you need all 5 elements for a compelling story, and what Obama projects beyond passion, is emotion… [particularly] the ineffable and transcendent feeling of hope. And despite all his establishment and institutional support, he has successfully casts himself in the David (outsider) role, up against an intrenched army of beltway insiders. "

I have to admit my last post comes under the heading of "hope springs eternal". The lastest CNN/WMUR poll has Obama 10 pts.up over Hillary. That might or might not hold. If it does and the if 12 pundits on the Chris Mathhews Show  are right and Obama is a lock that could be a real problem for the Dems.

Fire, without fuel burns out - and Obama has very little other than rhetoric and good wishes to stand on. No real record of achievement, no policies that aren’t versions of those already proposed by other candidates, and I'm sorry to say, no new ideas. Even his role of outsider he borrowed.

We have all had whirlwind romances that are hot, heavy and giddy with passion. They seem fated to go on forever. They don’t - and they rarely end well. Passion lasts a few weeks, regrets can go on for years – in this case four very long years. So Dems have to decide – do they want to be swept off their feet or is this really about standing their ground and fighting? Because their likely opponent - John McCain - does have a record to run on and he definitely knows how to fight.