The Twitter and Email Wars of U.S. Politics – “The Sunday Political Brunch” September 19, 2021

The Twitter and Email Wars of U.S. Politics – “The Sunday Political Brunch” September 19, 2021

Since 2004, the power of the Internet in political communication really got its sea legs. And by 2008, one could make the argument – as I did in my Doctoral Dissertation – that Barack Obama won the White House by decisively “owning” online communication in that campaign. He mastered the messaging where people were having the conversation. Well, Campaign 2022 & 2024 are making it look like 2008 on steroids. Let’s “brunch” on that this week:

 

“They Found Me Out!” – I’ve been a political reporter since 1978. And even though I’ve covered parts of every presidential campaign since 1980, most of my focus has been on covering state and local governments and their elections. Yes, I am known nationally, but my primary audience is closer to home. But the prominence of being a weekly columnist in www.GoLocalProv.com has raised my profile. Now every candidate on Earth knows two of my email addresses, and I’m being swamped. It’s intense, but I’m not complaining.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

 

“Say, What Donald Trump?” – One of my most frequent email “pals” is former President Donald Trump, (as well as his son Donald, Jr.).  As you might guess, Trump does not like President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 plan. “I told you Biden didn’t care about you,” Trump writes. “He doesn’t care about you or your freedoms. He just mandated the COVID vaccine for 80 million Americans. The last time I checked we live in a FREE country.” Trump was referencing the order that businesses with more than 100 employees must mandate vaccines or have weekly testing.

 

“Antsy Nancy!” – I’ve not received any emails from the Biden White House or campaign, yet, but his surrogates are circling the wagons. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, wrote me (and, I’m sure millions of others), “First Trump threatened to run for President if Republicans retake the House. Now, he and his Republicans have $102 MILLION in their war chest to unload during the (2022) midterms. I will stop this one-term President and his Republicans from taking back the House – no matter what it takes.” As with the Trump email, there is a pitch to donate different levels of money and links that will take you where you can do just that.

 

“Does This Work?” – Well, to some degree I suppose it does. I mean both sides are preaching to their base, and they are certain to get some donations, big and small, from their faithful. But why are they targeting me? I am a registered independent – who has voted at times – for people in both parties, as well as third-party candidates. And as a reporter, it would violate my industry’s code of ethics to donate to any campaign and I never have, nor will. Nonetheless, my inbox is bombarded all day by these pitches that come from bots, and not really from Trump or Pelosi. Whoooo, BIG surprise there!

 

“The Code Words” – Without fail, every Republican email refers to me as “Patriot” or “Friend,” often in the opening salutation. They may be trying a nicer approach, while some of the Democrats appeals sound more desperate. “Everything is riding on this,” says an email from the DCCC, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. FIVE fundraising records in a row! Even worse, right-leaning mega-donors have been PUMPIING the GOP’s war chest with MILLIONS.” Again, the pitch and link to donate follow.

 

“The Opposing Strategies” – The common theme among Democrat’s emails, as I mentioned, is a sense of desperation. Why? They already control the White House and both chambers in Congress? Well clearly, they are trying to paint themselves as the underdogs. We know that historically, the party out of power in the White House traditionally makes gains in the first midterm election. Think of 1994, when after Bill Clinton was elected president in 1992, Republicans seized control of the House and the Senate in the 1994 midterms. Conversely, by calling me “friend” and “patriot” the GOP is trying to send a more positive, uplifting, optimistic message, (though all of it ends with a fundraising pitch that sounds like the world will end if they don’t win). Yes, desperate, too!

 

“Gavin Galivants” –We do have to check in on some other political news.  Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) California, beat back the challenge of a recall election. 64 percent of Californians voted to keep him on office, while 36 percent said take a hike. California is a much different state than it was in 2003, when then-Gov. Grey Davis (D) California was recalled and replaced by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) California. I’ve known Newsom since 1999, when he was a young member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The Golden State has been heavily blue in modern times, and Republican Larry Elder simply did not have the force of personality of a Schwarzenegger, to overpower and take out a Democrat from office.

 

“And, Finally from Tragedy, to Triumph” – A grateful United States welcomed Levi Rylee Rose McCollum into this world. Her father, Marine Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, was killed a month ago in Afghanistan, trying to defend the Afghan people and U.S. forces from the Taliban attacks. May God rest his soul and we all thank him for his service to this country. As a military parent, my heart just breaks for his family. May his daughter and wife be an inspiration and joy to our nation, in the aftermath of his tragic death. Semper Fi, Lance Cpl. McCollum!

 

What are your thoughts about this week in politics? Just click the comment button and let us know!

 

Mark Curtis, Ed.D., is Chief Political Reporter for the seven Nexstar Media TV stations serving West Virginia, its five neighboring states and the entire Washington, DC media market. His is a MNDSETTER™ contributing political writer and analyst for www.GoLocalProv.com and its affiliates.