Just watched a two-hour focus group about American politics.
Here's a few thoughts about it, in no particular order.
1) Twitter is not the real world. Twitter is not the real world. Twitter is not the real world. Don't believe me? Go talk (or listen) to some voters.
[Thread.]
Here's a few thoughts about it, in no particular order.
1) Twitter is not the real world. Twitter is not the real world. Twitter is not the real world. Don't believe me? Go talk (or listen) to some voters.
[Thread.]
2) People who voted for Trump in 2016 but are now somewhat skeptical are quite defensive of his record on the economy and even corona.
But they HATE how he handles race. This isn't mild "he should watch what he says a bit more" disagreement. They RECOIL from his divisiveness.
But they HATE how he handles race. This isn't mild "he should watch what he says a bit more" disagreement. They RECOIL from his divisiveness.
3) The ads that most move people towards Biden aren't the glitzy, fast-moving, ominous voiceover ones.
They are a) simple clips of people talking about Trump's failures without undue hyperbole or b) Joe Biden talking about today's America with decency and humility.
They are a) simple clips of people talking about Trump's failures without undue hyperbole or b) Joe Biden talking about today's America with decency and humility.
4) None of the supposed negatives for Biden that are endlessly rehearsed in the press seemed to matter.
But voters who leaned towards Biden didn't have a strong sense of who he is. Instead of cutting more attacks on Trump, Dems need to invest in defining Biden.
Simple will do!
But voters who leaned towards Biden didn't have a strong sense of who he is. Instead of cutting more attacks on Trump, Dems need to invest in defining Biden.
Simple will do!
5) It is hard for people who live and breathe politics every day to understand to what extent most voters don't think in terms of the same clean ideological divisions.
But though voters are often ill-informed, their basic instincts are usually humane and sensible.
But though voters are often ill-informed, their basic instincts are usually humane and sensible.
6) We would be spared a TON of bad scholarship if political scientists who work on voting behavior were forced to watch a focus group every month.
[The End.]
[The End.]
Alright, folks. Before the wrath of a thousand professors rains down on me, let me clarify: I did not mean to imply that the points I make here are unknown to political science; just that plenty of political science papers go badly wrong because they ignore these points.
Peace?
Peace?
