In the wake of a second presidential election loss in 2012, Republicans
went back to the drawing board looking for a more effective way to present
themselves and their message. Now a brand new ad campaign has been launched
which demonstrates that Republicans are even more clueless about selling
themselves today than they were two years ago and four years before that. The
pathetic message this disastrous ad seems to be sending on behalf of Republicans
is this: “Hey Democrats, please like us – we’re just like you!”
The 97-second ad, part of a campaign from GOP strategist Vinny Manchillo, a former member of Mitt Romney’s team,
seeks to dispel hateful stereotypes of the right by humanizing Republicans and
presenting them as victims of liberal bullying. Here is the message at the campaign’s
website, republicansarepeopletoo.com:
It
isn’t easy being a Republican these days.
There
are people who will stick up for Genghis Khan before they’ll defend a
Republican. (“Genghis was just misunderstood.”)
We
love political discourse. We encourage political discourse. But when did
“Republican” become a dirty word?
Here’s
the deal: before you post another bullying comment, think about this:
Republicans
are people, too.
The ad itself is backed by an upbeat soundtrack of guitar and hand claps accompanying
images of Republicans of all colors and walks of life – acting like Democrats. A man stands proudly beside his car, for
example, with a legend underneath that reads, “Republicans drive Priuses.” So
right out of the gate it’s cringe-inducing, and it doesn’t improve from there. “Republicans
recycle… Republicans read the New York Times… Republicans put together IKEA
furniture… Republicans shop at Trader Joe’s… Republicans use Macs… Republicans
enjoy gourmet cooking.” And just when you think, This can’t get any worse, it gets worse: “Republicans have
feelings… Republicans are people who care… Republicans are people too.”
Of course we do and of course we are. But the ad and the campaign reek of
self-pity, weakness, defensiveness, and desperation to be liked by progressives
who view us with hatred and contempt. In light of this ad, it’s no wonder they have contempt for us. The
left has had the right on the ropes for so long that the only strategy we know
is defense, and yet we’re too punch-drunk to do even that effectively. We’ve been reduced to begging leftist haters for
crumbs of kindness and respect and mercy.
This is the same concept behind our government’s failed efforts to win the
hearts and minds of Muslim fundamentalists. Trying to convince people who have sworn
to annihilate us that Hey, we’re really
nice and maybe we could be friends! accomplishes nothing except to inspire
the jihadists’ contempt and embolden them to close in for the kill. This
“Republicans are people too” campaign will have precisely the same impotent
effect on the hearts and minds of progressives.
Trying to convince the brainwashed left that we’re not heartless,
unsophisticated, old white bigots is a very misguided strategy. First of all,
we’re not simply misunderstood – we’ve been relentlessly demonized. The left has very effectively caricatured us as
monsters, not people, in order to marginalize and then annihilate us. Second,
pushing back against this demonization just plays into their hands. It allows
them to frame the debate, set the rules, and control our response. And it is a
doomed strategy because nothing conservatives can do will cause progressives to
feel all warm and fuzzy about us. We are the enemy and they will make no
concessions to us because they don’t need to or care to.
This is war. We must regain our self-respect, get off the ropes and go on
offense. To paraphrase General Patton, who knew a thing or two about kicking the enemy’s ass, no bastard ever
won a war by pleading with the enemy to be treated nicer. You win it by making
the other poor dumb bastard plead with you
to be treated nicer.
Instead of presenting ourselves as lukewarm Democrats so that we will be
liked, let’s brazenly embrace who we are and what we believe. In addition to going
for the left’s jugular with ads that expose their collectivist, racist, big
government, anti-liberty philosophy, how about a 97-second ad that sells
conservative qualities and ideals, and makes them so appealing and compelling
that liberals and independents wish
they were us? The message should be,
“Proud to be conservative!” not “I can’t be all
bad – I read the New York Times!” The
message should be “We can make America strong and free again,” not “I drive a
Prius because I’m an emasculated conformist too!”
It’s long past time for the right to snap out of our punch-drunk daze and
take the fight to the progressives. We either stand unapologetically for our
values and our beliefs, or surrender.
(This article originally appeared here on FrontPage Mag, 9/30/14)
