The Pete Buttigieg media strategy

[BlueCheeseAgain]

As we all know, the 2020 Democratic presidential primary featured one of the largest and most talented fields in memory. There was a vice president, governors, senators, House members, and billionaires. Out of all of them, it was the unknown mayor of the nation's 316th most populous city who broke through, won the Iowa caucuses and came a close second in New Hampshire, before eventually dropping out after South Carolina.

How did Pete Buttigieg accomplish that, and in the process elevate his profile enough to become a Cabinet secretary and a national figure? Undoubtedly, much of it is because he's smart, skilled, and communicates extremely well. But a key part of it was that he was available-- really, really, available-- to the press. Buttigieg gave interviews to everyone who asked, big or small, urban or rural, print or TV. His campaign said he talked to nearly 300 separate media outlets. As a result, he got tons of press, and most of it was good press. You can go back and find all the positive portrayals of him from back then, from all kinds of different media outlets that each got their hour or more with him.

I think Buttigieg's example carries some lessons for the current presidential campaign. I think the Kamala Harris campaign should do more interviews-- not because the press deserves them, but because it's good for the candidate. The parallels aren't exact-- in 2020, Buttigieg was unknown and needed exposure to win, while in 2024, Kamala Harris is already well-known to voters, at least at a shallow level. But a lot of the benefits are the same-- your comments, not your opponent's, lead the news cycle, your words reach voters without having to spend advertising money. What's not to like?

[Bev54]

1. Kamala Harris is not unknown and has done plenty of interviews while VP

and as senator. She will do some interviews but she is only one month in, let her catch her breath. I hope she does not do CNN, Fox or NYtimes.

[wordstroken]

4. I agree. Her situation is entirely different.

[pat_k]

10. "let her catch her breath"

More succinct statement of my post down thread
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219389566#post9

[global1]

2. I Believe That Harris Is Set To Come Out In Force With Interviews & Pressers After The Debate.....

Right now Tr**p and the Repugs are looking for any comments made by Harris or Walz that they can take out of context and blow out of proportion. I think Tr**p is looking for some Harris comments that he can exploit during the upcoming debate.

I believe that the Harris campaign is playing it cool and close to the vest so it leaves Tr**p and the Repugs with nothing that they can pounce on.

Now after the debate - that's a different story. I believe that at the debate she'll make some news by some of the policies that she will push as President. She'll get a debate bounce.

So after the debate - she will expand on those policies and flesh them out to a greater extent - and that will be the next phase of her magnificent campaign so far.

The Biden Endorsement. The Picking of Walz as VP. The Intro Tour that they were on across the country and in the battleground states, The Flawless Convention. The next phase will be the debate and then the expansion on the policies of the Dems and the Harris/Walz Administration.

All the while - as Tr**p steps on his tongue and flubs up on a daily basis. This along with Tr**p uncanny ability to surround himself with the worst of the worst; weirder of the weird - losers like himself - that also on a daily basis step on their tongues and negative campaign rhetoric.

That will take us very close to the actual election - when the polls will all be pointing at a Harris/Walz victory.

People - We're witnessing a historical campaign by Harris and her people.

Watch and Enjoy!!!

[pat_k]

11. +1

[33taw]

3. I think sending out Pete Buttigieg as a surrogate has it's benefits for her and him.

Every time Biden said anything to the press it was criticized and Trump can spew crap all day long with no consequence. Harris is getting her message out and avoiding the MSM.

[Scrivener7]

5. I couldn't disagree more. If she gave more interviews, they would find lots of "tan suit" type distractions

against her. They would hijack the news cycles with those, and she would never be able to break through that noise. Did you miss the fact that they just did that to Joe?

And they would do that while, at the same time, they let tsf get away with an ocean crimes, rapes, disgusting behavior and lies without ever calling him out on it.

No. She is a genius for cutting them out. Her message is getting out fine without the mainstream press. Better than it ever could with them.

[BlueCheeseAgain]

8. We agree to disagree, then.

A lot of people-- especially the ones who vote-- still get their news from the mainstream media, and it's not good that the media is beginning to make Harris's interviewing a story in itself.

If you're worried about one mistake getting amplified and magnified, then don't just do one interview-- do a lot of interviews. Then the press will stop treating each one as some big event, and it will become a routine thing.

Social media outreach is good, but it's not the only thing. We need to win in every format.

[pat_k]

12. Any media person worth their salt. . .

. . . knows she is not a fool. They know how long it takes to nail down positions and be prepared to address the array of meaningful and crap questions that will be thrown her way. And they know she would be a fool to talk to them before she's ready.

The notion she "should be" doing indepth interviews at this point is silliness. What mythical standard is she failing to meet? No one has been in her shoes. There is no standard.

More down thread
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219389566#post9

[Scrivener7]

13. Your description of the press's behavior bears no

resemblance to the way the press behaves towards Democrats. "One mistake getting amplified"? The press doesn't need a mistake. They need a tan suit or a hacked email that contains a risotto recipe or a laptop that some asshole says belongs to someone when it clearly doesn't. That's the kind of thing the press emphasizes. And pounds and pounds and pounds till there's no room for anything else. And more access just makes them more idiotic.

[zipplewrath]

6. This is an unusual campaign

There is very little time between now and when people start to vote. It will be very dangerous for her to do some interview, have some strange question come up, and that becomes the focus of the campaign for the next 3 weeks. The debate is dangerous enough. In the end this campaign comes down to whether voters want to return to Trump or if they want something vastly less dangerous to democracy and our international alliances. Right now, that appears the later is the direction it is going. This campaign has to be focused on these last few weeks.

[pat_k]

9. I predict she'll do plenty of interviews as soon. . .

. . .as she is crystal clear about her own positions and fully prepared to address both meaningful and crap questions. Remember, since Biden stepped aside she's made a brilliant VP choice, had a hand in a phenomenal convention, held inspiring rallies, and developed her economic priorities.

In the midst of all that, I think she is still developing her own unique stances and agenda. Until Biden dropped out she made a great case for his accomplishments and agenda and was happy to address media questions on that. Now she needs to be clear about her case for herself.

As she prepares for the debate, she is also preparing for heightened media exposure. She would be a fool to do interviews prematurely. Then the only story would be that she's not prepared or evasive.

When Pete Buttigieg announced his candidacy on April 19, 2019 you can bet he spent more than 6 weeks developing his positions and case for himself over others in the running.