The Pete Buttigieg media strategy [View all]
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?
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