General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: How was the GOP able to demonize Hillary Clinton to the extent they did? [View all]VOX
(22,976 posts)No need for all that mess. Just run an embellished and biased story of the individuals accomplishments, but all the while twisting the truth until it all becomes something bad. Then make sure every RW outlet gets on-message, and cranked up with mock outrage. Repeat the living hell out of it. Insert the negative message into everything. Say it until people are sick of it.
Simple psychology: reveal an individual in an unattractive light (using the ugliest photo available), and print some negative words. Soon, the idea starts to grow legs, because outrageous, conspiracy-type claims attract attention as a basic message. Then beat it all like a drum, steady and unceasingly. Make it out to be a major attack on some freedom theyll take away guns, start a war, raise your taxes, sell baby parts, run child sex rings, force your kids to attend a government school, wiretap everything, etc.
After awhile, the individuals actual identity and deeds give way to a simplistic comic-book status, which can be modified on a dime. This was done to the Clintons, John Kerry, and (ineffectually) to Barack Obama.
To add some seasoning, throw in the Russian trolls, who always deploy the negative-spin.