New year, new energy - the 2024 Presidential Campaign season is revving up. Time to take off the gloves, stand united and advocate for the Biden/Harris campaign to win over voters and send the autocratic mad man and his MAGA lackeys packing (and jail the criminals, too).
If you and your loved ones are horrified at the implications of a second Trump presidency - and you should be - it’s time to get behind the Biden/Harris ticket, 100%. Democracy depends on us ordinary citizens engaging now.
This series, The Advocate Project, will provide tools to our pro democracy advocates - you’re one of them - to unify our coalition of democratic and left-leaning independent friends, plus others “on the fence” about the frontrunners.
While Biden’s current poll numbers reflect the ambiguity of an uniformed, distracted public (and, often, bogus R-leaning pollsters), the reality is that most voters haven’t been paying attention, yet. Now’s the time for reaching out with enthusiasm, to spread the positive, progressive accomplishments of this administration, to volunteer, donate, get involved however you can.
Friends, it’s up to us. We are the Biden/Harris ticket’s best advocates!
First, accept this fact: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the Democrats’ nominees for the 2024 race. Full stop. These are our pro-democracy candidates who have, quite frankly, done a great job. Yes, we all know that Biden is 81, and yes, we must acknowledge that fact, but please quit moaning about his age - this is a MAGA talking point - giving it oxygen above everything else helps the autocrats (even without their hypocrisy of glossing over Trump’s decrepit mental and physical state). Unlike his opponent, Joe Biden takes care of himself, so let’s instead emphasize Joe’s vast experience, compassion, and countless accomplishments.
Next, a quick reminder: When Biden won the 2020 election, Trump - denying his loss - would not allow a transition for weeks. Just absorb that mind-boggling fact for a moment: for the first time in our nation’s history, a losing president refused to permit a peaceful transfer of power.
Recall, too, that this was in the middle of a deadly pandemic and that the economy, our foreign relations, supply chains, vaccine distribution, etc. were in shambles. Fortunately, Joe Biden, a leader with decades of experience, had occupied the White House as Vice President only four years before. Think for a moment about what would have happened if another candidate - without exposure to the oval office - had been put in that situation.
Joe knew the protocols, as well as which qualified people to put in place. Without the familiarity of the office and relationships developed over years, Biden’s administration would not have been able to hit the ground running to address - and I’m being kind - the utter chaos left in Trump’s wake.
And Biden, who was no stranger to profound loss, had the presence of mind to address a devastated nation soon after taking office. He spoke with genuine compassion for grieving families and shared how he planned to get the nation back on its feet. He was, in a word, presidential.
To help with talking points, I’m working with Kris Moe, founder of Boulder’s Influencers group, to brainstorm ways to communicate the Biden/Harris administration's many accomplishments to our friends, family, and others outside of our usual circles.
Kris, who’s an even more dedicated political wonk than I, helps provide context and the background of how we got into our current governmental quagmire, plus a few strategic Call To Action (CTA) suggestions. We’ll dive into that background story in the next post, Introduction Part 2.
After that, we’ll take one Biden/Harris accomplishment per post to explain how it benefits the American people, contrast it with the MAGA position, and give you some brief talking points. We’ll keep it simple and relatable. Yes, we do have to acknowledge people's concerns. Persuasion happens with good listening, respect, and conversations over time.
I’ll close for now with the first CTAs:
1. Address Biden’s Experience vs. his Age. Remind people of the chaos our country was in when Biden took office in 2021 (pandemic, economic crisis, insurrection, to name a few), how he and his team never had a full transition period from Trump, and how Biden’s experience and relationships helped his administration hit the ground running despite these hurdles.
2. Address Biden’s compassion/policies. It’s truly jaw-dropping that Trump never acknowledged the hundreds of thousands of lives lost during the pandemic. Joe Biden has known sorrow and takes action to ease suffering and unify our country. His policy priorities address issues that directly and positively impact American families.
3. Share these posts. We need as many allies as possible to break through the noise of disinformation and distraction. The sooner we’re unified behind Biden/Harris, the more our pro-democracy momentum builds.
What kind of leaders do we want? An ignorant, criminal bully set on division and retribution? Or a thoughtful commander-in-chief with experience deftly maneuvering through politics for the public good? Character, intention, and experience matter.
Want to follow this series and/or hear about upcoming Blue Wave postcard campaigns? Join our update list here.
Democracy is calling. Join us! Let’s all be the Biden/Harris advocates that this movement needs.
-Lisa, Marketing Director/SoBo Coordinator