GOP Trumped by Conventional Wisdom
November 30, 2015
By Raynard Jackson
Columnist
Conventional wisdom says don’t waste your time trying to get the Black vote. Conventional wisdom says don’t hire Black staffers. Conventional wisdom says don’t be impolitic and non-politically correct. Conventional wisdom says don’t tell the American people what you really believe on a myriad of issues; tell them what you think they want to hear. Conventional wisdom says Donald Trump will self-destruct.
Whenever and wherever conventional wisdom triumphs, the American people usually lose. Conventional wisdom says the American people want open borders and amnesty for those in the country illegally. Conventional wisdom says we need more H-1B visas because America doesn’t have qualified tech workers.
I have said and will continue to tell the Republican establishment that Black are looking for a reason to vote republican; but up to this point no one is even seeking a dialogue with the Black community—until now.
While the Republican establishment continues to wait for Trump’s implosion, he continues to defy conventional wisdom by doing things no other Republican has the guts to do.
Trump has actually hired a high level Black staffer and actually put out a press release to inform the public. WOW, what a novel idea. No other Republican presidential campaign had done such. I can guarantee you that most political insiders can’t name one Black person of any significance who is a staffer for any Republican campaign.
Continuing his defying of conventional wisdom, Trump is the only candidate to actively cultivate relationships with the Black community. This afternoon Trump is expected to receive the endorsement of 100 Black preachers from across the country.
This is unheard of during a Republican primary. Why other Republicans continue to ignore the Black vote is a mystery to me. I can tell you this; far too many Republicans are listening to pollsters like Frank Luntz.
He is paid millions of dollars a year by Republicans to tell them that the Black vote is not worth pursuing. Conventional wisdom like this will lead to yet another electoral defeat for Republicans come November 2016.
When will the Republican establishment stop wishing for Trump’s demise and begin to seek understanding of his phenomenal rise?
Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski is one of the sharpest political minds on the scene today. Regardless of what happens to Trump’s candidacy, Lewandowski will be a political force to reckon with for decades to come.
Regrettably, no other Republican campaign has such a forward thinking campaign manager like Lewandowski.
The Republican establishment has absolutely no appreciation for how major it is for Trump to have 100 Black ministers to endorse him. This is unprecedented during a Republican primary.
Trump will get massive media from this event; but also will create a lot of chatter within Black newspapers.
My readers know I am a huge proponent of Black newspapers. Republicans have continued to ignore the more than 200 Black newspapers we have in the U.S. Black newspaper report news that is of unique interest to our community in a way that is relevant; unlike the mainstream newspapers.
Engaging with the Black community also sends a strong signal to White, suburban, middle-class female voters that it is ok to vote for a given candidate because they are not “intolerant.” These are the voters that will determine who the next U.S. president will be.
None of the Republican campaigns have yet to do any media avails with any Black media. This is extremely difficult for me to understand; especially when several of the Black newspapers are actually owned by Black Republicans.
Trump’s candidacy has upended everything we thought we knew about presidential campaigns and how to run them. Trump is saying the Earth is round; while all conventional wisdom mandated that everyone believe that the Earth was flat.
You would be foolish to continue to argue that the Earth is flat when all objective evidence has proven the Earth to be round.
One need only watch the video of the focus group my PAC, Black Americans for a Better Future, hosted two weeks ago: https://www.dropbox.com/s/h1dexrsi88mppyr/BAfaBA%20-%20FOCUS%20GROUP.mp4?dl=0.
Too many establishment Republicans still think the political Earth is still flat, despite what the Black electorate is saying. Who are the Blacks these campaigns consult with? Or do they even have any Blacks advising them?
You have Republican campaigns that don’t even have a picture of a Black person anywhere on their website. How is it that no one even notices granular details like this?
Oh, I forgot, Republicans are supposed to be colorblind! Colorblindness is a serious condition that mandates medical attention.
Well, maybe, just maybe if Republicans could get their colorblindness corrected; they could actually see that the Earth is not flat; and that Blacks are open to supporting a Republican candidate, both in the primary and in the general.
But conventional wisdom is the blindness that will prevent them from seeing what is staring them right in the face.
Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC is an internationally recognized political consulting, government affairs, and PR firm based in Washington, DC. Jackson is an internationally recognized radio talk show host and TV commentator. He has coined the phrase “straticist.” As a straticist, he has merged strategic planning with public relations. Visit his website at: www.raynardjackson.com.
Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC is an internationally recognized political consulting, government affairs, and PR firm based in Washington, DC. Jackson is an internationally recognized radio talk show host and TV commentator. He has coined the phrase “straticist.” As a straticist, he has merged strategic planning with public relations. Call RJA to discuss how they can get you to the next level of your career.
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