In an alternative universe, over the next four years the news media would run stories under the banner “Democrats pounce,” where its journalists would decide not to hold Republicans to account for any missteps, but rather shift the focus to the Democrats for the presumably audacious act of noticing.
What are the chances? Try less than zero.
In this universe, however, the long knives are being sharpened as the legacy media is preparing to unleash its most angry, bitter, and aggressive keyboard assassins on the Trump administration. Unlike Karine Jean-Pierre, Biden’s White House Press Secretary, Trump’s spokesperson Karoline Leavitt will face a room full of people every day who will see it as their job to take her and the administration down.
“Republicans Pounce”
It’s important to remember the era of “Republicans pounce,” the strategy of attacking Republicans for noticing Democrat incompetence and corruption.
The recent Los Angeles wildfires gave leftists their latest excuse to pull out the messaging strategy. From Politico: “Republicans blame DEI for the LA fires. This fire captain disagrees.” Or this from the Wall Street Journal: “Los Angeles Fire Response Gives New Ammunition to Mayor Karen Bass’s Archrival.”
Perhaps the most egregious use of this journalistic three-card monte was when Newsweek posted this on X (and later deleted it) after then-candidate Donald Trump was shot at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania: “MAGA responds with outrage after Donald Trump injured at Pennsylvania rally.”
Examples of “Republicans pounce” are so plentiful and pervasive that casual media consumers may become desensitized to the approach and forget that sometimes, when the matter at hand is a serious Democrat failure or scandal, anyone’s reaction really should not be the focus of the story.
Politico seems to have liked the term so much that the literal words have shown up in stories and social posts from the latest news on Biden’s inflation (“Republicans pounced on the report to hammer Biden on inflation…”) to Politico’s coverage of Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter (“Republicans pounce on Biden pardoning his son, Hunter”).
Don’t Do This at Home, Kids
recent Facebook pivot where he paused the use of the site as a tool for tyrants? All of a sudden, he has an uncharacteristic appreciation for free speech which at the very least signals that Zuck knows there’s a new boss in town.
There is an underlying lesson for conservatives here, and it just might provide the seeds for a novel strategy the Right hasn’t tried much. Trump 2024 showed that the only way to get your opponent to fold and start to see things your way is by making to commitment to a course and plowing through. Don’t expect your foe to move out of the way or open the door for you. Let him play catch-up after you’ve demolished him.
Conservatives need to know going into this new Trump presidency that they remain outnumbered, outfunded, and that they will be smeared collectively and individually with increasing intensity as Trump achieves success.
Democrats Pounce
That’s why it could make sense for conservatives to — in their own, more honest way — take a page from the Left’s playbook. Specifically, expose the opportunism of their opponents by calling them out, “Democrats pounce.” Or more broadly, plan to go on offense and stay on offense.
Don’t let the Left shape the story or set the agenda. Don’t let the Left frame every Republican solution as the problem. Expose the Left when it tries to frame every Republican initiative as Democrats defending the interests of the people. It’s past time for the Republicans to resist the temptation to explain themselves. Rather, force the Democrats to explain themselves.
Don’t let the Left craft the narrative and the daily message, restricting the Right to reacting to the leftist lie of the day. Decide in advance what tomorrow’s message will be. Use that message to define your opponent, and drive it home before morning rush hour.
If the Democrats do indeed ‘pounce’ on something purely for political gain, challenge it. Make the story about them putting up roadblocks to real progress on the road to actually making America great again.
Put the pressure on the Democrats to actually work in the best interests of the American people every single day. Give them no choice but to work for the people. When they don’t, force them to have to explain themselves. Force them to explain why they won’t allow America to move forward. Do that today. Plan to do it again tomorrow and the next day for the next four years.
Tim O’Brien is a veteran corporate communications consultant and crisis communicator who operates O’Brien Communications in Pittsburgh. Follow him on X at @TimOBrienPgh.
Image: AT via Magic Studio
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