Congratulations on your win in Iowa! That was amazing! Actually, it was amazingly close. Wasn't it supposed to be a blow out? It was really, really close.
Here's the thing. I am your ideal demographic. I am female. I'm pushing 50. However, I am not as wealthy as many of the people who want to vote for you, but I'm persuadable.
So I have some thoughts on redirecting your campaign. You often say that you campaign in poetry and govern in prose. I think you're right. Think about the campaigns that you remember. There was Barack Obama: Hope and Change.
George W. Bush campaigned on returning the surplus money of the Clinton administration back to Americans. Reagan campaigned on a new morning for America.
On the other hand, what did Gore campaign on? I don't think the lock box was the core of his campaign, I just can't remember what he promised for the country. He campaigned in prose. What did Romney campaign on? More prose. We do remember that he thought that 47% of the American people were sucking off of the government. Again, his was a completely unmemorable campaign. And your campaign is in danger of ending up in the trash heap of those who campaigned in prose.
This doesn't make sense yet, does it? Let's think of your opponent in the primary, Bernie Sanders. He campaigns in poetry: join a Revolution. Everything he wants to accomplish turns on this as a lynchpin. When I think of your campaign, all that comes to mind is a 5-point plan. And I don't even know what's in that plan because . . . well, the details.
Woman, you need to campaign in poetry! How to do this? When you build a business, you have to ask what is your vision for the world and build your mission on that. Your vision is the thing that makes your heart leap! It may bring tears to your eyes. It drags you out of bed in the morning. It isn't a 5-point plan. The 5-point plan serves the vision. It isn't the vision.
My suspicion is that your vision is something about feminism. Alternatively put, something about ending sexism. Except you are scared of it because Republicans blame you for Bill's shortcomings. So you could spin this as how feminism could benefit men. Think about that article in the New York Times about White people dying? In many ways that discusses the impact racism has had on Whites. Guns in White areas are being used to help White men commit suicide. That drug epidemic in Black neighborhoods has now resulted in Whites dying of their own drug overdoses.
Sexism works the same way. You could have a slogan of "Hillary: join me to build an America for all!" If you win the presidency, your poetry becomes the cudgel that helps you move Congress along (if you think they will be kind to you, you missed the last eight years!). After all, that would only underscore the war on women. And if you lose, you move the ball on sexism A LOT!
THIS would be poetry. And besides, this provides an antidote to Bernie: you see, solving economic inequality doesn't necessarily fix all of the other oppressions, sexism, racism, gay oppression, etc.
And you could get men and women to join a movement led by you.
Get your journal out and find your vision! Campaign in poetry. We know you're qualified and competent! The American people want something larger. Lead us there!
Just sayin'!
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