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@ElizabethWallace (12074)
United States
March 9, 2016 9:25am CST
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders need to pay attention to one very effective strategy being used by Trump. After each Caucus or Primary, he holds a press conference. He sets the stage in a style similar to a presidential press conference, loads the front area with supporters and after making a speech, takes questions from members of the press, who have been placed in the back of the audience.
This process provides many benefits to the candidate. First, he is getting a great deal of free television exposure at a time that many voters are watching. Second, he appears presidential, due to the setting. Next, he is able to say whatever he wishes (since there are no moderators). Finally, the political broadcasters then give him even more air time when they discuss what he said during the conference.
During all of this time, where are Bernie and Hillary? They are in their offices or meeting with supporters behind closed doors. If they meet with the press to make a statement after the votes are cast, they only thank their their supporters. They might as well do this in private, because there is zero impact on voters.
Although most of what Trump does and says is repugnant to me, he is an expert at marketing. In this case, he is marketing himself using free air time. I wish both Bernie and Hillary would follow suit. Sure, someone will say that they took the idea from Trump. Who cares? If a strategy works, then smart people will use it. I wish they would!
Do you see any other strategies being used by one candidate or another that the rest of them should adopt?
16 people like this
15 responses
@JamesHxstatic (29256)
• Eugene, Oregon
9 Mar 16
He is really good at that, I agree. Maybe once there are party nominees, they will begin doing more of that too. He would be a disaster for the country.
4 people like this
@marlina (154166)
• Canada
9 Mar 16
@ElizabethWallace I can't see "the Donald" giving up control of anything at all.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
9 Mar 16
Yes, he would. I am still hoping this is all a scam. His infomercial speech last night makes me hopeful that I am correct. He will find a way to leave at the last minute. He would have to give up control of his business empire if he was elected. I cannot see him doing that.
3 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
10 Mar 16
@marlina Exactly. So is this all a way to promote himself and his businesses? That I could understand.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (49055)
• United States
9 Mar 16
Trump is an expert at getting attention.
4 people like this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
10 Mar 16
@ElizabethWallace That thought has crossed my mind. My brattiest students, though, were angels compared to him.
3 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
10 Mar 16
I bet he was a pest in the classroom.
3 people like this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
10 Mar 16
@Sheilamarie78 I'm sorry -- I've never called any of my students "brats" before, even the most poorly behaved ones, but Trump deserves the title.
1 person likes this
@suziecat7 (3350)
• Asheville, North Carolina
9 Mar 16
The man is a brilliant bully even when it comes to air time. I agree Bernie and Hillary need to step up to gain more attention and using Trumps tactics might work.
4 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
10 Mar 16
I think his ethical tactics should be emulated, but not the other ones.
3 people like this
@troyburns (1405)
• New Zealand
11 Mar 16
And while the networks are covering The Donald, they're not covering anyone else...Trump's campaign has been a masterpiece of manipulation. The game has changed, and I can't wait for what passes as an election in four years time.
2 people like this
@troyburns (1405)
• New Zealand
12 Mar 16
@ElizabethWallace - It's looking like Trump will continue to get the popular vote and head into the convention in front. I just don't know how the GOP power-brokers can take the nomination away from him without making a mockery of the electoral process. It's all quite fascinating.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
12 Mar 16
@troyburns It is interesting, but somewhat depressing too.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
11 Mar 16
Obama changed the election process last time, and Sanders learned from him. So you are probably correct. Next time will be a real freak show, but maybe if/when this guy loses, his ploy will be discredited. Who knows?
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40058)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Mar 16
@DianneN - Donald Trump worries me, too. Things just seem to be getting worse and worse with the riots at his meetings.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247080)
• United States
12 Mar 16
@DeborahDiane His place, Mar-A-Lago, is close to us. I snarl at it every time we pass by. My son's inlaws live in one of his buildings in Manhattan and have met him quite often. They told me they are thinking of moving elsewhere if he gets elected.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
10 Mar 16
He is not the only one who worries me. There are three others whom I find frightening.
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
9 Mar 16
In a way Hillary is camera shy and must have complete control. Trump does many interviews on the fly and just talks over questions he does not like. But Hillary can't think on her feet. We have witnessed how easily flustered and irritated she can get. A major strategy is Trumps' willingness to appear on CNN and all liberal media outlets while the cowardly Hillary won't go anywhere near Fox News where she can't dictate questions. Bernie has gumption and I would not think he would be shy about venturing into "enemy" territory.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
9 Mar 16
Is it really cowardly to avoid things that make you uncomfortable? Maybe it is smart to play to your strengths and not your weaknesses. I don't think it is accurate to call someone who has her background a coward. Frightened people would avoid elected positions, don't you think?
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
10 Mar 16
@JohnRoberts Then I guess you and I have different definitions of the term. Okay.
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
9 Mar 16
@ElizabethWallace Hillary is not a normal person like you and I. She is a politician and must be prepared to handle uncomfortable positions. That's called taking the heat and being presidential. Yes, she is a coward for not confronting hard questions. Yes, it is smart politically on her part but it shows a lack of strength and bravery to go face to face to Fox news and say give me your best shot. There are degrees of cowardice. A soldier not afraid of bullets fired at him may be a coward when confronted by spider.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
10 Mar 16
Right, but they are not. Yikes.
1 person likes this
@divalounger (5849)
• United States
11 Mar 16
He is really good at selling himself--but in almost every other way, he is scary as h--ll!
1 person likes this
@ricki_911 (21625)
• Toronto, Ontario
9 Mar 16
I completely agree most will vote those who are interactive and more into the community.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
9 Mar 16
I have no idea what influences voters, but I do think that marketing works, or it would not be done.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
11 Mar 16
Yes, but only time will tell. I thought that Obama's plans were great, but I had no idea that the GOP would be such poor losers and throw the good of the country under the bus just to prove that they could.
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
10 Mar 16
It's too bad that integrity doesn't automatically come with the package.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
12 Mar 16
From this side of the pond it looks very much as if he is doing very well and more frighteningly looks like he is going to be your next President.
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
10 Mar 16
He is an expert at this. Next time, just look at the way the background is set up. It is not an accident. It's very smart.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40058)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Mar 16
I have always believed we can learn from anyone and often we learn the most from the people we dislike the most. I agree that Trump is good at marketing ... especially when he is marketing himself!
