A Tried and True Approach with Independents and Fence Sitters

[bijou]

Pacifist Patriot  (1000+ posts)       Fri Sep-05-08 09:57 AM
Original message
A Tried and True Approach with Independents and Fence Sitters 
 Advertisements [?]Forget the far right-wing, forget the willfully ignorant and forget the habitual Republicans-for-life. You have better things to do with your time and you won't get anywhere anyway.

I promise you the following approach has worked every single time I have used it. Even with people who consider themselves regular voters but fairly apolitical because they have become cynical. This approach works particularly well when the presidential election has come up as a subject of conversation organically rather than you initiating it. When you encounter someone who does not know whom they will vote for or is leaning but hasn't committed, here's what has worked for me time and time again.

The Don'ts:

Do not provide a list of reasons why McCain is a bad choice.
Do not provide a list of reasons why Palin is a bad choice.
Do not tell the person why you support Obama.
Do not tell the person why you support the Democratic platform.

The Dos:

Ask the person whom they are learning towards.
Ask the person what issues are most important to him or her.
Ask the person what issue(s) is preventing them from wholehearted support for Obama.

I promise you the answer to the last question will be a Republican/right-wing spun meme perpetuated by the media.

Respond with, "oh, well then you'll be relieved to know....." or some such. Let me give you an example.

I was spending the afternoon with a friend when the topic came around to politics. We were discussing whether or not all the political talk was appropriate at church. I asked her for her opinion of the candidates and she said she despised McCain but could not support Obama. "Oh, what is preventing you from supporting him."

His support of Partial Birth Abortion.

"Oh, well then you'll be relieved to know that such a thing doesn't even exist." I went on to explain what a D&X is, how rare and tragic it is and how the GOP made up the phrase. I urged her to Google it and learn for herself.

I got an email three hours later that she was voting for Obama.

Try it sometime. You'll be glad you did.


 

Pacifist Patriot  (1000+ posts)       Fri Sep-05-08 12:02 PM
Response to Reply #15
16. Sure 
 Someone else told me they were concerned about Obama's lack of executive experience. I said, "oh, well then you'll be relieved to hear that executive experience has not historically made a difference in the quality of leadership. Remember James Madison, father of the U.S. Constitution, Abraham Lincoln, and John F. Kennedy all had no executive experience. In fact, Lincoln had far less political or leadership experience than does Obama. Presidents such as Warren G. Harding of the Teapot Dome Scandal and Richard Nixon of Watergate fame both had executive experience before becoming President. If you focus on judgment, quality of character and ability to inspire, does that change your opinion about the race?

Ka-ching!

I had to take another person through a series of objections (person is in early 40s).

Obama is too young. "I agree he seems quite young by comparison (no mention of McCain's age directly), but besides the fact Obama is older than several previous presidents, in my opinion his age is to our benefit. Because he is at that stage of life where he is raising a family he is intimately aware of our concerns. And think about how intelligent, motivated and caring he must be to have accomplished so much in 46 years. I want someone that smart who works that hard leading our country during these troubled times."

Yeah but he's got connections to that angry black preacher who hates America. (me playing dumb) "Well, yes, Martin Luther King did rub the establishment the wrong way with his condemnation of the Vietnam War and he did say that "America was going to hell" in one of his speeches. Overall though....

No, no, that preacher guy today.

Oh! You mean Jeremiah Wright? Well let me ask you this? Do you agree with everything I say in the pulpit (I'm a minister)?

No I guess not.

Would you want people judging you by my words and actions and assuming you agree with me 100% of the time?

No I guess not.

Let me send you a link to a speech I think you'll get a real kick out of. I'm sure you'll love it!

Okay.

Sent link to Obama's speech in Philadelphia. Guy watched it. I ran into him at the grocery store a few days later and he told me he was not only voting for Obama he had sent $50.

Ka-ching!

I've yet to have it fail. But seriously, it's probably because I would never bother trying with lost causes. And you definitely need to know your stuff because you never know what objection is going to come tumbling out.

Overcoming Objections. Salesmanship 101

Cheers!
 
 

link

This technique is guaranteed to work with imaginary acquaintances, try it yourself! 

[NHSparky]

No cops, no bushes, no insane ranting rethuglican.

Zero bongs.  Not even worthy of bandwidth.

[USA4ME]

I highly recommend that Pacifist Patriot not quit his job with the State DOT directing traffic by turning the Stop/Slow sign and decide to go into sales.

.

[Lord Undies]

"No, no, that preacher guy today."

"Oh! You mean Jeremiah Wright? Well let me ask you this? Do you agree with everything I say in the pulpit" (I'm a minister)?(sic)

"No I guess not.  But if you started spouting "G-d DAMN America, I'd probably have to hold the congregation back from stoning you with the hymnals.  The fact that Obama characters has a 20 year association with that "church" disqualifies him as far as I'm concerned.  Understand the difference?"

"Would you want people judging you by my words and actions and assuming you agree with me 100% of the time?"

"No I guess not. But that's why I'd be only a long gone memory in your church if you had crap like that to say.  I know about judgments - they are a two-way street, so sticking with you would be my poor judgment and I would deserve the scorn of others."

"Let me send you a link to a speech I think you'll get a real kick out of. I'm sure you'll love it!"

"Please don't bother.  I am not an idiot.  I'm probably twice as up-to-date as you are on anything political.  Bye-bye!"

[JohnnyReb]

I just tried it out and it works, I've changed my mind. I'm voting for Rover for dogcatcher. He has a lot of experience with dogs.

[GOBUCKS]

I've yet to have it fail. But seriously, it's probably because I would never bother trying with lost causes. And you definitely need to know your stuff because you never know what objection is going to come tumbling out.

Overcoming Objections. Salesmanship 101

And after persuading them to become lifelong anti-American Marxists, give them the Polsky Pump.
Then sell them twelve dozen steak knives.

[delilahmused]

Arrogant and dumb as a stump. I'm sure if this worked campaigns would have figured it out before pacifist here thought of it. Unless it was someone I knew pretty well (in which case they'd already know my opinions) here's how I'd answer Dopey's questions:

1) Ask the person whom they are learning towards.
Seriously, this is none of your ****ing business.

2)Ask the person what issues are most important to him or her.
Well, I used to think it was health care and a woman's right to choose (my personal choice is new shoes and a matching handbag) but after hearing Obama I realized I'm one of those bitter clingers so I'd have to say guns and God.

3)Ask the person what issue(s) is preventing them from wholehearted support for Obama.
Because he's an arrogant empty suit whose bought into his own hype. He doesn't just think he's the Jesus of Suburbia, he thinks he's the savior for the whole freaking world and THAT makes him dangerous.

Cindie

[Red October]

His support of Partial Birth Abortion.

"Oh, well then you'll be relieved to know that such a thing doesn't even exist." I went on to explain what a D&X is, how rare and tragic it is and how the GOP made up the phrase. I urged her to Google it and learn for herself.

So basically, your plan is to lie to people?  Same as Barrack's plan.

[Red October]

http://www.priestsforlife.org/prochoice/haskell3.htm

[Lauri]

good God, that is ghoulish 

[Red October]

good God, that is ghoulish 

I try not to be a single issue voter, but any canidate that gets good marks the abortion crowd goes in the shitter for me.  It's complicated... it has something to do with my immortal soul, but it's above my pay-grade to really put it into words.

[GOBUCKS]

good God, that is ghoulish

If you want ghoulish, check out the law, blocked from a vote by Senator Messiah (Mus-Ill), that would have prohibited an abortionist from killing a baby that survives an abortion attempt and is born alive. Alan Colmes said Obama blocked it because it was "unnecessary".

[Baruch Menachem]

The OP has been listening to Rush.

Rush has the same advice.  Let the mark sell himself.  Don't yell, don't push, find out what is important to them and help them see the light.

Of course, in this case lying a little doesn't hurt either.

[terry]

I highly recommend that Pacifist Patriot not quit his job with the State DOT directing traffic by turning the Stop/Slow sign and decide to go into sales.

.

If pacifist patriot is who I think, she is a UU minister.