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Never Admit Wrongdoing, Accuse Others of Doing Worse, Deflect and Reframe, Attack the Messenger, Control the Narrative
When the media asked about Trump's pronunciation issues, his campaign team briefly responded: 'It must be your ears that have a problem."
The response from Trump's campaign team reflects a classic tactic in political communication: deflection and counter-accusation. This approach aligns with a broader strategy used by many politicians, including Bill Clinton, where admitting fault is avoided at all costs. Instead, the focus is shifted to discrediting the accuser or turning the blame around.
Never Admit Wrongdoing: Politicians often avoid acknowledging mistakes or weaknesses because doing so can be perceived as a sign of vulnerability. By denying any fault, they maintain an image of infallibility, which is crucial for retaining public confidence.
Deflect and Reframe: When faced with criticism, a common strategy is to deflect the issue by reframing the conversation. For example, if a politician is accused of wrongdoing, they might shift the focus to a completely different topic or accuse the accuser of having ulterior motives. This tactic distracts the audience from the original issue and prevents the politician from being pinned down.
Accuse Others of Doing Worse: To further deflect criticism, politicians often accuse their opponents or critics of engaging in even worse behavior. This tactic, known as "whataboutism," is used to create a false equivalence between the politician's actions and those of their adversaries, thus diluting the impact of the original accusation.
Attack the Messenger: Another common strategy is to attack the credibility or intentions of the person making the accusation. By undermining the accuser, the politician seeks to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the criticism, thereby weakening its impact.
Control the Narrative: Politicians strive to control the narrative by dominating the conversation. They do this by repeating their talking points, using emotionally charged language, and avoiding direct answers to difficult questions. This keeps the focus on their version of events and limits the effectiveness of opposing viewpoints.
These tactics are designed to maintain power, influence, and public perception, often at the expense of transparency and accountability. While they may be effective in the short term, they can also contribute to public cynicism and distrust in political institutions over time.
H/t:
川普對話馬斯克口齒不清?團隊:是你耳朵有問題. 當有媒體問到川普的發音問題時,其競選團隊簡短地回答道:“一定是你的耳朵出了問題" - all ALIGN with Bill Clinton: Never admit any wrongdoing. Accuse others of doing the worst. Expound on politicians' tactics.