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Tzvi Gottlieb

The Dirty and Successful Trick By Conservatives and Trump Against Harris

US Vice President Kamala Harris claps before US President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Washington. (Shawn Thew/Pool via AP)

“[The masses] have never thirsted after truth. They demand illusions, and cannot do without them. They constantly give what is unreal precedence over what is real; they are almost as strongly influenced by what is untrue as by what is true. They have an evident tendency not to distinguish between the two.”, Sigmund Freud

The conservatives puzzled over how to deal with a new contender in the form of Kamala Harris finally found a tactic.

The conservatives will use networks of thousands of bots as well as prominent figures in the internet-radio brainwashing system to bring the issue of “Harris’s sexual history” to the center of the conversation.

You can already see the buds of this tactic, about “the affair that was with that person”, and supposedly fabricated photos in revealing clothes and more.
Fake news full speed. Very quickly it will come to sexual derogatory names.

But this tactic of dealing with the “sexual past” of a female candidate, in my opinion, will be dramatically effective. This is the game changer for the Trump campaign.

Why is it so effective, because of several things:

Emotional Impact

Sexual innuendos tend to elicit strong emotional reactions, which can overshadow rational thinking about a candidate’s qualifications or policies. By tapping into primal instincts and taboos, these insinuations can be more memorable and impactful than political debates.

Character Assassination

Sexual innuendos often aim to damage a candidate’s perceived moral character and judgment. Even unproven allegations can plant seeds of doubt about a person’s integrity and fitness for office.

Media Attention

Salacious rumors and innuendos tend to generate significant media coverage, giving them outsized influence. The press may focus on these provocative stories at the expense of substantive policy discussions.

Gendered Double Standards

Sexual innuendos often exploit existing gender biases and double standards in politics. Female candidates in particular may face harsher judgment and more negative consequences from sexual rumors or allegations.

Cognitive Biases

People tend to remember and give more weight to negative information, a phenomenon known as negativity bias. Sexual innuendos leverage this bias, potentially overshadowing a candidate’s positive attributes.

Distraction Tactic

Opponents may use sexual innuendos as a way to divert attention from substantive issues or their own weaknesses. By changing the conversation, they can control the narrative.

Confirmation Bias

For voters already skeptical of a candidate, sexual innuendos can reinforce existing negative perceptions, regardless of their veracity.

The amazing thing is that Trump actually has a history of sexual exploitation, as he was found liable in a civil case for sexual abuse of E. Jean Carroll and dozens more stories from women about his conduct. 

But these will have minimal affect on Trump’s chances. Obviously less than fake news about Harris. This is the absurdity of politics.

There are tools Democrats can use. I hope that the Harris campaign has the right people that can step up and will respond quickly.

About the Author
Attorney, former communications director for the Israeli government, lobbyist, strategy, former reporter for Galei Tzahal and Haaretz, former Shaliach to the US, CEO of The Israeli TV & Film Producers Association, Campaign manager for several parties and incumbents. Led several social causes, organizations, causes and unions. Life-long volunteer and student.
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