In Trump vs. Harris, It’s Reality-TV Ringleading vs. the TikTok Ticket

As a seasoned observer of political landscapes and media dynamics, I find myself captivated by this intriguing juxtaposition between the traditional, scripted approach of Trump and the innovative, grassroots strategy of Harris. Having spent decades watching the evolution of media, it’s fascinating to see how technology has transformed campaign tactics from the ‘I Like Ike’ jingle to a viral dance remix.

The most significant instance so far in Donald Trump’s presidential campaign journey – the one that sparked many subsequent events – occurred when he descended an elevator in a building he constructed, during a television appearance he carefully orchestrated, which served to amplify his self-made fantasy realm.

The most significant event in Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign so far – the one that sparked all subsequent ones – was a reference made by a British pop star whom she has never met, about an album she hadn’t listened to, within a post she did not manage, using a term she was unfamiliar with.

The ongoing presidential race encompasses various themes – global perspectives versus national sentiments, feminist ideals against masculine attitudes, progressive views contrasted with Musk’s stance, optimism versus apprehension, and disparate opinions on climate change, reproductive rights, and immigration. However, it is not just about these issues; it’s also significantly about distinct communication strategies.

In Trump’s leadership style, Republicans often employ a traditional type of performance art: Stories are carefully crafted for high entertainment value, orchestrated by a single creative mind, and distributed to the public with specific objectives in mind.

In Harris’ campaign, Democratic strategists adopt a contemporary and grassroots approach where non-political individuals mold messages, with the campaign primarily reacting to these developments rather than leading or guiding them directly.

Call it reality-TV ringleaders vs. the TikTok Ticket.

“Bob Thompson, a seasoned professor at Syracuse University who studies our communication patterns, commented on the topic recently. He stated that what we’re witnessing appears to be a real-world comparison of two distinct methods in media production,” he said.

That’s even true down-ticket. J.D. Vance got where he is thanks to a literary best-seller, the ur-form of top-down messaging. Tim Walz happened because groups of online users decided to lift him up after watching several of his videos. (Though he did partly engineer his rise; he is still a politician.)

The dynamic in using memes for political campaigns is akin to a self-reinforcing mechanism. Supporters often initiate a campaign’s theme without any formal connection, and the campaign then capitalizes on this momentum. For instance, a group called Swifties for Kamala was initiated by Gen Z fans with no prior links to either the celebrity or the candidate. Within a matter of weeks, they amassed 34,000 followers on Instagram, created numerous TikTok remixes (including political speeches set to “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me”), and even managed to secure at least two calls with the campaign. The campaign then deployed these Swifties to spread the message further.

Three weeks ago, there was Charli XCX’s well-known post, “kamala IS brat,” which could be seen as an updated version of the classic “I Like Ike.” Although Harris didn’t directly ask for it, her campaign swiftly adapted by altering their social media backgrounds to match this new fast-paced environment. Instead of needing a campaign bus, they rode the wave with a unique rhythm!

As a gamer, I’d say that instead of traditional character creation, these games are more like community collaborations. A famous quote from Harris, “I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” was actually borrowed from someone else during a 2023 speech. However, it has gained significant popularity due to people adopting and sharing it enthusiastically – through dance remixes, green t-shirts, and even coconut emojis on social media platforms. It’s amazing how something said by one person can be embraced and amplified by so many others!

The idea of an online army of pop-stan operatives stands in stark contrast to Harris’ opponent.

Trump, indeed, was known for pioneering the use of social media during his campaign and presidency, with late-night tweets shaping both. However, these tweets had a somewhat traditional feel, resembling pre-planned scenes in a one-man play, directed by an impulsive executive. Even his team often remained unsure about his next move.

The significance of his television show “The Apprentice” to Trump’s electoral victory in 2016 was emphasized last Friday, as a new study from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center and Columbia University suggested. The portrayal of him as “America’s Boss”, a successful businessman, shrewd negotiator, firm yet supportive mentor, proficient in striking lucrative deals under pressure, positively impacted his electoral performance during the 2016 Republican primary, according to the American Political Science Review.

Trump tended to create and tightly manage a particular persona for himself. As stated by Bill Pruitt, the former producer of ‘The Apprentice,’ in an extensive article on Slate in May, the show didn’t just do anything ordinary; it essentially fabricated and unveiled a franchise character.

In the series, Trump seemed to flawlessly showcase exceptional business intuition and unprecedented wealth, despite his businesses barely managing to avoid bankruptcy multiple times, Pruitt noted. Given this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he refined and played out his role on some of the world’s grandest stages.

The transition of Trump to newer media outlets has not gone as smoothly as he might have hoped. Last week at Mar-a-Lago, he participated in a livestream interview with right-wing gamer Adin Ross on the video game platform Kick. During this interaction, there were awkward moments such as Ross explaining how the chat feature worked to Trump. Instead of making him appear youthful, the contrast between him and the 23-year-old influencer highlighted his age even more, leading to some humorous commentary from the gaming community.

“Liz Stahl, who runs a social media consultancy in LA, expressed that Trump seems to be attempting to challenge or assert himself through these public appearances. She finds it quite challenging and is uncertain if he should continue doing so, as she stated during an interview.”

The Ohio senator’s campaign faced a viral backlash, albeit unwanted, stemming from rumors about his book suggesting an unusual relationship with his couch. However, this was untrue. Yet, much like in past elections where misleading advertisements, such as Lyndon B Johnson’s “daisy” ad insinuating nuclear war or George H.W. Bush’s “Willie Horton” spot claiming the rival candidate supported criminal release, had a powerful impact regardless of their factual accuracy. The key factor was not the truth but the virality and persistence of the message.

Over the weekend, I found myself reminiscing about the iconic tale of Titanic as Donald Trump played Celine Dion’s theme song at his rally in Montana. This sparked a flurry of humorous comments online, drawing parallels between the movie and Trump’s own journey. However, Kamala Harris’ team was swift to join the conversation. In the political arena of 2024, it’s not about one candidate deliberately throwing mud; rather, it’s about being caught unprepared when someone else does the dirty work.

As a passionate supporter, I’ve been deeply moved by the organic enthusiasm surrounding Kamala Harris. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that a purely grassroots strategy might not be sufficient for the Democratic candidate. Samuel Woolley, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh and a long-time project director for propaganda research at the Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas (one of the leading authorities on influencer content), highlighted this point. He stated that while there’s undeniably a surge in genuine interest in Kamala Harris, it’s also important to recognize that some content might not be entirely organic. In other words, he suggested that there could be content being controlled by someone else, which is what we refer to as ‘inorganic content’.

Many political campaigns hire a variety of top-tier consulting firms, including those like People First with a liberal lean, who often collaborate with social media influencers on content without publicly revealing their role in the process.

“Using influencers as a tactic in political campaigns is now quite common, and Harris is using this strategy effectively, according to Woolley. However, determining what content is sponsored versus genuine can be incredibly challenging; social media platforms seem indifferent about revealing or prohibiting such agreements, while the Federal Election Commission has yet to take action to regulate them similarly to traditional political ads.”

Even straight-up organic content can be hard to trace, with every origin moment leading to something that came before (you could even say it didn’t fall out of a coconut tree). In fact, Charli XCX’s post itself was not the start but a response to a host of organic memes that had already existed on TikTok, setting Harris’ speeches to Charli tracks. (That all this is unspooling against the legislative to-and-fro of a TikTok ban, incidentally, is its own form of viral deliciousness.)

As a passionate observer of pop culture trends, I find it fascinating how today’s memes echo the momentum-building strategies of media from the 20th century. However, there’s a noticeable difference between then and now. For instance, the “I Like Ike” campaign, powered by a catchy Roy O. Disney jingle and a sense of everyone jumping on the bandwagon, catapulted Eisenhower to the presidency. In contrast, the meme “kamala IS brat,” while it has gained traction, remains to be seen if it can sustain its momentum until voting begins, let alone shape behavior during that time.

In simpler terms, a social media specialist named Stahl stated that for a political campaign to go viral effectively, it needs to be connected to real issues or substance. If not, it’s just a buildup of energy leading nowhere. The early polls following the viral wave suggest an increase in support for Harris, but it’s challenging to definitively link cause and effect.

Winning Harris in November could feel like transitioning from a carefully orchestrated performance to a vibrant mix of countless dance remixes, with the fresh, inviting hue of a meme replacing the captivating yet intense orange glow of a showman’s spotlight.

Conversely, a Trump win would prove the durability of the reality form.

Voting is indeed more complex than a simple analysis might suggest, and such easy interpretations would be misleading. Rarely does American media culture undergo such a complete shift to a new epoch, especially in the context of a national election where candidates are as diametrically opposed as they currently are. Regardless of the outcome in November or even next week, a fresh palette of media perspectives has been introduced. Once this change has taken place, politics might never appear the same again.

2024-08-12 03:25

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