Donald Trump is a Felon
Why this matters and how we should talk about it.
Donald Trump has been found guilty of 34 felony counts for hush money payments he made to hide an affair he had with an adult film star in an attempt to shield this information from the American people.
The former president and current Republican nominee is a convicted felon. It’s a remarkable sentence to type and a remarkable sentence to read.
Here are my thoughts on why this matters and how we should talk about it.
Why this matters.
This is a victory for our system of government. Today, 12 Americans stood in court and held a powerful, rich, politically connected man accountable.
For all of the cynicism and distrust in our institutions, we need to recognize when we get it right. Today, we got it right. This is a good thing and something we should be proud of.
Now, will this impact the election? I’m not sure.
What I do know is the only way to stop Donald Trump from returning to the White House is to beat him at the ballot box. This verdict DOES NOT change that.
The impact of this ruling won’t be felt right away, but that doesn’t mean it won’t have an impact. Various polling suggests that a guilty verdict will impact swing voters' feelings about Donald Trump. The impact also seems to be concentrated among young voters, voters of color, and moderate independents. The exact voting blocs that President Biden needs some help with.
So, while I don’t think this ruling will decide the election, it’s got to be part of the story.
Making it part of the story
Bottom Line: Donald Trump is a corrupt politician who will say and do anything to gain power.
Focus on that sentence above. Make this about corruption and lying to the American public. At its core, this guilty verdict is for defrauding the American public. It is now a fact that Donald Trump broke the law to win an election. He will do it again.
Our focus group of swing young voters was very concerned about government corruption and politicians looking out for themselves. We must talk about this ruling as part of a larger story that Trump is corrupt and only cares about himself. It’s a damning attack on him, and we need to constantly remind people that Donald Trump has been convicted of defrauding the American public.
Donald Trump is a convicted felon.
Many swing voters were not paying attention to this case. Don’t spend time giving them all the illicit details. Everyone already knows Trump is a sexist pig. We need to tell them that Donald Trump is a convicted felon.
Every sentence should start with Convicted felon Donald Trump. Don’t let this fade from the news. It turns out people don’t want to vote for a felon.
Trump is unfit for office.
In most states, you can’t even vote if you are a felon, yet we are going to elect this man president? Pointing out the contradiction is a clever way to remind people that Trump is a felon and that he is unfit for the job of president.
This Ad from Republican Voters Against Trump highlights this contradiction. We should create similar content that brings this juxtaposition to life.
Bottom Line
Donald Trump's conviction as a felon is most effective if tied into a larger narrative about his corruption, greed, and fitness for office. This is a dramatic piece of evidence for that larger indictment.
It’s a stark reminder that no one is above the law.
A jury of his peers did their job holding him accountable.
In November, it’s our turn.
Chatting with a friend who does not follow politics, his reaction was “all politicians are crooks.”
I replied that one is a rapist, a felon and brags about taking away women’s reproductive rights and the other wants to forgive student loans, and trusts women to control their own bodies.
He didn’t budge. He insisted they were all the same. And some have better PR.
When I asked how much time he spent thinking about politics in a week, his answer was “zero.”
To this unengaged friend, the reputation of politicians isn’t based on their actions or accomplishments. It’s based on a resentment fueled by the stereotype that both side are bad and you are always choosing between the lesser of two evils. News isn’t news to someone who fully ignores it.
MurMur’s mission of engaging with new voters is so important and you’re at the base of a mountain of resistance working against a flood of disinformation.
So, if you change one mind or convert one person from disengaged to informed, that’ll be a huge accomplishment. Keep fighting the good fight. And never be discouraged by slow progress.
It seems my comment drew a lot of fire from right leaning individuals. MurMur must be getting under peoples skin. Keep doing what you’re doing.