Quick Take: There You Go Again ..... So Rise Above

by Dr. Ellen Brandt


Whatever you think about this past Monday night's Great Debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, one thing is abundantly clear: Our GOP Candidate let his (very annoying) Democratic opponent get under his skin. 


And Yes, there's an upside to this. Nearly every observer will admit that Trump is abundantly human, with the passionate and sometimes volatile emotions that we ordinary humans are apt to exhibit.  


Clinton, meanwhile, seems more and more robotic and scripted by the nanosecond, with emotions well-in-check - and perhaps with good reason. We all remember that when she slips and lets her emotions out, the distinguished Secretary may be prone to bark like a crazed canine. 


But that is neither hound nor hare . . . . excuse me, neither here nor there.  


As Republicans who want our candidate to triumph, we would advise him that in future debates, press interviews, or any other potentially confrontational situation to keep both his cool and two useful Mantras in his head - one from an Enemy source, one from a Friend.


First, the Mantra from a Friend, that Friend being GOP icon Ronald Reagan. In his incredibly effective debate against then-sitting president Jimmy Carter in 1980, candidate Reagan spontaneously coined the catchphrase "There You Go Again" to demonstrate that Carter was uttering the same ole, same ole scripted propaganda (in this case about Reagan's record on Medicare in California).

 

"There You Go Again" became so popular, it was in many ways the slogan that propelled Ronald Reagan, seemingly against the odds, into the White House. And the slogan is appropriate in a wonderfully exact sense for Trump to use now against Hillary Clinton.


We predict Republicans will love it! But so will the audience in general.  


Every time Clinton, the Secretary-Robot, utters one of her obviously scripted pieces of propaganda on this, that, or the other trite point, candidate Trump should point his finger with arm outstretched, smile benignly, and say, "There she goes again." Mantra One.


Mantra Two comes from what is often perceived as an Enemy camp by the GOP, business TV channel CNBC.  


No matter. CNBC coined a terrific catchphrase during the 2012 Congressional budget crisis, when it appeared the major Parties would never reach a budget resolution, threatening to shut down the U.S. government. (Many Republicans thought that would be a good thing, of course  - but that isn't the topic of this story.)

 
The phrase that CNBC came up with was the simple but effective "Rise Above" - in their context referring to the need for the two major Parties to put aside their differences, reach a budget compromise, hold hands, and sing Kumbaya - if not precisely for the good of the nation, at least to preserve essential infrastructure services right before the Christmas shopping season.


We suggest that Donald Trump embrace "Rise Above" as a catchphrase and Mantra in another context. Whenever the dreaded Clinton-Bot chimes in with a reference to what she says, rightly or wrongly, is a Trump peccadillo - the "birther" issue, petty disputes with contractors, disagreements about beauty queens' waistlines - Trump would do well to close his eyes - or roll them - look Heavenwards and intone the mantra "Rise Above."


Clinton, as all of us know, couldn't look Heavenwards, since it wouldn't be politically correct to do so. And looking Downwards might be damaging.  

Let me go even further. If I were among Donald Trump's political handlers - from my keyboard to Kellyanne Conway's eyes! - I would counsel candidate Trump to use a portion of that "freebie" introductory segment at the beginning of the second Great Debate to say something along these lines:


"My fellow Americans: We were truly distressed that in our first encounter two weeks ago, my distinguished opponent felt it necessary to stray again and again away from the vital and crucial issues that need to shape our National Agenda into the realm of what can only be called "personalities" - minor and irrelevant accusations and counter-accusations, meant to distract from the important differences in outlook, ideology, and actionable agendas that our respective campaigns - and Parties - have put forth.


"We admit we became angry at these sometimes malicious and consistently petty ad hominem attacks. And - well, let's face it  - we lost our proverbial cool. Hey, we're human! And we think our supporters like that we're human, given the alternative. 


"But we are not going to allow it to happen again tonight. If our distinguished opponent again strays into the realm of "personalities" and irrelevant ad hominem attacks, she will stray into that territory alone, because we will refuse to follow her there.


"We will stick to the important issues and make this a Debate about issues, not about who can talk the best trash or come up with the most negative sound bites."


Then, Candidate Trump needs to "Rise Above."


And to channel his Inner Reagan.


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