"you can fool up to 87% of the people for as long as 93% of the time, with a 3% margin of error."
NEW 'WALLOWING IN SELF-PITY' GAMBIT PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR PREZ
9/30/98 IowaHawk
NEW 'WALLOWING IN SELF-PITY' GAMBIT PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR PREZ By IowaHawk, Special to FR
Washington DC (APUPI): After a series of fits and starts, President Clinton's crack spin team seems to have hit stride with a bold new product-positioning strategy in which the President "wallows in self-pity."
The dramatic pity ploy came into view over the last week when the President morosely compared himself to South African President Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in solitary confinement for rebelling against the Apartheid government; Mahatma Gandhi, father of Indian independence who was jailed numerous times for non-violent resistance of British rule; and Jesus Christ, the crucified Messiah worshiped by the world's two billion Christians.
"The pity message and the President test well with key demographic segments," says veteran White House advisor Paul Begala, "just like Jesus and Gandhi."
According to Begala, Mr. Clinton will compare himself this week to the Dalai Lama and St. Thomas More, when he appears at a campaign fundraiser for the National Trial Lawyer's Association. First Lady Hillary Clinton is slated to support the strategy by comparing herself to Mother Theresa, Joan of Arc, and Ann Frank.
Conceived and produced by Begala and pollster Stan Greenberg, "Operation Sad Sack" is the culmination of weeks of careful media and focus group research. Greenberg ironically notes that "if the Apostles had only done their homework on media strategy and message research, Jesus could have easily avoided crucifixion." "At first, in January, we deployed Operation Defiant Innocence," explains Begala. "Then we lost some market share to a fact offensive. So we unleashed Operation Starr Blast, a variation on the classic Maltese Gambit. Of course, we buttressed our defense with a couple of Wag-the-Dogs and heavy-up leveraged blitz buys in mid-size media markets. Pretty basic textbook stuff." "Even so, we tested the hell out of each response in carefully designed focus groups," added Greenberg. "Our motto is 'test twice, respond once.'"
The real test came when the President testified before the Grand Jury. "We tested the 'full hangout,' the 'modified hangout,' and the 'two-and-a-half hangout with a backwards modified-remorse full gainer," said Greenberg. "Our focus group results suggested that the old Limited Contrition Ploy, or LCP, would do the trick."
Begala noted that Mr. Clinton initially rejected their advice. "After the Grand Jury testimony in August, the President opened with the Brasilian 'attack - resent' maneuver, which only ranked third in the focus group tests. Honestly, he can be so bullheaded sometimes."
Mr. Clinton's televised attack on Starr after his Grand Jury testimony created a measurable backlash in Washington, and he belatedly executed the LCP.
"He came around to his senses. And how," chuckles Begala.
"It was 'regret' here, 'remorse' there," adds Greenberg. "For a week, he was contrite to everybody, without ever saying the word 'sorry,' or even mentioning what he was remorseful for! God, it was the most beautifully executed LCP I've seen in 25 years of politics."
"A work of art," agrees Begala. "When we did mall-intercept message tests, his perceived sincerity scores went off the scale."
Thinking one step ahead, Begala and Greenberg convened an intensive 3-day retreat at Camp David, with the President, to plan the follow-up strategy. "Our research showed that the MCP had an Expected Efficiency Factor, or EEF, of 6.37. That translates into a useful life of 8.2 campaign days," says Greenberg. "Time was running out. We had to come up with a viable play."
"That's when the President called it," interrupts Begala, "Split fifty-two left on green, with a Jesus option."
"Abso -f____ing-lutely brilliant," adds Greenberg, in awe.
'Split fifty-two left on green' is the Clinton team's complicated playbook designation for an intense public display of shameless self-pity. "We hadn't tried that since the '92 campaign, so we knew no one would be expecting it," notes Begala.
"Plus, it allowed the President to nurse public sympathy while secretly attacking Starr's flanks," adds Greenberg. "So it was back to the focus groups for a couple of days of data analysis."
Focus group data in hand, the President abruptly announced the end of his public statements of remorse. On September 22, 'Operation Sad Sack' was officially rolled out. "I, too, know what it's like to tragically suffer for my beliefs," said a tearful Mr. Clinton, introducing Mandela at a White House ceremony.
In a Rose Garden ceremony the following day, an emotion-choked Clinton said "Like Gandhi, I must humbly bear the burden of the hopes hundreds of millions of people. Yet, I must pray that God will forgive my tormentors."
The President stepped up the campaign on during an impromptu White House press conference on Monday. Obliquely referring to Starr, a sandal-and-robe clad Clinton lifted his hands skyward, begging "forgive them Father, they know not what they do."
After donning a plastic crown of thorns, he exited the press briefing room bearing a 9-foot styrofoam cross.
Monitoring results in the White House Focus Group Center (WHFGC), Begala and Greenberg were ecstatic. "Unbelievable," said Greenberg. "Positive Q score spikes for all the key demographic clusters, women AND men."
"We expected a strong female response, but the men - wow! That was like Christmas," said Begala. "We found out that by wallowing in self-pity, the President struck a chord with blue collar guys."
"Yeah," explains Greenberg. "Seems they, too, frequently bitch and moan about their rotten job, mean boss, their lack of appreciation. They're sympathetic to the President and are rooting for him to 'Stick it to the Man.'"
Begala and Greenberg have returned to the Focus Group Center, where they are conducting top-secret research to perfect the next White House campaign. While they won't tip their hand, they promise a hard effort.
"The President is studying game films, working out in the focus group rooms, perfecting his sincerity delivery with his drama coach and diction consultant," says Begala. "We're pulling out every trick play in our playbook to get his perceived credibility and honesty scores up."
Citing his own research, Greenberg notes hopefully that "you can fool up to 87% of the people for as long as 93% of the time, with a 3% margin of error."
Copyright 1998, The IowaHawk. Must credit www.freerepublic.com
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