In American politics, branding yourself is the easy part. Everything you say, do, believe, and support becomes part of your brand anyway, so all you really need to do is be yourself. (With a healthy sprinkling of some PR black magic.)
But branding yourself isn’t enough.
The U.S. electoral system is binary: Republican or Democrat. Realistically, there are no other options. It’s elephants or donkeys; take it or leave it.
And in a binary marketplace, it’s just as important to define your competition as it is to define yourself.
The classic business example is Apple’s “I’m a Mac!” and “I’m a PC!” ad campaign. It featured a cool dude (who symbolized Macs) and a dumpy-looking business middleman (obviously a lowly, no-good, disgusting PC).
Check out this vintage Apple ad, which absolutely, 100% wouldn’t fly anymore: The cool Apple dude gets the super-hot babe, while the PC guy… well, his choice looks a bit more hirsute (with a prominent Adam’s apple):
According to Apple-lore, a Mac dude is handsome, fun, and lands a supermodel girlfriend, whereas the PC guy is overweight, dresses like a dork, and dates a “girl” with more body hair than George “The Animal” Steele. (Yeesh. Those Apple ad execs didn’t mess around.)
Apple knew the drill: Defining yourself is only half the battle. You must also define your competition.
And this brings us to Donald Trump, the Democratic Party, and the senatorial cabinet hearings. So far, Trump has a perfect batting average (at least, if you forget about Matt Gaetz). Marco Rubio easily sailed through his confirmation hearing and was confirmed as our next secretary of state. Pete Hegseth came the closest to failing, but Vice President Vance was able to break the tie and confirm his appointment as secretary of defense.
Today, two other Trump appointees — Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr. — are still fighting for confirmation. Both face uphill battles to be approved.
And both are famous ex-Democrats.
Donald Trump has defined his own brand so thoroughly that even allegations of “Hitler!” and “Nazi!” fell on deaf ears. Trump is Trump; he’s arrogant, aggressive, abrasive, and self-aggrandizing, but he’s also hellbent on winning (and deviously funny). Trump is many things—some good, some bad. But he’s a well-defined, well-established brand.
It’s why the Harris-Walz attack ads were so ineffective.
But right now, the Democrats don’t have a brand. Nor do they have a go-to brand ambassador — someone who exemplifies what the Democrats value and stand for. The 2024 election essentially eviscerated the Biden, Obama, Harris, Clinton(s), Schumer, and Pelosi power cabal that had ruled the Democratic Party with an iron fist since the early 1990s.
It's gotten so bad that some Democrats are even calling for a “rebranding” of their “toxic” image.
My proposal: Instead of letting the Democrats rebrand themselves on THEIR terms, the Republicans should rebrand them on OUR terms.
And it’s easier than you think. Because the Democrats are so devoid of ideas, leadership, and direction, their “default setting” is to oppose whatever Trump supports.
Including his cabinet appointments.
If the Democrats kill the nominations of Gabbard and Kennedy, it brands them as ideological fanatics who won’t tolerate internal dissent. Just as certain sects of Islam are determined to murder apostates, today’s Democrats will destroy and character-assassinate anyone on the left who dares to cooperate with MAGA.
Meanwhile, Trump is the bipartisan bridge-builder, growing his coalition, reaching out to the other side.
The nasty, personal attacks from big-name Democrats (including Caroline Kennedy’s meanspirited broadside against her cousin, Bobby) further reinforce their bitter, vindictive brand identity.
In the short-term, it’s better for Trump if Gabbard and RFK Jr. are confirmed, for victory creates its own momentum — as does defeat. You almost always want to stay on a positive trajectory.
But in the long-term, it would probably be better for Trump’s brand — and worse for the Democrats’ brand — if Gabbard and Kennedy were Borked. Sure, they would’ve served a valuable role in Trump’s cabinet, but there’s still great PR value in being a martyr.
For us and them.
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