Poor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, ex-star of the “Cosby Show”: He died on the wrong week. Due to the untimely demise of his (much) more-famous contemporaries, Ozzy Osbourne and Hulk Hogan, he was completely overshadowed.
The Cosby kid got the short end of the stick.
Same thing happened to Farrah Fawcett: When she died on June 25, 2009, it was worldwide news and the biggest story on every major media outlet… for oh, about three hours.
Because that was also the same day Michael Jackson died, and the death of the Gloved One pushed poor Farrah Fawcett out of the lead and beneath the fold.
Timing is everything. It’s true in life — it’s true in death — and it’s absolutely true in politics. It’s what separates the great politicians and the top communicators from the also-rans: An average politician still knows what to say, but a great one knows when to say it.
Speaking of which, it was a helluva week in political PR. Time to break out the highlight reel and put this bad boy under the microscope:
PRedictions: The “Obama Treason” storyline will culminate in a grand total of ZERO charges against President Obama. The only way #44 will EVER see the inside of a jail cell is via an AI video:
Don’t get me wrong: There’s value in holding wrongdoers accountable. In politics, the past is perpetually prologue; the public won’t give a damn about your solution until they understand the problem.
So if the problem is the Deep State, what Tulsi Gabbard is doing is of enormous importance.
But it’s also important to manage expectations. That’s one of the painful lessons of the Epstein fallout.
And speaking of Epstein, Trump’s attacks on Obama and/or treason will ensure that Epstein stays in the news:
Get used to the buzzwords “desperation” and “distraction.” We’re gonna hear ‘em a lot, because the Obama PR strategy depends upon it.
It’s a very simple mathematical formula [the Obama playbook]: “Desperation” + “Distraction” = Pivot to Epstein.
So, for all you Epstein conspiracy superfans (you know who you are), congratulations! It’s now an ironclad GUARANTEE that the Epstein story won’t be going away… because, for his PR purposes, Obama now needs it to stay alive.
PRojections: I don’t know about you, but when I first heard the wild and wooly conspiracy theory about Jeffrey Epstein, I was imagining something like this:
There’s a rich, mysterious guy named Jeffrey Epstein who was an undercover agent for either the CIA or a foreign government (Mossad?). For decades, he was running a blackmail scheme involving a private island and underage girls, with hidden cameras that secretly filmed celebrities, politicians, royalty, and billionaires having sex. If only the “Epstein List” were released, we’d finally know who these perverts are!
Looking back on it, the supporting evidence was always weak, but there were legitimate questions over how Epstein acquired his wealth; why he (apparently) got preferential legal treatment; and all the weirdness over his “suicide.”
Still, as far as international espionage and blackmail schemes go, that’s not a whole lot to hang your hat on.
The actual truth, it seems, is that Jeffrey Epstein was a rich, repulsive sadist who trafficked and abused young girls… simply because it turned him on. He wasn’t operating under the direction of a government, foreign or domestic, like a James Bond/Larry Flynt hybrid; he was just a sick, depraved predator.
And he probably received preferential legal treatment for a less-007-ish reason, too: He’s a rich guy with powerful friends, and our legal system is corrupt and unequal.
Rich guys who spend millions on attorneys are treated differently from poor people with limited resources. (I’m sure you’re shocked.) It’s a damning commentary on the American legal system, but it’s not necessarily indicative of CIA/Mossad manipulation.
Audiences think in terms of stories and storylines. A clever politician leaves juuuust enough gaps for the audience to complete ‘em on their own, but you’ve got to be careful where you lead them: When expectations deviate too much from reality, there’s gonna be emotional blowback.
And emotional blowback is hard to manage.
PRaise: James Kirchick of the National Review dug-up a doozy of a quote from Tucker Carlson in his article, “Tucker Carlson’s Dark Turn”:
It’s perfectly valid to question America’s relationship with Israel . . . but I don’t think that’s the reason [Pat] Buchanan is being labeled an antisemite. It’s this kind of . . . relentless bringing up topics related to Judaism. . . . Here’s a guy who has . . . constantly attacked Israel, who’s attacked American Jews for supporting Israel unduly, who’s implied that American Jews push America into wars in which non-Jews die. . . . I do believe that there is a pattern with Pat Buchanan of needling the Jews. Is that antisemitic? Yeah.
-- Tucker Carlson, September 24, 1999
I’ve been critical of the National Review, especially since its “Never Trump” tilt defanged its bite (and crippled its reach), but Kirchick’s takedown was well-thought, well-researched, well-written, and well-done. Check it out.
I’d also like to PRaise Hunter Biden, for being the gift that keeps on giving to the GOP. The more media he does, the better for Team MAGA. He’s a condescending crackhead with an overdeveloped sense of entitlement. Between his incessant F-bombs and continuous complaints, he’s the worst pitchman since Jared Fogle for Subway.
But right now, more than anyone else, he’s the public face of the Biden years.
The good news is, we’re probably gonna see much more of him, too: With his father shipped to the glue factory, the Democratic Party has lost all leverage over him. From Hunter’s point of view… why NOT do more media?
It’s not as if the DNC will be protecting Biden anymore. Nor will they be offering any money.
Hunter is all on his own. (Good luck with that.)
PRedators: Oh, Candace, Candace, Candace. Of all the hot-burning topics to focus your time and energy on, Mrs. Macron’s crotch seems kinda low on the totem pole, but here we are.
Anyway, in honor of Candace Owens, I’ve decided to join a bat-[expletive] crazy conspiracy, too: Guys, I’m “just asking questions here,” but I think the “Indians” in India are the fake ones — and the “Indians” in America are the real McCoys!
After all, America has an Indiana AND an Indianapolis. “India” only has “India,” so we have double the evidence. (Even more if you include the Indianapolis Colts, Indiana Jones, and the Indy 500.) Plus, Christopher Columbus was an eyewitness over 500 years ago, and he called ‘em Indians. Who’s to say he was wrong? (And we know how vicious today’s anti-Columbus propaganda is.) See?! The pieces totally fit!
If Candace Owens can get sued by the French Prime Minister’s wife, I should at least be able to get an angry tweet from Narendra Modi.
C’mon, folks! Let’s get this one started!
