WhiskyWarrior556 and Buttegieg
Conner appeared on the Coalition Talk Radio to discuss the case of Alex Booth – screen name Whisky Warrior 556 – and the rising star of Pete Buttegieg in the Democratic primary.
Credibility and Media in High Pressure Situations
One thing I should make clear up front: I don’t have an opinion as to the rightness or wrongness of the WhiskyWarior556 situation – because it is still very unclear what actually happened.
What we do know is that an individual was involved in a seven hour standoff with police. That may have been an ERPO order, a domestic dispute, or a hoax. Regardless, we saw two stories unfold: one in which Alexander Booth was a hero standing up against the state, and another where he was a violent domestic abuser who needed to be detained.
You likely already know I believe gun control measures are inefficient and do more harm than good – but I still recognize that these laws are likely only in their beginning stages and people will be hurt and killed as they are implemented. That’s not the focus of this show:
I want to point out the importance of narrative to these situations. This is not the last time we are going to see an individual barricaded against police. Regardless of whether this guy was good or bad there is a growing pressure on Americans right to self defense. That means there is going to be a situation where someone is having their rights violated in the future – liberty minded people handled this situation poorly and, as a result, the story died.
Media Has Power
I believe liberty for all people is a good thing. Infringing on the Second Amendment is bad for everyone. There is also another segment of the population that believes infringing on the second amendment is good. The other 90% of the population is examining this on a case by case basis. In the battle for the mind of the public the people who want to infringe on your right to keep and bear arms are very good at telling their side of the story in the media.
To control the narrative liberty minded advocates must develop credibility in the media. Develop credibility as a person. Get educated about how to control a narrative in the mainstream media. Many narratives coming out of WhiskyWarrior556 were inaccurate. They only hurt the credibility of the liberty friendly.
Reliable information is starting to become an important currency again. Build trust now so you can spend that currency when it matters and you need the public on your side.
How will the liberty movement respond when one of their own is barricaded in their house surrounded by police? How will that play out in the media? Who are you convincing of your side of the story, and how?
Does The Buttegieg Campaign Have What It Takes?
Buttigieg continues to take the high road while everyone else plays in the mud. He has made a push toward a religious crowd, he shows strong grassroots support, and he cuts across party lines.
His biggest obstacle will be convincing democrats that he is a good choice at their convention. That being said, he has just secured endorsements from three key Obama Administration officials. That should help him with both the black vote and with convincing the Democrat establishment he is for real:
Reggie Love – Obama’s former special assistant and personal aide
Austan Goolsbee – served as the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under Obama
Linda Douglass – Director of Communications for the White House Office of Health Reform
While The Hill published an article claiming “the knives are out” for Buttegieg, the criticism was soft. Frontrunner Joe Biden’s biggest criticism of Buttegieg to date is that his healthcare plan is too similar to his own.
With that in mind, I’m still bullish on Buttegieg.
