Politics is a Feeling

If you're like me, you have been glued to the news as of late, taking in every captivating twist and turn in this unprecedented presidential election season. In an admittedly unhealthy emotional codependence, my moods have ebbed and flowed over the last few weeks as the American public (and world I would discover on my recent trip to Ireland) has been inundated with a nonstop supply of incredulous political headlines. As I've tuned in at all hours of the day and night, I've barely come up for air except for a fortnight of Olympic coverage, and three mandatory meals a day, with which some are consumed while I'm consuming news.

In the month and change between the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention, there has been a steady stream of political fodder in this presidential election like none we've ever seen. A former president's near assassination, a current president's cancelation, and a vice president's elevation, to name a few.

As I've hung on the words of my favorite CNN analysts (Jake Tapper, Abby Philip, Van Jones, and Kaitlyn Collins), I've been struck by a shifting reality that's quietly become the new norm. In an offhanded comment, Tapper said, "politics is a feeling." My immediate reaction to this was no, politics is more than a feeling, it's ideology, it's culture, it's economics, it's religion. Politics isn't really a feeling, or at least it shouldn't be, it should be sensible, reasoned, even principled, but the more I thought about it, I realized, yes, politics for many in our polarized environment has become a feeling, and those who play to the emotions hold the advantage. It's a new, new deal, where politicians give people a feeling (outrage, fear, hope) in exchange for the people giving the politicians the power. And if you don't play this emotional game, well, you lose.

One commentator said this is why Hilary lost in 2016. She had a detailed five-point economic plan, but she didn't deliver where the American people live-in the heart. Hilary talked in an intellectual way about diversity and breaking glass ceilings, but she didn't strike a strong enough emotional chord to convince those on the fence (Even though she did win the popular vote by 2.9 million, that was no consolation in our all or nothing politics where the electoral votes determine the winner).

If politics is a feeling, what feeling is it? There are many feelings politicians can and do appeal to. Some appeal to the higher angels, as Obama attempted when he pushed a message of hope in 2008 and 2012 (and Michelle alluded to in her, "when they go low, we go high" comment). Others, like the Bushes in the 90s and early 2000s, and Donald Trump in 2016 to now, appeal to fear.

Remember the republican Willie Horton ads in 1988 or democrat "superpredator" statements in the 90s that both played on (white) American fears of black men. Then there was the more recent rightwing Brexit movement which played on (white) European fears of immigrants. Of course, Donald Trump peddles in fear of immigrants, othering and stereotyping people of color from Mexico, Africa, and other non-Western white nations. Now he is recycling old playbooks accusing Harris of being a DEI hire (ie., nonwhite) and a radical leftwing communist, appealing to (white) conservative fears of a multicultural, liberal woman.

But unlike Hilary, Harris has an emotional appeal of her own: joy. I've heard the word "joy" mentioned in relation to the momentum and movement of the Harris campaign more times than I can count. It's a rare word to hear in association with American politics, yet it is a welcome change for democrats who were not feeling joyful about their candidate as little as a month ago, and for an electorate which has been bombarded with fearful, divisive, and "weird" political stories over recent months.

Looking back on the Obama years, we can see that hope not only edged out fear, it won in a landslide, drawing independents and swing voters in record numbers. After eight years of hope, and a lot of pent up resentment from (white) republican men, Trump showed that fear can be equally effective. Hilary and the democrats underestimated fear's allure to their own detriment before, now they seem to be more attuned to the frequency of feelings.

While republicans demand policy details from Harris, they are simultaneously (and hypocritically) banking on a politics of fear and grievance to bring home the victory once again. The democrats, who have struggled tapping the emotional heart strings in the past, have a renewed emotional energy that is starting to impact the polls. While we could debate whether politics should be feelings, we can't deny that in our current political environment, it is. So the only question left is, which feeling will win out in November. Will it be fear or joy?