Why You're Not Normal (And Why This is the Greatest Political Lesson)

Mark Steyn has this to say about Newt Gingrich's speech at the NRO Conference:

... Newt gets about these occasions. He understands that, as was said at the summit, "normal" people don't sit in hotels on Saturday afternoons listening to policy presentations on tax reform and immigration.

At almost every campaign training seminar I've ever spoken at, I stress the point that by virtue of attending a campaign training seminar, you've demonstrated that: "You're not normal."

... Why is it important to know you're not normal?

There's a psychological term called projection. It means that people tend to attribute their beliefs to others (if you're nice, you think everyone is nice. If you're a thief, you think everyone is a thief). Of course, this is misguided. Not everyone is nice, nor is everyone a thief.

Sadly, political operatives and insiders often make the same mistake; they incorrectly project their attributes on to others. Primarily, they assume that everyone else cares as much about politics as they do. This is a huge mistake because while the average person attending a campaign training seminar may be a political junkie, the average voter spends just seven minutes a week thinking about politics.

Dick Morris once said, "The hardest thing in politics is to be an insider and think like an outsider." He was right -- but this task is the most important task that an insider must accomplish.

Thinking you are normal is actually very dangerous in politics. Here's why: If you assume everyone is like you, then you will fail to simplify your message to appeal to the masses. You will use big words that William F. Buckley might enjoy (because, after all, you enjoy Bill Buckley -- and you read the Washington Post every day... and you listen to Rush Limbaugh every afternoon, and ...).

And, if you're "normal", you won't bother with a GOTV effort, because, after all, if you vote every Election Day, why wouldn't everyone else?

In short, thinking you're normal makes you come up with a stupid message that will only appeal to people who already support your candidate. And it will make you come up with a stupid strategy that will ultimately fail to appeal to the average person.

The people who determine elections -- the swing voters -- aren't like you (if you're a political junkie, that is). So the real task is to be able to put yourself in the shoes of the average guy ("Joe Six-Pack, as they say).

One of the most important lessons you can learn in politics is that: You're Not Normal!