(11-24-2020, 07:59 PM)NeptuneBeachBum Wrote:

(11-24-2020, 07:41 PM)homebiscuit Wrote: Left or right, Americans are fairly dismal as informed voters. However, it doesn't hurt to have the MSM on your side to control the message and pad the numbers. 

PowerPoint Presentation (mrc.org)

Executive Summary:

• Biden voters were largely unaffected by the information included in this survey – more than 75% of voters that were not aware of the information prior to voting would not have changed their vote had they known the information. 
• However, 6% of Biden voters who were unaware of this information would have changed their vote to President Trump had they been aware of these messaging points. 
• Additionally, 17% of all Biden voters would have not voted for Biden if they were aware of one of these messages. 
• In 6 of the 7 states surveyed, enough voters would have not voted for Joe Biden that those states would have gone to President Trump, giving Trump 311 electoral votes and re-electing him. 
• Media Censorship stories are key 
• More than half of Biden voters surveyed were not aware that Facebook and Twitter prevented users from posting satirical images of Biden, or that Antifa groups and pages were still active on Facebook 
• Most Effective Message: 
• Energy Independence – 51% of Base Sample was not aware of this information when they voted for Biden 
• Least Effective Message: 
• European COVID-19 Shutdowns – 75% of Base Sample was aware of this information when they voted for Biden

I hear you, but you're using a far right-wing source with questionable facts to make that argument:

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/media-res...enter-mrc/

I would agree that 40% of the people will vote Republican and 40% of people will vote Democrat no matter what real facts are presented; its the moderate 20% that matter.  Its the discerning, educated voter who actually tries to evaluate each issue independently before choosing their candidate that campaigns need to be really targeting to make an election successful.  And those people typically fall in the middle.  I believe that is why Trump got thrashed... not extreme political ideology per se, but his extreme personality and character flaws.  The next election, Republicans need to find an intelligent moderate and not get caught up in the anti-intellectual nature of Trumpism, imo.

Part of what characterized Trump's polarization was his willingness to push back against the biased MSM. The next Republican candidate needs to do the same but with more tact. Trump did not choose his battles wisely. However, sometimes the gloves will have to come off with the future candidate. Barring a change in the media, which is unlikely, that will forever more be part and parcel of any effective Republican campaign because Trump showed it can be done.

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