Quiet Rallies
We all know that 2020 is changing the way folks campaign, at all levels of elective office.
A somewhat new hook is where the presidential campaigns have events, but sort of keep it quiet.
A few weeks ago, a Trump bus tour made its way through Waterloo with some high profile surrogates on board…but it was not widely announced, basically just to supporters. We here didn’t learn of it until afterwards.
Now the Biden campaign will have a drive-in rally tomorrow, with the spouses of those on the ticket speaking…but the location is not being announced unless you sign up to attend.
Some of that is to limit crowd size due to COVID-19. Some of it is to get your name and vital information into a database.
But I wonder if some of it is to avoid protests. It hasn’t taken much to set people off this year, and if your purpose is to simply rally your base, there’s no need to invite trouble. Keep it small, keep it quiet…keep it private.
Obviously the president has adapted to airport rallies, outdoors, with “peaceful protestors” gathering to avoid local rules on gatherings. And members of his family have come for Iowa-based events on a weekly basis lately, again by reservation, but larger than the Democrat events.
One thing that has changed…the Biden campaign has discouraged volunteers from “door knocking”, the practice of candidates for lower office and volunteers going door-to-door to talk up their cause. That’s a nice change for those of us who don’t like being bothered at home. Hope I didn’t jinx that.
