Organizing for America | We are . . .: pandering versus wise change

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pandering versus wise change

By 73071 - Jul 8th, 2008 at 11:55 pm EDT

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The producers and editors of daily television news seem to have a hard time telling the difference between a wise adjustment in policy and pandering.

Parents face the same dilemma. When we change our plans are we doing it to appease the cries of our kids, or are we doing it as a wise leader. One blogger gave the example of a teacher who tells her class that they will get to play outside, and then it rains.

So, lets give the news producers and editors a little help in knowing the difference.

Pandering occurs when:
The candidate changes a position, and the only thing that has influenced the change is his audience, or polling data.

A change in emphasis on a particular issue, does not mean that the candidate has changed positions. It is important to look at all of his previous statements to see if similar statements were made.

If a candidate talks a little about Faith in Politics during the primary, and increases emphasis on that topic in the general --- it is a change in emphasis, not a change in position.

Lack of decisiveness can be a concern when the candidate is all over the map. This happens when the candidate can't seem to find a position.

Another worthy investigation to take is ask whether the candidate readily tells audiences things they don't want to hear, or is difficult to accept. It is fair to remind the audience, when a candidate is accused of shifting positions, those occasions when the candidate discussed a similar position to audiences that would typically be resistant to hearing the message.

Wise changes, occur when the candidate receives new information that was not previously available.

Wise changes, also occur when circumstances significantly change that could not have been reasonably perceived.

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