When Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy began rapping Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” during the Iowa State Fair, many were rightfully confused. Why would a highly accomplished individual who seeks to occupy the highest office in the land do something so over-the-top? The answer is that Ramaswamy understands the importance of connecting conservative values to likable people. This is a lesson that would do conservatives a lot of good to internalize.
At a time when many already distrust politicians, conservatives are at an even greater disadvantage due to the nature of conservative argumentation. While the Left prioritizes emotional appeals (e.g., “a poor, single mother shouldn’t have to have a child she doesn’t want” or “America’s systemic racism prevents African Americans from being able to succeed”), conservatives employ facts and logical reasoning (“some babies can feel pain as early as twelve weeks” or “poor economic outcomes are statistically tied to lower-quality education”) to argue for their preferred policies. And while these types of conservative arguments may be right, they are, by their very nature, less appealing to the average American. As a result, the Left, which acknowledges the emotional dimension of many American problems, positions itself as genuinely concerned about American citizens, while the Right appears distant and out-of-touch with the people.
The Left has built upon this advantage by proving that it not only values the interests of Americans but that it embodies their priorities. Some of the most dynamic moments in recent presidential campaigns have been from Democratic presidential candidates demonstrating that they have personalities beyond their ideological leanings – that they are real people. Bill Clinton playing the saxophone on MTV and Barack Obama releasing a list of his favorite rap songs are just two examples of many. Even Joe Biden, as out of touch as he may seem, released a bracket with his picks for this year’s March Madness Tournament. President Trump declined to do this throughout his tenure in office.
This is not to say that Republicans haven’t tried to garner this type of appeal. Most presidential candidates have made their rounds of Iowa and New Hampshire, talking with residents and flipping burgers. Yet these moves seem more like the contrived requirements of campaigning rather than a genuine expression of their personalities – which is why it felt so odd, yet refreshing, to see Ramaswamy rapping on that stage in Iowa. You can tell that even though he’s not a trained rapper, he genuinely loves the music.
As soon as the video of Ramaswamy’s performance began to gain traction online, Eminem hit Ramaswamy with a cease and desist order, demanding that Ramaswamy stop using all of his music for campaign purposes. Liberal candidates have used Eminem’s music on numerous occasions without any retaliation from the artist.
Eminem’s actions are indicative of a much broader trend: banning conservative voices from the culture to ensure that our values lack mass exposure and appeal. Hollywood’s censorship of Gina Carano and Tim Allen, as well as Enes Kanter Freedom’s blacklisting from the NBA, are several recent instances of this. Even on college campuses, it’s difficult for openly conservative students to carve out a social identity for themselves or try to persuade fellow students once the labels of “racist” and “sexist” are applied. The Left’s takeover of our cultural institutions means the Right is unable to appeal to Americans in the exact same way.
Conservatives must combat this systemic image issue if they want to see a revival of their values in America. We must recognize that our policies don’t, in fact, speak for themselves. We have to speak for them. That means that every conservative is an ambassador for their beliefs. We must show compassion when discussing politics and cultural issues, not harshness and animosity. Not every political conversation has to be an aggressive “debate,” as much as social media may want us to believe this is the case.
Most importantly, if you’re a conservative, show your personality beyond your politics. It’s not easy to acknowledge, but “Republican” and “conservative” have become antagonistic and corrosive brands that are hard to evade. But we all have an identity beyond these labels – a religious background, hobby, or artistic interest. These are sides of us that are important for others to see. Prioritize showing these parts of yourself to others before talking politics. Only then will others be able to see there is an actual, likable person behind your beliefs. I can’t guarantee that this course of action will change anyone’s mind, but I am certain it will set up conservatives for both electoral and personal success in the present and into the future.
(Stefani Reynolds/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images)
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