“workshopping their talking points and buzzwords for maximum impact and reach”

When Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff talk about impeachment on TV, they often frame it somberly and claim it’s not about politics.

For weeks, Democrats were using the term ‘quid-pro-quo,’ but they consulted a focus group and found that ‘bribery’ was a more effective word for their purposes.

Becket Adams writes at the Washington Examiner:

Why not call it a ‘bribe’? Democrats have focus group-tested their impeachment strategy for maximum effect NBC News and Reuters were savaged by the anti-Trump #Resistance this week for warning that Democrats would miss their opportunity to move public opinion in support of removing President Trump from office if the impeachment hearings fail to capture the attention of the general electorate. Not only is this analysis correct, but NBC and Reuters are also not alone in recognizing that Democrats need to appeal to more than just obsessively engaged former Russia-gate activists. Democratic leaders themselves recognize this, too, which is why they are workshopping their talking points and buzzwords for maximum impact and reach. Democrats have, for example, retired the term “quid pro quo” for the simpler term “bribery,” claiming the latter more accurately conveys the nature of the case against Trump. But there is more to the story, according to the Washington Post. Democrats shelved “quid pro quo” after private polling found “bribery” packed more of a punch with survey respondents. “[T]he Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee conducted focus groups in key House battlegrounds in recent weeks, testing messages related to impeachment,” the Washington Post reports. “Among the questions put to participants was whether ‘quid pro quo,’ ‘extortion’ or ‘bribery’ was a more compelling description of Trump’s conduct.”

Chris Wallace of FOX News mentioned this on the air yesterday. Watch below:

Chris Wallace on “how political” impeachment is: House Dems changed messaging after focus grouphttps://t.co/6fnpkZ5E4w pic.twitter.com/NsbU3hhHsj — RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 15, 2019

Branding is so important in these matters, isn’t it?

NUGGET: The Dem decision 2 retire “quid pro quo” & embrace “bribery” followed a DCCC study showing the word resonates more in battlegrounds It’s also clearly stated in the Constitution as grounds 4 removing POTUS. Could we see it in impeachment articles? https://t.co/kXHRcMpAhg — Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) November 15, 2019

But this is totally not about politics.

Nancy Pelosi: Impeaching Trump is not about politics, it’s about patriotism. pic.twitter.com/u8CAPCEouV — Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 14, 2019

Last word goes to Tammy Bruce.

So whatever word does better in a “study” is the thing for which they’ll impeach him. But Trump is the despot & destroyer of the republic. Got it. #smh #insane #UNFAIR https://t.co/dwZVToXYmy — Tammy Bruce (@HeyTammyBruce) November 15, 2019



