Exceptionally sage advice. And thanks for sharing the vignette about Obama. Speaks volumes. I hope Harris and Walz adopt a similar strategy. I suspect they will.
Thank you Bob. I have not been reading much lately in an effort to not be overwhelmed and stressed. Your piece is right on and I appreciate it. Even our IDP doesn't understand rural. For example, in the past we rural party leaders have been told "signs don't vote." All of us know the importance of political signs. It sends a message. Many of us have been concentrating on local radio stations, especially during the day when farmers are in the fields and listening to radio. Local press is extremely important.
Extra thanks for noting how wrong people who say "signs don't vote" are. Every time someone posts a sign, it first sends a message that the person posting the sign votes, and secondly, the sign offers solidarity with people that want to speak up but think they are alone. So very good.
And we all seek to read everything we encounter. In rural places, we all read the signs. in urban places, there are so many signs that we cant keep track of messaging. so important in rural places, but consultants don't make money from signs.
What a wonderful read and so to the point. I have chafed for many years on the Democrats losing interest in Iowa. You have laid out the strategy for a Democratic comeback in rural America. I bristled when I heard some of my favorite national journalists bemoaning the rebuff of Josh Shapiro, more an easterner than rural. Tim Walz returns the light back to the heartland. Beyond Rob Sand, maybe we can find another John Culver, Dick Clark, or Tom Harkin. Your column today has rekindled my faith that maybe, just maybe, the heartland will matter again.
Or perhaps we can find a woman leader. The men you recognize have been critical to our political populism but they don't represent the other 50%. Surely we can identify a strong woman leader - we've had them in the past. Roxanne Conlin, Bonnie Campbell - it's important to raise all voices.
I do indeed! DeJear is an amazing, magnetic speaker, and the party somehow failed to see what she could do with a platform. And I'm still too angry about it to say much more than that.
Thanks! One thing I didn't say because it is beside the point is that my father-in-law was Barack Obama's fathers roommate at the University of Hawaii. He saw baby Barack when they came back from the hospital. I told Obama that, and he was stunned, and had me repeat what I said. he had an aide get my father-in-law's phone number, but he never called him.
Thanks for the post. I agree that the national candidates should not ignore rural areas. I have one quibble. I wonder how you define “largely rural”? I would probably base it on population. According to the 2020 census the key states that you mentioned had urban populations ranging from 67.1%(Wisconsin) to 94.1%(Nevada). The others had about three quarters of their populations classified as urban. https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ua/State_Urban_Rural_Pop_2020_2010.xlsx
I hope someone from the Harris-Walz staff reads this and pays attention. Thanks, Bob.
My first thought too. I wonder how this could be brought to the attention of the Harris/Walz campaign?
I have a couple of paths I'm going to try. Thanks!
Exceptionally sage advice. And thanks for sharing the vignette about Obama. Speaks volumes. I hope Harris and Walz adopt a similar strategy. I suspect they will.
Dr. Leonard, I am honored to support your insightful writing and hope the mainstream media catches up with you.
Thank you so much Michael!
Thank you Bob. I have not been reading much lately in an effort to not be overwhelmed and stressed. Your piece is right on and I appreciate it. Even our IDP doesn't understand rural. For example, in the past we rural party leaders have been told "signs don't vote." All of us know the importance of political signs. It sends a message. Many of us have been concentrating on local radio stations, especially during the day when farmers are in the fields and listening to radio. Local press is extremely important.
Thanks much Denise! And thanks for writing for local, rural newspapers!
Extra thanks for noting how wrong people who say "signs don't vote" are. Every time someone posts a sign, it first sends a message that the person posting the sign votes, and secondly, the sign offers solidarity with people that want to speak up but think they are alone. So very good.
And we all seek to read everything we encounter. In rural places, we all read the signs. in urban places, there are so many signs that we cant keep track of messaging. so important in rural places, but consultants don't make money from signs.
Hope you land some time with Harris, Waltz, etc. eventually.
What a wonderful read and so to the point. I have chafed for many years on the Democrats losing interest in Iowa. You have laid out the strategy for a Democratic comeback in rural America. I bristled when I heard some of my favorite national journalists bemoaning the rebuff of Josh Shapiro, more an easterner than rural. Tim Walz returns the light back to the heartland. Beyond Rob Sand, maybe we can find another John Culver, Dick Clark, or Tom Harkin. Your column today has rekindled my faith that maybe, just maybe, the heartland will matter again.
Wow. Thanks Lawrence. Let's hope so.
Or perhaps we can find a woman leader. The men you recognize have been critical to our political populism but they don't represent the other 50%. Surely we can identify a strong woman leader - we've had them in the past. Roxanne Conlin, Bonnie Campbell - it's important to raise all voices.
I had high hopes for Deidre DeJear.
She is fantastic.
It's difficult to express how angry I was at the IDP for how they hung her out to dry.
Here is what I wrote about it at the time. I think you will enjoy it. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2022/02/04/iowa-democratic-party-election-failures/6653217001/
I do indeed! DeJear is an amazing, magnetic speaker, and the party somehow failed to see what she could do with a platform. And I'm still too angry about it to say much more than that.
Thanks, Bob - for this insight and for pointing us to the article about John Russell's speech!
I think Kamala will want to talk with you: Betting on it!
I have spoken with her several times before. She is fantastic. Too bad Iowa isn't a swing state anymore...
We can make it one again!
Thank you so much for sharing this. The Obama ending was the perfect way to say it. I always look forward so much to your writing.
Thanks! One thing I didn't say because it is beside the point is that my father-in-law was Barack Obama's fathers roommate at the University of Hawaii. He saw baby Barack when they came back from the hospital. I told Obama that, and he was stunned, and had me repeat what I said. he had an aide get my father-in-law's phone number, but he never called him.
Thank you very much for this article. You and Jess Piper are so important on Substack.
Thank you!
I really appreciated the insights in this column. The Obama story is consistent with others I have read - he had very smart staff.
As always, great advice, Robert. Now, how do you (or we) get your important message to the Harris-Walz campaign staff?
Thanks Thomas. It's been placed in the hands of several people who can get it to the campaign. Fingers crossed.
Thanks again, Dr. Bob.
Thanks for the post. I agree that the national candidates should not ignore rural areas. I have one quibble. I wonder how you define “largely rural”? I would probably base it on population. According to the 2020 census the key states that you mentioned had urban populations ranging from 67.1%(Wisconsin) to 94.1%(Nevada). The others had about three quarters of their populations classified as urban. https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ua/State_Urban_Rural_Pop_2020_2010.xlsx
good point! I didn't define it--and will think it through. Thanks!
From another small town media person, Amen, Amen!
Exactly!