Mistaking talking for communicating
Something strange happened last week as I watched the final television debate in the Illinois Democratic Primary for Governor. Pat Quinn reminded me for just a moment of George W. Bush.
The eerie similarity came up when Quinn was asked about his mistakes. Remember when Bush refused to acknowledge in 2004 that he made any mistakes following 9/11? Or even more stunning, when W admitted in 2008 to only a few public relations gaffes, but nothing he would really have done differently?
Well, Quinn had the ultimate softball mistakes question pitched to him in this debate. It was a Chicago 16-incher. Right over the plate:
>>Carol Marin: “WHAT MISTAKE HAVE YOU MADE IN YOUR YOUNGER YEARS THAT MADE YOU THE MAN YOU ARE TODAY?”
A prime opportunity to be the regular guy like us. To remind Illinoisans why they basically liked him. To eat a slice of humble pie and to take a portion of blame. And, in our current fragile and shifting society, to get the tone right and be real.
President Obama is doing it. Some CEOs (not enough) are doing it. Senators, Congressmen and other Governors are doing it. But not Pat Quinn.
Quinn’s answer:
>>Pat Quinn: “I WOULD SAY, I’VE TRIED TO DO THE BEST I CAN.
I’M NOT BIG ON SHARING MY PRIVATE LIFE WITH PEOPLE AT LARGE.
IF YOU MAKE MISTAKES, YOU TRY NOT TO DO THEM AGAIN, AND I LISTENED TO MY PARENTS AND THAT WASN’T A MISTAKE.
MY FATHER AND MOTHER WERE EXCELLENT ROLE MODELS. THEY ARE MY HEROES.
MY FATHER LIVED UNTIL 93. HE WAS IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY FOR THREE YEARS, ONE MONTH AND 15 DAYS”.
>> Carol Marin: “SO MISTAKES, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SHARE ANY MISTAKE.”
In that moment, when he went for the tired old politician’s answer Pat Quinn missed one of the better opportunities late in the campaign to reset things and connect with people.
Pundits, commentators and some political elites laughed at Bill Clinton in 1992, when he first uttered that simple line: “I feel your pain.” But it was exactly what American voters needed to hear.
This year, voters are angry and hurt. They see an economy in decline and spending on the rise with no relief up ahead. They see Wall Street executives getting massive bonuses with THEIR tax dollars. They are pessimistic and worried.
They want candidates to connect with their deep concerns, admit they are human, take the blame for at least some of the mess and explain how they’ve learned a few lessons to fix things. They need to hear that politicians are paying for this mess personally too.
Voters are fixated on the present and worried about the future. Right now, they’re not romantic for the good old days.
In 2010, it would be a huge mistake for candidates not to take that seriously—especially incumbents like Pat Quinn.
