Don't Take the Bait
Setting the Scene
There’s a moment from a campaign rally several years ago that has stayed with me.
At an event, a man in the crowd — visibly older, and supposedly a veteran — begins heckling former U.S. President Barack Obama while waving a Trump election sign.
You can imagine the tension.
Crowds are volatile environments. Emotions are high. Supporters are primed to react. The easy and instinctive move would have been to escalate: mock him, dismiss him, or signal security to remove him while the crowd booed.
Instead, Obama paused. He did something strategic.
First, he acknowledged the man wasn't doing anything wrong. Second, he noted his age and apparent veteran status. Third, he told the crowd to respect him and his right to free speech.
Then, he called out the crowd for how easily they can get distracted from what they care about. He warned them to focus on building something, not just reacting.
The Bait That Wasn’t Taken
You could imagine what Fox News would have said if Obama has (rightfully) kicked the protestor out and got back to his speech.
They could complain that he was elderly, that he was a veteran, that Obama wanted to silence your freedom to speak your mind.The protestor moment was orchestrated from the start to polarize and distract people. By acknowledging that, and not taking the bait, Obama was able to manoeuvre the episode like a professional.
"Don't boo," he said. "Vote!"
The Takeaway
When you’re in public life, or any leadership role, your rivals will try to stump you with seemingly unwillable situation.
You're damned if you kick out the protestor, and you're damned if you let him walk all over you.
Sometimes the best thing to do is to rise above and reiterate the principles that bind us all together. In this case, respect for your elders, respect for veterans, and respect for free speech.
But if you choose to get down and dirty, and wrestle the proverbial pig, don't expect to come away smelling like roses.
If this lesson was valuable to you, please consider contributing by buying me a cup of coffee.
Let me know what you think by replying to this email or writing me at contact@lexpacificatoria.org
Best,
Michael J. Campbell
600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
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