On Getting Through

An early February poll from the Washington Post and ABC News indicates 62% of Americans think President Biden has accomplished “not very much” or “little or nothing” in his first two years as president.

This is an incredible number that underscores how difficult it is to get messages through to the general public at this point in the history of mass communication.

Whether or not you agree with his policies, Biden has been enormously successful in pushing through huge pieces of legislation aimed at boosting the economy, gun control, and aiding Ukraine in its war with Russia. As promised, he has returned a sense of normalcy to the White House after four years of daily chaos. He has also improved America’s standing on the world stage by leading our NATO allies in response to the war Russia began last year.

The fact that a large majority of Americans are unimpressed says much more about how we consume news - or not - than it does about Biden’s record in office. The numbers show that a large number of our fellow citizens are simply tuned out, not paying attention at all, or are trapped in an anti-Biden information bubble.

The Biden experience holds important lessons for anyone trying to influence public opinion or public policy.

  1. In today’s society, large portions of the population can not be convinced of anything that does not comport with their existing world view.

  2. When making an effort to shape opinion, a greater emphasis must be placed on micro-targeting audiences that have a stake in the game while surrendering to audiences dug in against your position.

The Post-ABC poll proves the maxim that a lie can travel around the world before the truth gets its boots on, because other recent polling shows a large number of Americans, who do not recognize the successes of the Biden administration, still believe his predecessor actually won the election.