Staff Reports
The White House has found its catchphrase to counter the GOP’s impeachment inquiry – “no evidence.” They are saying it loud and clear, over and over again. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized this during a news briefing, repeating the phrase five times. Even the reporters asked questions in a way that showed they were familiar with it. The White House issued a 16-page memo that used the phrase 14 times, urging the press to focus on the impeachment inquiry instead of the president.
According to Democratic strategist Brad Bannon, repetition is the key to political success. Americans are easily distracted and don’t pay much attention to what’s happening in Washington, so it’s important to repeat the message. This strategy is not new for the Democrats. Before the 2022 midterm elections, President Biden started talking about “ultra-MAGA” Republicans. This phrase was actually the result of a six-month research investigation led by Democratic messaging guru Anita Dunn. Now, “no evidence” is the phrase of choice.
The Democrats have fully embraced the catchphrase. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, Rep. Dan Goldman, and Biden campaign spokesman Ammar Moussa have all used it to defend President Biden. Even CNN personalities have started using it during interviews with Republican guests. It’s ironic that “no evidence” is similar to the phrase “no collusion” used by the Trump administration to dismiss Russian election interference allegations.
Instead of saying “hi” Trump now greets people with, “no collusion, no collusion.” pic.twitter.com/Pj70oF0DgG
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 20, 2019
While the Democrats are confident in their catchphrase, Republicans disagree. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan highlighted four facts that he believes support the impeachment inquiry against Biden. Conservative pundits Ben Shapiro and Glenn Beck have released videos to counter the “no evidence” argument. Additionally, a CNN poll revealed that the majority of people believe Biden was involved in his son’s foreign business dealings to some extent.
According to BJ Martino, president and CEO of The Tarrance Group, the White House’s focus on the “no evidence” line aims to address voters who already believe something unethical happened but don’t see it as illegal. These voters make up a significant portion of the population, and their perceptions of Biden’s involvement could impact the narrative surrounding the inquiry.
