Jen Rubin Comments Create Debate
Jennifer Rubin, an opinion columnist for The Washington Post, recently stirred up controversy with her remarks on effective messaging for Democrats, suggesting that they adopt a more direct and confrontational tone to connect with voters.
Speaking on her podcast, Jen Rubin’s Green Room, Rubin claimed Democrats need to distill their message into "nuts and bolts" simplicity to make an impact on voters who are otherwise disengaged from political news.
Her most controversial example of this messaging strategy? “Republicans want to kill your kids. It’s actually true,” Rubin declared, doubling down by tying her point to issues like opposition to vaccinations, the blocking of medical research, and the widespread availability of semi-automatic weapons.
WaPo Opinion columnist Jen Rubin on how Democrats should be messaging to people who don’t follow politics:
“You have to be pithy, what do I mean by pithy? How about this, Republicans want to kill your kids. It’s actually true.” pic.twitter.com/T45OJUhTi0
— Champagne Joshi (@JoshWalkos) November 19, 2024
For Rubin, the key to reaching voters lies in drawing stark connections between GOP policies and their perceived consequences. She emphasized the importance of framing Democrats' accomplishments in relatable terms, such as job creation tied to Democratic policies or explaining tangible benefits like child tax credits. According to Rubin, these connections must be communicated “over and over” in a way that resonates deeply and leaves no room for ambiguity.
The Washington Post should be dismissed as a legitimate or serious publication for willfully platforming this deranged individual for the last decade. https://t.co/OpF7B4yz7y
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) November 20, 2024
“You can’t talk broad themes. You have to boil it down,” she said. “If you’re going to oppose vaccinations, stop medical breakthroughs, or allow minors to access weapons that endanger schools, then you’re responsible for kids’ health and death, unfortunately. It has to be that simple.”
The backlash to Rubin’s comments on social media was swift and scathing. Critics accused her of inflammatory rhetoric and baseless fearmongering. Mollie Hemingway of The Federalist slammed the Post for continuing to platform Rubin, calling her “deranged.”
GOP strategist Matt Whitlock echoed the sentiment, writing, “Every once in a while it’s worth reminding ourselves that The Washington Post pays this woman to share her thoughts with the world.”
Every once in a while it’s worth reminding ourselves that the Washington Post pays this woman to share her thoughts with the world. https://t.co/R5iRE4pxMu
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) November 20, 2024