#75 How to Fight Back Against FUD

The 1960 Attack:

• Democrats ran ad: "Would you buy a used car from this man?" with Nixon's picture
• Purpose: attack with Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD)

1960: Fighting Emotion with Facts (Failed)

• Nixon focused on substance and policy
• Refused makeup before first televised debate, looked sweaty and uncomfortable
• Treated TV like radio with pictures
• Kennedy won close election
• Nixon later lost California governor race and declared "last press conference"

1968: Out-FUD the FUD (Success)

• Nixon hired Madison Avenue ad men, became "New Nixon"
• Focused on his strengths: off-the-cuff Q&A and town halls
• Leaned into emotion: Vietnam, crime, and order over chaos
• Key slogan: "This time vote like your whole world depended on it"
• Accepted voter fear, gave them something to do
• Made old attacks seem trivial with higher stakes

How to Fight Back Against FUD:

Hold the Line:

• Prebunk it: Get ahead of attacks before they land
  • Example: "You'll hear wild claims from outside groups with out-of-state donors. Here's the truth…"
• Dismiss and reframe: Call it what it is (fear campaign), pivot to your message

Move the Line:

• Change what election is about: Make it bigger than the fear
• Replace fear with bigger emotion: Hope, pride, or urgency
• Find memorable line and repeat: Like Nixon's "vote like your whole world depended on it" 
• (See Winning Edge #60 on memorable lines.)

Bottom Line: FUD is emotional. Hold the Line by getting ahead of attacks and naming them. Move the Line by giving voters a bigger emotion than the fear your opponent is selling.

For more tips on countering FUD attacks, refer to the accompanying one-page PDF.

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