Dear Governor DeSantis:
Whether you realize it or not, your campaign has reached a critical point -- a point that calls for focused planning and action now if your effort is to succeed. Which is to say you simply cannot hold back and wait for President Trump to self-destruct or for him to be crushed by a slew of ongoing criminal indictments. That won't work. You've lost valuable time already, so you need to step up and do the following:
1) Tell us who you are. You may be well known in Florida but across the rest of the country people simply don't know you very well. And so far, you haven't helped them out very much in this regard. Who are you? What made you who you are? What factors and people and challenges molded you? What obstacles did you have to overcome and how did you handle them? How has all of this defined your priorities and your values. Oh, sure -- you've written a book but that's not enough. We need 30-second, 60-second and longer videos (via TV, social media, etc.) that tell your story and introduce you to us on a real-life, human level. Which brings us to the next point.
2) Show us more of YOU. You need to open up more and show us more of yourself. Throw away the script and the talking points. Be more spontaneous, more authentic. What are your passions? What do you feel strongly about? How do you relax and unwind? Do you have any hobbies or favorite foods or favorite places to visit? And what about your family time? What's that like? The Democrats have already set about demonizing you, Governor. But if we could see more of the human you it will be harder for them to paint you as an ogre.
3) Spend more time interacting with ordinary people. In the business, they call this retail politics. You know what that's all about. You've got to get out there with everyday people at eye level (in that place that Rush Limbaugh called "Realville") and let people interact with you. The best way to start is by listening to them and showing concern. They'll tell you what's on their minds. They'll even share their hopes and dreams with you. You'll learn a lot but, more importantly, you'll begin to build trust. Sure, you may make some mistakes along the way but it will be worth the risk.
4) Share your heritage. If elected, you would be America's first Italian American president. This is a Big Deal. Yes, we know you're proud of your heritage and that's great but maybe it's time to share it a bit more. There are about 17 million Italian Americans in this country and they constitute more than five percent of the population. In fact, they're one of America's largest ethnic groups. Beyond stereotypical snapshots (not all of them positive) the story of their journey, their struggle and, yes -- their persecution -- has never really been told. It can now be told, in part, through you. And why shouldn't it be told and why shouldn't you be the one to to tell it? This is, after all, a tale that the whole country can identify with. Avanti!
5) Sell the dream. George H. W. Bush called it "the vision thing." He never quite understood it. But your vision, your dream for America, what you want the country to be like five, ten, fifteen, 20 years from now is very important. People need to see and feel your vision; they need to buy into the dream. They need this unifying vision now more than ever as our nation seems adrift and hopelessly divided. At the same time you need to put forward practical plans for making the vision a reality. What do you plan to do to invigorate the economy, for example? Put a detailed, realistic plan up there and let people access it and examine it. Be imaginative. But don't be a wonk and don't drown in policy. Give us the nuts 'n bolts in sensible, everyday terms without clever buzzwords or jargon.
One final note: In 1992 another governor faced a similar obstacle. He wasn't very well know and he was up against a sitting president -- a president who was much more popular at the time than the current president but who was also older, an establishment Washington type and seemingly out of touch.
The challenger was Bill Clinton. He was a flawed personality with his own set of issues. But, he cleverly introduced himself to the American people as "the man from Hope" -- refreshingly human, engaging and even funny at times. He laughed, he joked, he listened to people. He even went on the Tonight Show and played the saxophone. With the theme song "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow," a reminder that he felt people's pain and a detailed plan for the future, he sold a dream of a better America and he scored an historic upset. Maybe, it's time for you to take a page from his book.
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