March 27, 2024

"Users frequently leverage TikTok features to add commentary to his posts in mocking ways. After the campaign posted a video..."

"... of Mr. Biden criticizing Mr. Trump, saying, 'Over my dead body will he cut social security,' some users responded with videos that called attention to the president’s age — receiving more views than the original."

From "Biden’s TikTok Challenge: Reach Gen Z, Without Drawing Its Wrath/For his campaign, navigating the platform has meant encountering over and over some of the thorniest issues plaguing Mr. Biden’s re-election bid" (NYT).

You can't say anything on TikTok without helping your antagonists punch back twice as hard. 
Pro-Palestinian users inundate his campaign’s posts with comments referencing Palestinians and Rafah, the Gaza city where more than one million people are sheltering and Israel has said it intends to attack.

“Biden recognizes the power that TikTok has to influence young voters. But he and the campaign don’t seem to understand that appealing to young voters has to come with a policy shift on Gaza and a number of issues,” said Aidan Kohn-Murphy, the 20-year-old founder of “Gen-Z for Change,” a nonprofit coalition of TikTok creators. “You’re not going to win young voters back by posting a meme on TikTok.”

23 comments:

tim maguire said...

Over my dead body

It's not working because his tough guy pose doesn't impress anybody. If his team wants to be effective, they need to use humor. Like Trump.

Yancey Ward said...

LOL! I am sure the Biden Campaign would just love to block all of those antagonistic replies but they are sitting on a petard, aren't they?

Rocco said...

“…Mr. Biden criticizing Mr. Trump, saying, 'Over my dead body will he cut social security,' “

Well, you are pretty old, Joe. That’s not saying much.

Skeptical Voter said...

Biden and his team are too old to play the Tik Tok game. It's for younger, brighter people.

rehajm said...

the campaign don’t seem to understand that appealing to young voters has to come with a policy shift on Gaza and a number of issues

So cute these kids…eff that says the Biden administration. Where else are you gonna go?

Kevin said...

You can't say anything on TikTok without helping your antagonists punch back twice as hard.

Every change in media upends the previous group in power.

Trump knew this, which is why they had to ban him from Twitter.

Kevin said...

News Flash: Old man suffering from dementia can't find way to connect with nation's youth.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

...'Over my dead body will he cut social security,'...

Has Trump threatened to cut Social Security? I don't recall him ever saying anything about that.

Achilles said...

Nobody will cut Social Security. The funny part is Trump has been fighting the GOPe over Social Security the whole time.

Biden's "response" to the guy who wont cut Social Security, i.e. Trump, gives the game away.

The controlled opposition Republicans used the issue to help their Democrat allies.

CJinPA said...

the campaign don’t seem to understand that appealing to young voters has to come with a policy shift on Gaza and a number of issues,” said Aidan Kohn-Murphy, the 20-year-old founder of “Gen-Z for Change,”

"In my expert opinion, the way for Biden to appeal to voters my age is to adopt this list of stances I promote."

Mary Beth said...

Has Trump threatened to cut Social Security? I don't recall him ever saying anything about that.

No, but whoever tweets on X for the Joe Biden account posted a video of Trump saying he was going to cut social security. The clip cut off right before Trump said he was going to cut out fraud and other waste.

When Biden picks a lie, he sticks with it.

boatbuilder said...

Trump isn't going to do anything about social security except promise to increase it. I'm a Trump fan but he has never promoted fiscal restraint.

If I thought that any President could do anything substantive about our fiscal trainwreck (which is entirely in the hands of Congress, Presidential "budgets" notwithstanding) then perhaps this particular failing on Trump's part would be a deal-breaker. But I don't and it isn't.

(Yes--Presidents can use the bully pulpit to promote fiscal sanity. Generally it works better after they have been elected, since the best way to not get elected is to tell people that you are taking the goodies away).

Kate said...

It's not about age, it's authenticity. Those crazy kids will watch old people if they're genuine. Show your passion hobby, the weirder the better, and you'll get the views.

That's why we watch Trump. Some don't like his authentic self, but he lets everyone see it and doesn't hide his asshole side.

Hassayamper said...

Trump isn't going to do anything about social security except promise to increase it. I'm a Trump fan but he has never promoted fiscal restraint.

If I thought that any President could do anything substantive about our fiscal trainwreck (which is entirely in the hands of Congress, Presidential "budgets" notwithstanding) then perhaps this particular failing on Trump's part would be a deal-breaker. But I don't and it isn't.


I feel the same way. At this point, complete financial collapse and ruinous hyperinflation are baked in the cake, just as in the days of Nero and Diocletian when politicians first figured out how easy it was to buy popularity with debased coinage. The best investment you can possibly have right now is a fixed-rate mortgage.

There's nothing Trump can do to avoid the oncoming catastrophe. But at least he loves this country and does not wish to replace us with violent foreigners who can be counted on to vote Democrat for government handouts.

MadTownGuy said...

"...said Aidan Kohn-Murphy, the 20-year-old founder of “Gen-Z for Change,” a nonprofit coalition of TikTok creators. “You’re not going to win young voters back by posting a meme on TikTok.

Says the guy who's influencing young voters by posting memes on TikTok. Influence can work more than one direction.

retail lawyer said...

Biden should skateboard more. He could claim Trump will take away your skateboards.
Gen Z loves skateboarding.

Readering said...

I guess the algorithms are effective. I go on the app every day and have never encountered a political tik tok.

Jim at said...

Over my dead body will he cut social security

Did Trump cut social security during his four years as President and I somehow missed it?

Mikey NTH said...

Well, to Aiden, young people really don't vote, and since you're an activist much of your advice will be ignored in favor of bending to political groups that actually vote.

Mikey NTH said...

Well, to Aiden, young people really don't vote, and since you're an activist much of your advice will be ignored in favor of bending to political groups that actually vote.

Mikey NTH said...

Well, to Aiden, young people really don't vote, and since you're an activist much of your advice will be ignored in favor of bending to political groups that actually vote.

Mikey NTH said...

Well, to Aiden, young people really don't vote, and since you're an activist much of your advice will be ignored in favor of bending to political groups that actually vote.

walter said...

(Yes--Presidents can use the bully pulpit to promote fiscal sanity. Generally it works better after they have been elected, since the best way to not get elected is to tell people that you are taking the goodies away).
3/27/24, 11:40 AM "
Behold the power of an interrupted scond term.