Although it seemed like the Harris campaign may have been tempering expectations before the Oct. 1 Vice Presidential debate by planting stories that Governor Tim Walz was “fighting nerves,” he and Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) were pretty evenly matched. What distinguished them—aside from their politics, of course—was how they were each “prepped” for the debate and their opposing set of tactics.
Below are some key takeaways from the debate for PR/communications professionals who are preparing leaders to defend their position, whether its an on-camera interview with a scrupulous reporter or an onstage panel with competing perspectives:
- Always prepare messaging that your client can return to, especially when you’re unsure of what to expect. The Walz communications team didn’t know which JD Vance they were going to get, the firebrand or the Yale-educated policy wonk. Walz, being neither, was given a familiar playbook: be folksy, lean on his and Vice President Harris’ track record, and focus on what he accomplished in Minnesota. Giving a candidate something familiar to return to in a high-pressure debate is a tried-and-true tactic that served Walz well, and PR professionals should take note.
- Nothing dies on the Internet. While Walz focused on track records, Vance pivoted to the future every time the topic turned to any of his prior public stances. This gave commentators an opening to write fact-check articles that just regurgitated all his past comments at an even greater volume. Pivoting to the future was probably still the right choice, but it’s a good reminder to communicators that everything a leader says will resurface until it’s addressed, and often does so at the worst possible moment.
- Plan a surprise. Vance’s most noteworthy pivot was on the subject of abortion. He said that the Republican party needs to earn back the voters’ trust. That was politically risky, but it served two important purposes: muddying the waters on an issue that has hurt Trump in the polls and throwing off Walz in the moment. Planning a surprise on-camera or onstage is one of the harder maneuvers to pull off, but it’s one that can pay off tremendously.
- Agree with your opposition, when you can. More than once, Vance agreed with Walz, saying that he believes Walz wants to solve the border problem even if he thinks Harris doesn’t; agreed with Walz that Ambar Thurmond, a woman who died traveling out-of-state for reproductive healthcare, should still be alive; and, agreed with Walz that America needs to do better at preventing gun violence. This created an air of humility that the public hadn’t seen from Vance. Vance’s off-brand congeniality made it harder to debate him—because what’s there to debate if you agree?
- Adapt in the moment and deploy the “direct address.” Sure enough, Walz mirrored Vance’s congeniality and used it against him near the end of the debate. Especially when he turned to look at the Senator directly and ask if he thought Trump lost the 2020 election. Vance didn’t answer and pivoted back to something he had already said, allowing Walz to cast doubt about the sincerity and humility that Vance had spent the entire debate cultivating. It also made for a more powerful moment and gave Walz the upper hand as the debate was about to close.
There is no greater magnification of performance than the race to become the next President (or Vice President) of the United States—and the PR lessons gleaned from political candidates can serve as powerful reminders for communications professionals. Whether your client leads a corporate entity or nonprofit organization, paying attention to election politics and applying key learnings can help us refine our craft and serve them better.
Isabelle Dienstag is partner and co-founder of Stomping Ground Strategies.