Re:EFF's response to social media companies' decisions to bl...
by pashamur on Sunday January 10, 2021 @06:05AM
(#25713445)
You're giving the president here way more leeway than is necessary.
The leave in peace video clearly had a subtext (he mentioned the election being stolen no less than 3 times in the video) and was not aimed at subduing the crowd at all. Furthermore, the later video where he said that the trespassers would be prosecuted is clearly scripted/edited (from the monotone and cuts in the filming), and likely happened because of some strong-arming (how else did he go from "we will never concede" to admitting defeat in a single day?)
My best guess as to what happened there was that Mitch McConnell (or someone else) figured that he could whip enough votes to impeach & convict if need be and Trump, facing potential consequences, reluctantly decided to play ball.
Standard practice[1]:
1. Actively Listen
2. Build Empathy & Rapport (recognize each others mindset)
3. Exert Influence & Change
It's also likely, he wasn't 100% aware of the circumstances.
Coming out and saying, "I abandon you, you traitors" wouldn't help. Imagine if there were hostages or more bombs! Saying it in a nice way could defuse the situation. Damning it while they are still at or in the building is not a good idea.
In a later video Trump said "they'll be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law" and "we need Law and Order". So, I don't think it's a fair characterization given the context.
[1] https://www.inc.com/thomas-koulopoulos/how-to-negotiate-usin...