Wake up, Democrats! This is why Biden’s candidacy will not play well in 2024 - and I will. People will be looking for hope, specifically economic hope…

Voters vote on a single issue: strength. If they perceive the candidate as being stronger, that's who will generally win. Strength is a characteristic frequently under-sold among progressive candidates because progressives care about policy. To win, we must convey strength.

You mean, like, how much Biden can bench press?

The 2020 DNC primary showed voters chose Biden due to confidence in his ability to beat Trump, even though they agreed more with Bernie on policy! Recall how Biden & Bernie twittering showcased their physical health to say "I can do this job". It is essential to sell strength.

Odd to equate capability with strength. So meaningless. Btw, he only won by a 4% margin so

It's a very old instinct that's still prevalent in how people choose leaders. There are countless examples of presidential winners showcasing their "strength" as a central part of their campaign strategy. Presidents also skew taller than average for the same reason.

Could you use another word besides “strength”? Which candidates and/or presidents did or didn’t have it?

I'd love to. Unfortunately, this word is at the core of what far too many voters are looking for. There are many ways to express strength, but if you fail to show yours? You will lose. It's not enough to speak the truth. You need to prove you are *stronger* than your opponent.

So does Marianne come across as strong?

The press ran a bunch of stories about her yelling at staff a while back. They did this because they wanted to take an indication of a strong leader (forcefulness) and make her sound shrill and unbalanced (weak). She's not done enough to persuade the public of her strength.