On Thursday, January 30, USC Dornsife Center for Political Future held its annual Warchaw conference with political leaders and researchers titled, “The Trumping of America, Why and What’s Next?”
Students and political members gathered Thursday at the Town and Gown ballroom across from the USC Gould School of Law, to dissect the key factors of the election and what they mean for American politics. The event featured a diverse perspective of panelists, ranging from political strategists to chairwomen of the Republican Party.
Despite their differing perspectives, a common theme emerged through the discussions — a stark contrast in campaign strategies between the two parties.
As Christopher Cadelgo, POLITICO’s California Bureau chief and former White House Correspondent put it, “Trump was going big, democrats were going small.” Trump capitalized on bold promises and an aggressive political outreach while Democrats focused on incremental policies and a niche digital outreach that failed to generate the same level of enthusiasm.
Overall, both sides agreed that the issues discussed throughout the election had negative connotations, unlike any other election in recent memory.
“Both sides are running negative campaigns…both sides are teaching voters what to be against, not what for,” highlighted Ed Goeas, Republican pollster and strategist.
The sentiment resonated throughout the conference, with many speakers noting that while negative campaigns may mobilize voters, it often leaves future generations with more challenges than hope.
Further topics revolved around the idea of ‘Trumpism’ and its broader implications for American politics. Jane Coaston, a CNN Journalist, offered a nuanced perspective on this topic suggesting that it is more about the projections of various ideologies of Donald Trump rather than his own beliefs.
Coaston referenced a 2017 National Review piece that demonstrated Trump expressing supportive values for diverse groups, such as the LGBT community and evangelicals, by simply agreeing with their positions.
“There is such a thing as Trumpism, but it has very little to do with Donald Trump himself, and so much to do with what has been projected upon him”, Coaston said.
She points out that Trump has left the maintenance of this coalition to its members. The conversation also touched on the role of conservative women, who support figures like Robert F Kennedy Jr., while also being concerned about misogyny within the ‘Make America Great Again’ rhetoric.
Beyond political strategy, the conference highlighted the impact of how young people see the political future of the country.
Charlotte Dekle, a freshman studying political science, expressed her opinion on a diverse panel discussion that included perspectives from both the left and right political spectrums.
“I thought everyone made really good points. I thought it was actually really fascinating to see what people from across the aisle thought about the Trumping of America,” Dekle said.
While some attendees voiced concerns over the uncertainty of the current political climate, the event offered a sense of connection by bringing together advanced political officials with students to navigate these challenges firsthand.
“I think there’s a lot of anxiety and there’s a feeling of helplessness. So being able to hear from the folks who’ve been working directly, either with these campaigns or in government on how they’re treating the moment, I think it’s really informative,” said Amir King, a freshman studying political science.