Chelsea Manning, formerly Bradley Edward Manning, has confirmed a run for U.S. Senate with the release of a new video with no title and a confused set of messages.
The video starts off showing grainy, static-effect added images of police and protesters clashing. Chelsea does the voice over for the video and tells viewers “We live in trying times. We live in times of fear.”
The video goes to the southern border wall while talking of “suppression and hate.” Then goes directly to images of the white power rally in Charleston last year to seemingly link those supporting stronger border security with membership in racist groups.
The most confusing statement in the video is perhaps when Chelsea says that “We don’t need more or better leaders. We need someone willing to fight.” Shouldn’t we always want better leaders? Or is Chelsea saying that this campaign isn’t working to elect a better leader? This isn’t the first time Chelsea got the messaging on leadership wrong:
Showing video of Congress and the Capitol building, Chelsea then says “we don’t need them.” Uh, just remember, Ms. Manning is asking for your vote to become one of them.
Then the video ends with Chelsea saying “You’re damn right we got this” although it’s not clear what this is or who we are.
The messages are varied and muddy. If the system is the issue, why not run as an independent or some new third party that’s against them or the system or what the heck ever. Running to the existing party machinery gives Chelsea no street cred as a revolutionary, fighter or anything but an attention seeking convicted traitor. Manning is literally begging for voters to make her part of the system.
If anyone wants to give a messaging class and needs an example of exactly how not to sell yourself as an improvement over the current leadership – this is it.
Social media hasn’t been entirely supportive of the transgender candidate’s bid either:
https://twitter.com/Harry1T6/status/952562037254602752
https://twitter.com/JoGaryBuddyMay/status/952565752334299136
— Michelle Atkinson (@michelleadams1) January 14, 2018
https://twitter.com/whitesoxin7/status/952632461296635905
