How the Opposition Got Its Groove Back
Over on the IHT, I review the way Capriles has radically overhauled the opposition’s brand, broadening its appeal both geographically and socially.
In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to forget how big an achievement this really is. It’s easy to forget how far down the rabbit-hole of hyperpolarization the opposition had fallen, to lose sight of the fact that our leaders’ discourse had boiled down to sheer personal venom against Chávez, total vitriol devoid of any hint of optimism, of a program, of a view to the future or a message that speaks to the aspirations of regular Venezuelans desperate to gain a foothold on the middle class.
It’s easy to forget that we used to sound like this:
…and now we sound like this…
Whatever happens on October 7th, that transformation is one we’ll always owe to the Henrique Capriles campaign.
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