On October 15, a Joe Biden town hall event aired on ABC network. Simultaneously, Trump was on 3 networks — NBC, CNBC & MSNBC. A million more people watched Biden (the ratings discrepancy is sure to anger reality TV guy, Trump).
Meaning to denigrate and mock Biden’s calm demeanor, White House communications person, Mercedes Schlapp, tweeted the following.
Mercedes is half of the political power couple along with her husband Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union and right wing advocate and spokesperson.
Aside from the embarrassing misspelling of Fred Rogers’s name, the potential disparagement backfired in two ways.
First, Fred (Mr.) Rogers created and starred in the children’s classic show, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, that aired on public television from 1968 to 2001. The show was an institution.
Second, Mr. Rogers was beloved nationwide, but especially in southwestern Pennsylvania because the show was produced at WQED, Pittsburgh. Rumor has it that Pennsylvania is a “battleground” state, hotly contested in the current election. You’ve gone and offended the natives.
To paraphrase a famous line from a long-ago vice-presidential debate, “I knew Mr. Rogers, and you, Donny Trump, are no Mr. Rogers.” [Note: as a kid in the region, I did get to meet Fred Rogers in person once.]
Of the two candidates, only Joe Biden comes close to being Rogers-like — empathy, willing to speak openly about personal loss, thoughtfulness.
Contrast the two examples below illustrating the character of the man, Fred Rogers.
Accepting a Lifetime Achievement TV Emmy
His Induction in TV Hall of Fame
Hey, Mercedes: Don’t you wish your candidate had such class and character?
