There’s some possible good news on the public sales pitch front coming from the White House. As I’ve discussed, for all the boldness and scope of the COVID relief act, it can all amount to very little in political and electoral terms if you do not aggressively sell it. And by sell it, we should understand a broad and consistent messaging operation that connects unfolding events over the next 18 months to the relief bill. That ranges from (we hope) rapider than expected vaccine roll-out and school reopenings to what one hopes will be a vibrant economy in 2022. It also means leaving no doubt about why people are receiving relief checks and cash assistance (which goes well beyond the $1400/$2000 checks), who passed the bill and who stood opposed. The White House is at least telling reporters (Axios most notably) that they’re about to start that kind of operation.
Done right this should involve putting all the resources of the federal government into the effort as well as administration-supporting outside groups.