The secrets of the Democrats’ healthcare success

Democrats last weekend scored their biggest healthcare victory yet, voting to move the $849 billion Senate bill to the floor for debate. While the legislation still faces an uncertain fate and many compromises will likely be made in the weeks ahead, few thought the Democrats would get this far.

In the homestretch of the healthcare debate, the current success enjoyed by the Democrats merits a closer look. Political maneuvering has certainly played a role in moving the legislation along. Yet another less obvious factor is contributing to the Democrats’ success — they are controlling the language and images that drive public perception.

A few months ago, the outlook for healthcare seemed bleak. Heated town hall protests over the summer dominated the news as populist anger — perhaps real, perhaps manufactured — thundered over the broadcast channels, fueled the blogs, and hit key congressional representatives in their home districts.

One can only surmise why the Republicans, after topping the charts with hit tunes like “war on terror” and “death tax,” did not draw enough momentum from what seemed to be a total debacle. Perhaps it was the sharp division in their party. Perhaps it was a bit of ill-advised complacency as victory seemed assured.

But credit the Democrats for some canny alterations in the very fabric of the debate.

First, they changed the language to expand their constituency. The initial policy definer was “healthcare reform” but, as the summer protests raged, the White House realized that that terminology focused the debate too much on those without health insurance and too little on those who are covered. So the shift was made to “health insurance reform.” Such flexibility was subtle but critical.

Second, they co-opted their fiercest opposition. Here, “public option” has been lexically decisive. Rather than tout “government-run insurance,” Democrats are using language that reflects the values of our society. The term “option” assuages the anxieties of free-market opponents as it embraces the defining concept of choice.

Third, they let the Republicans cartoon themselves. Those summer protests may have offered the potential for momentum, but they got out of hand. Independent and undecided voters were turned off by the virtual mob scenes.

Democrats continued to dominate the right in the communications battle last week when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) unveiled the cost of the Senate’s proposed bill, a whopping $849 billion over 10 years. Republicans were likely salivating before the announcement, ready to leverage the substantial sum to reignite opposition to the bill. If Republicans turn the debate into a highly visible food fight over costs, healthcare reform could be in jeopardy.

Proving that Democrats continue to stay one step ahead of the opposition on this issue, however, Reid also announced that the bill would lower the deficit by $127 billion over 10 years. In doing so, Democrats anticipated and thwarted their opponents’ most powerful counterstatements.

Republicans could still rail on costs, but by introducing a fiscally responsible message into the mix, those attacks would carry less weight and credibility.

On healthcare, the Democrats have proved to be masters at communications blackjack. Anyone familiar with the game will tell you there’s a strategic move for each possible hand that, if played correctly, will reduce the casino’s advantage over the player to less than 1 percent. While there’s still no guarantee of a win, smart playing drastically improves the odds.

It remains unclear whether the Democrats’ control of the healthcare language and the stunting of the GOP’s most potent messaging will give them enough breathing room to ultimately get a Senate bill passed. Regardless, the Democrats – especially the senator representing Vegas – have certainly proved themselves to be savvy players in the communications game.

Koneschusky is a vice president at Levick Strategic Communications and writes for Bulletproof Blog. He served as national press secretary to Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and as communications director for Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.).

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