Patrick Gaspard

What do you think about that discourse about the groups? Here's what I think about that discourse. Here's what I think. And Tim, you understand, of course, that I've been not only part of the groups, but I was once the president of the Open Society Foundation. So I helped to fund the groups, right? Strategically. But here's the thing. I'm also somebody who's working politics.

What do you think about that discourse about the groups? Here's what I think about that discourse. Here's what I think. And Tim, you understand, of course, that I've been not only part of the groups, but I was once the president of the Open Society Foundation. So I helped to fund the groups, right? Strategically. But here's the thing. I'm also somebody who's working politics.

I've worked on local city council elections. I've worked on gubernatorial elections, congressional elections. I've worked on presidential elections. And guess what I learned about politicians, Jim? They don't listen to the groups. You know what they listen to? Listen to polling. Overwhelmingly, politicians listen to polling.

I've worked on local city council elections. I've worked on gubernatorial elections, congressional elections. I've worked on presidential elections. And guess what I learned about politicians, Jim? They don't listen to the groups. You know what they listen to? Listen to polling. Overwhelmingly, politicians listen to polling.

I've worked on local city council elections. I've worked on gubernatorial elections, congressional elections. I've worked on presidential elections. And guess what I learned about politicians, Jim? They don't listen to the groups. You know what they listen to? Listen to polling. Overwhelmingly, politicians listen to polling.

I don't know a single politician who's ever taken a significant issue into their boat that hasn't been over-polled and over-focused groups.

I don't know a single politician who's ever taken a significant issue into their boat that hasn't been over-polled and over-focused groups.

I don't know a single politician who's ever taken a significant issue into their boat that hasn't been over-polled and over-focused groups.

Well, but Tim, you know, primary audiences are polled as well. And if a group is asking you to fill out a form that you think puts you at cross purposes with your primary audience that you've polled, you're not going to fill out the thing. You just won't. You just don't do it. But if you're reading polling that says, you know what?

Well, but Tim, you know, primary audiences are polled as well. And if a group is asking you to fill out a form that you think puts you at cross purposes with your primary audience that you've polled, you're not going to fill out the thing. You just won't. You just don't do it. But if you're reading polling that says, you know what?

Well, but Tim, you know, primary audiences are polled as well. And if a group is asking you to fill out a form that you think puts you at cross purposes with your primary audience that you've polled, you're not going to fill out the thing. You just won't. You just don't do it. But if you're reading polling that says, you know what?

There's a constituency for this, and that constituency is animated around this in ways that could be to my benefit or to my detriment as a political actor. But yeah, I may check the box in this thing. So let's not make a distinction between the blob of the groups and the instinct that politicians have around survival, around their own success. That's heavy.

There's a constituency for this, and that constituency is animated around this in ways that could be to my benefit or to my detriment as a political actor. But yeah, I may check the box in this thing. So let's not make a distinction between the blob of the groups and the instinct that politicians have around survival, around their own success. That's heavy.

There's a constituency for this, and that constituency is animated around this in ways that could be to my benefit or to my detriment as a political actor. But yeah, I may check the box in this thing. So let's not make a distinction between the blob of the groups and the instinct that politicians have around survival, around their own success. That's heavy.

overwhelmingly driven by polling and the information they get from their consultants on these things. That's the first thing that I will say to you. We also had these moments where the Overton window gets blown open in a particular way as it did on criminal justice reform, for instance, in America following George Floyd and politicians and other civil society actors and the media itself.

overwhelmingly driven by polling and the information they get from their consultants on these things. That's the first thing that I will say to you. We also had these moments where the Overton window gets blown open in a particular way as it did on criminal justice reform, for instance, in America following George Floyd and politicians and other civil society actors and the media itself.

overwhelmingly driven by polling and the information they get from their consultants on these things. That's the first thing that I will say to you. We also had these moments where the Overton window gets blown open in a particular way as it did on criminal justice reform, for instance, in America following George Floyd and politicians and other civil society actors and the media itself.

then make a set of decisions about what they are going to invest in, cover, lift up based on that Overton window. That Overton window can blow shut in a hurry on you. And in American history, there's always the backlash to the backlash. And some politicians are nimble enough to be out in front of that and others aren't.

then make a set of decisions about what they are going to invest in, cover, lift up based on that Overton window. That Overton window can blow shut in a hurry on you. And in American history, there's always the backlash to the backlash. And some politicians are nimble enough to be out in front of that and others aren't.

then make a set of decisions about what they are going to invest in, cover, lift up based on that Overton window. That Overton window can blow shut in a hurry on you. And in American history, there's always the backlash to the backlash. And some politicians are nimble enough to be out in front of that and others aren't.