When it comes Dowd to the wire, it’s all in the asking
By Beth Teitell
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Here’s a tip: The next time you ask for something, ditch the straight approach in favor of the Matthew Dowd method. He’s a Republican strategist who explained to the NPR audience Wednesday morning why Americans really want the president to continue warrantless wiretapping - despite polls reflecting that a majority is, in fact, against it.
It simply depends on how you pose the question, Dowd said. If you ask Americans if they want the president to spy on them, Dowd said, of course they’ll say no. However, if you ask them if they want the president to keep them safe from terrorists, the numbers tilt toward eavesdropping.
As I usually do when faced with national news, I asked myself what it meant for moi, and I realized that the best lesson was not a larger one about privacy and society, but rather a small one. Twelve inches by 13 by 5, to be exact. The size of the overpriced designer handbag I’m lusting after.
“Honey,” I called out to my husband, in my best Dowd, “do you want me to carry the kids’ health insurance cards and our house keys in a safe vessel?”
“Yes, of course,” he said, which I took to mean he supported my decision to spend a week’s salary on a handbag.
Hey, this reframing-the-issue rocks! Next stop, my editor. I could hardly wait to get to work, where I planned to finesse more vacation time.
“Do you want me to feel excited and energized about my job?” I asked. Heh, heh, heh.
But she was too fast for me: “Would you be averse to not taking your vacation sometime other than those two weeks in August?” she replied.
I was about to beat it out of there before she could out-maneuver me, but first I decided to seek her advice on what to do when I’m writing from home when the kids are around.
“Here’s what you say,” she advised: “Would you rather take a nap now while Mommy’s working, or stay up and help your brother clean his room?”
And with that, I was gone. Back at my desk, I sensed an interesting whispered conversation going on between two colleagues. I listened in, but not to be nosy, just to see if either might need my help.
After all, it’s the Dowd way.
