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Today Scott Presler, a political operative, went viral with his share of what has been called an epic “party-switch” in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This video shows Presler standing with an Abraham Lincoln impersonator while a lady named D apparently declares herself to no longer be a Democrat and rather a Republican.
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The symbolic gesture happened about mid-day in Gettysburg Square while Presler recorded every stage of it. D pulls out her Democrat ballot card and shows it to the camera before dropping it to the floor beside the Lincoln impersonator. “I would burn it but because it is windy today,” D laughed while tearing the card. “Oh well despite the wind, goodbye. Plus one to the Republican side. Let’s go.”
Presler is a well-known conservative activist, with this being one of his voter registration drives and claimed to have considered the Gettysburg vibe as particularly historical. The choice of location resonated highly, for it was the site of Lincoln’s great address about national unity during the Civil War. Having an Abraham Lincoln impersonator witness the political conversion was a further layer of historical reference.
The activist posted, “Hey everybody, this is Scott and D we are here in Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Square with Abraham Lincoln and something monumental is happening right now.” He stated further that D was “changing from a Democrat to a Republican with Abraham Lincoln,” thus making this a personal conversion as well as a symbolic win for the conservative agenda.
That increasingly common process has seen many notable people on both sides being publicly converted of late. However, not many would have gone to such lengths to spotlight their new-found political views. The Gettysburg setting, together with the Lincoln impersonator, suggests that Presler wanted the moment to have significance beyond just one person’s decision. Instead, he wanted to place it into a broader frame for political change.
Political analysts maintain that, generally, individual conversions will not change the outcome of an election, but the more dramatic cases will have the effect of causing more to follow perceived trends. Many of the major achievements of Presler had been in the rise of a grassroots conservative organization; this landmark moment is probably an attempt at convincing others to actually consider where they stand presently.
The video even garnered conservative wing currency as proof of what has been called successful political persuasion. However, it is suggested that this kind of public display is a gross reduction of an otherwise complex political identity, doing more harm than good in terms of substantive engagement in politics.
With the midterms drawing nearer, much has been done on either side in the retention of their voters and alleged convertibles. These Gettysburg rides are an example of operators using different methodologies to tie single decisions into grand historical narratives.
Its connection to Lincoln’s legacy being the first Republican President to save the Union is what makes it interesting. Thus, a connection forged between present-day Republicanism and Lincoln’s visage at the very spot where he delivered one of the most famous speeches America has ever heard forms one compelling metaphor for political realignment and party identity.
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While this really holds no practical meaning, really for one more voter who picks up converted registration, these public reconciliations with symbolic arguments carry huge meaning for all-party morale-building efforts. In an increasingly divided environment, more of these public reconciliations will become common as they create public demonstrations of momentum and shifting allegiances.
You can view the original article HERE.
