Revisiting Political Wisdom: A Deep Dive into Election Tropes and Their Impact on Past Campaigns through the Lens of Bill Clinton’s “It’s the Economy, Stupid”.

In a new podcast series, we are revisiting the political wisdom of past campaigns. The first episode of the 538 Politics podcast mini-series, “Campaign Throwback,” takes a closer look at campaign tropes from previous elections. These include phrases like “it’s the economy, stupid,” “soccer moms,” and the question of which candidate you’d prefer to share a beer with. The series explores where these tropes originated, whether they were true at the time, and if they still hold up today.

The focus of the first episode is on the phrase “it’s the economy, stupid.” This saying dates back to Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign. At that time, Clinton’s chief strategist, James Carville, emphasized three key messages for his staff to remember: 1) Change versus more of the same; 2) The economy, stupid; and 3) Don’t forget about healthcare. The phrase became well-known and was featured in a 1993 documentary called “The War Room.” Since then it has become a staple in election analysis.

The episode delves into whether economic issues truly drive voter behavior and decision-making during elections. It examines how this saying has been used in past campaigns and its impact on them. To listen to the full episode and gain more insights into this topic, you can find it on your preferred podcast platform.