3 ms·

It works because he maintains a high approval rating in his party.

smsm42 6y ago
Pardoning Snowden is not likely to be popular is his party, most Republicans aren't very big fans of Snowden. However, it is true that Trump is known for publicly "floating" a lot of ideas that he latter drops if they prove unpopular. But, if everybody cheers him for it it might actually make it more likely to happen.
- topspin 6y ago
  > Republicans aren't very big fans of Snowden Republicans have grown far more circumspect regarding their faith in intelligence services and Federal LEOs. Many see them as just players in and tools of the establishment political/media complex. At this point I don't think pardoning Snowden would hurt Trump with most Republicans. Certainly the 'Never Trumper' wing of Republicans would involuntarily soil themselves, but that's neither unusual nor significant.
  - smsm42 6y ago
    True, Republicans are now much more sour on FBI and other alphabet agencies than they had been before. I'm not sure they are sour enough yet to embrace Snowden. We'll see.
- 0xy 6y ago
  The "floating" is A/B testing. Chances are, if this passes some formula of (left wing people won over) - (right wing people who hate it) > 0 then he'll do it.
  - smsm42 6y ago
    Exactly. It is strange how many people who know what A/B testing is and have done it themselves are surprised when politicians do the same.
    - ttyprintk 6y ago
      I took the video to be more like "This Snowden guy -- how would you (the media) cover it if I pardoned him? How would you cover it if the pardon also came with some dirt I need?" This type of test will serve to settle his direction without having to completely remember his past positions, or even precisely who Edward Snowden is. This is a bit different than the way we do it -- we expect more statistical power with a saved history of repeated trials. "Floating" has been mentioned here. Perhaps "floating" involves trying two different frames to see how the media covers each, rather than numerous A/B trials for more statistical power.

Pardoning Snowden is not likely to be popular is his party, most Republicans aren't very big fans of Snowden. However, it is true that Trump is known for publicly "floating" a lot of ideas that he latter drops if they prove unpopular. But, if everybody cheers him for it it might actually make it more likely to happen.

topspin 6y ago
> Republicans aren't very big fans of Snowden Republicans have grown far more circumspect regarding their faith in intelligence services and Federal LEOs. Many see them as just players in and tools of the establishment political/media complex. At this point I don't think pardoning Snowden would hurt Trump with most Republicans. Certainly the 'Never Trumper' wing of Republicans would involuntarily soil themselves, but that's neither unusual nor significant.
- smsm42 6y ago
  True, Republicans are now much more sour on FBI and other alphabet agencies than they had been before. I'm not sure they are sour enough yet to embrace Snowden. We'll see.
0xy 6y ago
The "floating" is A/B testing. Chances are, if this passes some formula of (left wing people won over) - (right wing people who hate it) > 0 then he'll do it.
- smsm42 6y ago
  Exactly. It is strange how many people who know what A/B testing is and have done it themselves are surprised when politicians do the same.
  - ttyprintk 6y ago
    I took the video to be more like "This Snowden guy -- how would you (the media) cover it if I pardoned him? How would you cover it if the pardon also came with some dirt I need?" This type of test will serve to settle his direction without having to completely remember his past positions, or even precisely who Edward Snowden is. This is a bit different than the way we do it -- we expect more statistical power with a saved history of repeated trials. "Floating" has been mentioned here. Perhaps "floating" involves trying two different frames to see how the media covers each, rather than numerous A/B trials for more statistical power.