CNN’s Karen Finney on Effective Election Communication

An Honorable Profession

This week, we bring you another episode of our Road to November 2024 election series, as co-hosts Debbie Cox Bultan and Ryan Coonerty sit down with Karen Finney. Karen is a CNN political commentator, consultant, and thought leader, renowned for her dynamic career that intersects politics, media, and cultural change. Her, Debbie, and Ryan discuss this year’s presidential campaign, America’s fractured media landscape, the role that reproductive rights will play in key races across the country, and her family’s complicated history in the Civil War. They also talk about how Leaders can help voters discern fact from opinion, effective communication strategies for campaigns, and the significance of focus groups over polling in understanding voter sentiments. Tune in to hear more about this engaging conversation and the intersection of politics, media, and communication in the 2024 elections.

• [01:03] An outline of today’s episode and background about Karen.

• [02:35] Ways that Democrats can be successful in the upcoming elections.

• [05:55] The role of reproductive rights in the election discourse.

• [09:01] How reproductive rights intersect with other vital issues.

• [10:46] Communicating the positives and negatives in campaign strategies.

• [14:42] What to expect from media coverage on the election going forward.

• [17:28] Important perspective on the value of polls and why Karen values focus groups.

• [20:44] Advice for leaders to effectively engage with their voters.

• [24:18] How political coverage has changed within the media landscape.

• [29:04] Karen’s family’s history with the Civil War and how it has impacted her.

• [33:20] Confronting hard truths to help build a better country.