Campaign Trend Podcast The Science of Persuasion with Josh Bandoch
25 snips
Apr 15, 2026 Josh Bandoch, head of policy at the Illinois Policy Institute and author of How to Get What You Want, shares lessons from neuroscience and storytelling. He explains why emotion comes before reasoning. He argues for positive vision over mere opposition. He outlines moral differences across voters and why stories, likability, and authentic delivery beat facts alone.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
People Feel First Then Reason
- Humans feel before they reason so logic-first pitches often fail.
- Bandoch warns think tanks and campaigns that launching a 'logic tsunami' misaligns with neuroscience and backfires.
Lead With Feeling Before Facts
- Start persuasion by generating the right feelings before presenting facts.
- Bandoch counsels campaigns and policy advocates to craft persuasive emotions first, then support them with data.
Be For Something Not Just Against
- Being against something energizes but being for something builds movements.
- Bandoch labels great persuaders as 'happy warriors' who present a positive vision like JFK, Reagan, and MLK.
