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Type of Anti-gunner: Individual Journalist syndicated
Name: Marie Cocco
Why is this type of person, or this person specifically a threat?
Longevity and activism are now seen as credibility in the Journalist space for many of the echo-chamber readers of politically oriented publications. This is true on both sides.Right or Left leaning (or hardcore embedded, extreme positions) publications play this game all the time. It tends to be more accepted and even praised by the progressive audience – and that statement is more objective than it should be. Marie Cocco is an unapologetic Anti-gun figurehead in the media. For that matter, she is an unapologetic activist about most progressive ideologies. In fact, it’s hard to find a position she does not agree with year over year, even as progressive politicians seem to move the goalposts.
Why is she a threat? She’s a woman, with a strong resume, embedded followers and can write impressively. It almost seems like she is among the biggest recurring threats for Right leaning politics in the US Media, though we aren’t generally concerned with politics outside of the second and First Amendment here (we appreciate the 4th, 10th and plenty of others, but we focus on the 2nd, with obvious bias towards the first).
Cocco is also subtler these days. She doesn’t play the out in front villain for conservatives like she used to – she’s not listed as a figurehead in the Washington posts Writers group, or anywhere else that she is syndicated – but you can bet she pulls the strings when it comes to her content. And why shouldn’t she – she’s delivered on ideological arguments for media outlets for decades – she has earned her backroom control scenario.
Rating on how anti gun the person/entity is:
Decidedly anti-gun, but more cautious about how it plays out online with such widespread syndication. Not so much trying to hide her feelings on the subject, but being more strategic about it. Make no mistake she wants to be known as, and IS a threat to gun rights activists. Her current work close to congressional leaders on healthcare initiatives has her in the ear of powerful people daily.
How long has this person or entity been in public view?
Her current involvement in healthcare work, including a high-level position with BlueCross BlueShield association in the Nation’s capital, keeps her less in the public view on guns (though she picks her spots), but also in a position of incredible credibility and sway.
She has been an activist since graduating from Columbia (Masters in Journalism) and at least since 1980 in the public eye, where she worked for Newsmax.
Notable quotes/Initiatives or legislation/proposed legislation
Nothing of note comes to mind regarding specific legislation, though she has been a champion of essentially every single anti-gun push that had a realistic chance of passing since at least 1989. Here current involvement in lobbying in healthcare and in policy initiatives on that front helps her to bend the ear of legislators often including on gun-control opportunities.
Associated players:
Washington Post, C-SPAN, TruthDig, NewsMax, Bloomberg, New York Times, BlueCross/BlueShield
“To the Point” – Podcast is a platform where you can hear subtle hints at her mindset throughout her talking on unrelated events. (Note: this is a Warren Olney hosted monthly hard-left-leaning podcast). This is not the only high profile podcast you will regularly see Cocco on. Admittedly her involvement in gun control is less pervasive on overt media plays now that she holds a high profile health insurance industry position (on the policy reform side).
Activity trendline:
She is a very smart woman. Read her writing just once or twice – agree or don’t agree with her politics, you cannot discount her ability to persuade. She is smartly utilizing new media opportunities like podcasting, video soundbites and other key ways to reach new audiences. In a world full of bad news about mass shootings, she picks her spots frequently now, without some of the previous fanfare, and it is adding up to a better ROI for her gun-grabbing goals. She no longer uses a scatter-gun technique, instead it’s more of a laser focused approach.
Additional Notes:
She has a lot of influence. She is also quite marketing savvy and has some of the best people in the business supporting her from a marketing perspective. Her overall impact is potentially much larger than she has been utilizing her platform for recently. As soon as certain other world events calm down in 2021 and 2022, there will be more focus on gun stuff.