Time after predictable time, Republicans roll out a new set of bogus talking points. And time after time, Democrats argue the facts -- and lose. That's got to change.
Here's how the script goes:
Republican: I'd like to begin by making an outrageous assertion. It's obviously false, but boy, is it ever intense.
Democrat: Why, that is clearly untrue! And here's a list of reasons why...
Republican: Thanks for playing; this is going to be fun!
Just some of the many, many examples we could cite: Obama's an African-born Muslim! Obamacare means death panels! The administration is full of Marxists! The New Black Panthers are coming! We could go on and on. Because these people are operating on a daily schedule, with hourly updates, 365 days a year. As Dan Pfeiffer, White House Communications Director told Vanity Fair's Todd Purdum recently, "we live in a world where there are so many news cycles that there isn't a news cycle anymore."
And with every crazy new claim, if you're a Democrat, your reaction is probably some version of, "What kind of idiot could believe this crap?" Then you start arguing with it.
And as soon as you do, you lose.
You see, the right wants you to debate stuff they know is untrue. If you win on the merits, and you probably will, they don't care at all.
They only want two things: one, they want you -- and the media -- to repeat their talking points, because as we know, a lie repeated often enough starts to feel true. Two, they want you to debate those points. Because it means you're debating on their terms -- and because the sheer act of debating makes you look weak.
Let's take these one at a time. First, how the right designs talking points that get lots and lots of repetition.
The key is to start with an image that excites intense emotion. You want an image that, once imagined, is very hard to get out of your head -- it's kind of like writing the hook to a pop song. You might choose death panels, Marxists, New Black Panthers, whatever. To make your talking point, simply associate that image with your target. NOTE: If this makes no sense at all, that's actually better -- outrageousness gives your talking point a big extra kick. Start it out on blogs and talk radio. Then put a fig leaf on it by getting it on Fox News. Now the legitimate media have an excuse to run it (and they most certainly will). The final payoff comes when Democrats debate it, thereby repeating it yet more.
Congratulations. You've gone viral.
Is this effective? We report, you decide: A recent NY Times/CBS poll shows that 20 percent of Americans think President Obama was born in another country. A Harris Poll finds that 57 percent of Republicans think he's a Muslim. And 24 percent -- one in four! -- think he is the anti-Christ.
Now point number two: debate, in and of itself, looks weak. Think about high school for a minute: Who debates? That would be the glasses-wearing nerds of the Debate Club. Republicans, making their bold, false assertions, are the football players shoving those debaters into the lockers. Is this right? Wrong? Who cares? One side of this transaction is shoving, and the other is being shoved. Who looks like they're in charge? All too often, Democrats are making excellent points, from inside a locker.
As Pfeiffer states, "cable news... doesn't reward getting things done or working with someone across the aisle. It rewards the single most outrageous thing you possibly can [say]."
What to do? Should Democrats respond in kind? No, and yes. No, we should not start with our own outrageous lies. It would be yet another instance of allowing Republicans to set the terms and, need we say it, it would be wrong. But a big yes to getting better at using emotion.
In his campaign stump speeches, one of the most persuasive "points" Barack Obama made came when he would look off into the future and raise an arm towards it, while speaking in the rhythmic cadences of our greatest orators. He had solid ideas about how we would actually get to that future. But it was the gesture and the rhythm that made your heart rise.
Obama's lack of interest in cable news sensationalism is a big part of why we supported him in the first place. He is not a talking point. But in order to raise the dialogue -- to transcend the chatter -- we need to use emotion to show truth. Throughout human history, we haven't simply stated the results of heroic battles. We've sung them as epics. The Democrats have won some heroic battles on issues that matter to millions: health care, financial reform, the environment and more. We need to sing our epics.
Boots Road Group founder Spencer Critchley is a communications consultant whose clients have included Democratic political candidates, National Public Radio, and the Emmy-winning documentary Blink. He served on press teams for Barack Obama's presidential campaign in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Colorado.
Uhm, and you are surprised by this???
There's not much good to say. "We passed health care, but it's not what we want or anyone wants and it won't take effect for several yrs"
"we passed this and that, and sure unemployment is high but hey it would have been higher but we cant really prove it"
"the war in iraq is over. kinda."
"The war in afghanistan is not going well."
of course the GOP has no ideas either. but as the party out of power, they benefit.
Also, I find when Democrats get on political shows they appear weak and emotionless as they try to make a rational argument against ridiculous Republican talking points de jour.
Another observation I'd like to make is that over the past 18 months HP, which is a very popular site for Democrats/Progressives, has constantly put up negative stories about the administration, plus stories beginning with "Obama needs to...", "Obama has failed to...", etc. all of which has contributed to negative attitudes and impatience towards this administration for what Dems/Progressives see as a lack of progress regarding their agenda.
All of this negativity and pessimism adds up. Eeven though he's had a few legislative accomplishments, the perception is that Obama hasn't done enough.
The truth is, Obama will likely never satiate the hungry beast!
Time has a blatant piece on it: http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,2012449,00.html?xid=rss-politics-huffpo
On past performance the Dems will now change course to defend Obama's "bipartisanship" credentials instead of maintaining course and forcing the Republicans to defend an indefensible position.
I believe that Democrats, as a whole, are empathetic. As children, they believed in treating others as they would hope to be treated and to "play fair". Consequently, growing into adults, they are still bound by those rules and don't buy into the "win at all cost" mentality that drives the GOP. The GOP mindset is that the end always justifies the means and that lying is a small price to pay to win the day.
Ever notice how GOP leaders work their lies into every policy debate. Health care reform is a "Government Takeover of Health Care. The expiration of the Bush Tax cuts is "Imposition of Huge Tax Inreases". The estate tax is a "death tax". Financial Regulatory Reform is "Attacking small businesses". The Republicans are masters at "re-labeling". Democrats are lousy labelers and maybe it's in their nature. They're just not good at lying.
And so it goes with the daily assaults on reality waged by Republican Teabaggers in almost every corner of this country.
We only feed into their insanity and their attempts to rile the other inmates, when we engage in a conversation or explanation about the "facts" they present, which are clearly delusional. That other Americans find any rational basis for those bazaar claims is a commentary on the level of stress in America at this time.
Sadly there are no medications which might correct the Right in the "Wrong-headedness".
If the Dems take a drubbing in the Nov. elections, it will be as much because MSM predicts it as because it's deserved. And by MSM I don't mean cable news. The narrative has been controlled by the right for a generation in virtually every facet of the media, and that's simply because they know how to use the media to their own advantage. Reagan's handles knew well the fact that "the press" is just another special interest group to be treated no differently than any other. They are to be stroked when it's called for, punished when it's called for and studied for any way they can be manipulated. The Reaganites are the ones who set the standard for how to control the press.
fanned!
Goading to hear an anchor say they are going to really examine an issue then see 2 minutes of reporting followed by 10 minutes of arguing.
second is that dems have no one who can cut through and speak beacuase they have never learned to support each other, they just shrink. This is Rahm's strategy coming back to bite them: worked so hard to elect dems from the center right (no faith that dem ideals were strong and could not win) and now we lament that they are not dems - they never were!!
If Obama Opposes Ryan’s Social Security Plan, Why Did He Appoint Him to the Catfood Commission?
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/08/14/if-obama-opposes-ryans-social-security-plan-why-did-he-appoint-him-to-the-catfood-commission/
Obama Tells Debt Commission ‘Everything Has to Be on the Table’
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/28/business/economy/28fiscal.html
In addition both Steny Hoyer and James Clyburn are on record supporting raising the SS collection age to 70.
But if you listen to articles like this one you'll hear that's its only Republicans who want to change SS.
Happy to be of service.
Every time I see a hate filled psychotic standing outside a church, wearing symbolic hats made of flags,
screaming at the top of their lungs about how badly done by they are ..
I know they are the Rebubs... trying to ruin the very qualities that make us Human.
And still the Teabaggers scream their hypocrisies at the top of their lungs. What kind of mucked-up childhood includes all sense of shame being beaten out of you. And why is it okay for the "least among us" having to be the ones suffering because of all that.
when Carter lost it hurt
for a long time
when Bush won it hurt the whole country
for a long time