General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBrian Williams Did Another Of His Disses Of The Dems Last Night
referring to a Rick Wilson quote that essentially said the Dems are too soft and incapable of taking on the Cons. That seems to be one of the reasons for the Lincoln Project.
First of all, let's remember the blowout in 2018 without any help from anyone, quite the opposite. Secondly, no one ever considers how this may be a brilliant move on the DEms part...letting others using their money to do the necessary dirty work. Thus allowing Dems to take the higher road. After all, the Cons put him in office in the first place.
drray23
(7,638 posts)Republicans are ruthless and go for simple high impact slogans that are easily remembered.
We dems have values and tend to want to play by the rules and try to make our point with cogent arguments and policies.
He is not arguing that we did not win in 2018, just that taking the high road does not work on a significant fraction of the population.
The messaging we use is often too soft and not straight to the point. Its a known issue that people have been trying to correct.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)There's way too much caution and politeness coming from many of our elected Dems. We have to punch harder.
BamaRefugee
(3,488 posts)the voters we HAVE TO CONVINCE TO VOTE DEMOCRATIC usually want nothing longer than will fit on a bumper sticker.
Look how fellow DUers are gushing all over Lincoln Project, Steve Schmidt, Rick Wilson, MEIDAS, but you hear *crickets* about most home grown Democratic ideas.
uponit7771
(90,367 posts)BamaRefugee
(3,488 posts)weak minds every single time.
with this. Time to let Joe be Joe and if he use swear words to spill all of Bolton book,;that is enough to let the media know he is a treason man who brought and bribed his way in the election with the help of Putin. Tine to start saying on social media that Trump stole the elections for him and down tickets and are trying to do it again. I pray Bolton has something on the fearful repuks too because that would explain them sucking up and letting him do anything he wants and get away with every crime. These Dem needs to be out in front with their constitutional lawyers speaking on this and let it play all weekend along with his other failures.Could this be what the Lincoln Project was all about.
Me.
(35,454 posts)if kicking the Dems wasn't a habit with Brian. I might also point out that The polls for both the Presidency and the senate are looking in a very blue direction. And, 72% of the country say it's going in the wrong direction and many are fed up with the Con's behavior.
LenaBaby61
(6,979 posts)The messaging we use is often too soft and not straight to the point. Its a known issue that people have been trying to correct.
uponit7771
(90,367 posts)Grins
(7,239 posts)Been saying it for years, Dems either dont fight at all or the give in too easily.
Hillary caved so quickly after calling the Reich-wingers Deplorables.
She should have said, Yeah, I said it, and I meant it! Prove me wrong! (You worthless bags of meat optional.)
Jesus on a cracker; its not like they were going to vote for her anyway.
NRaleighLiberal
(60,024 posts)the repubs oversimplfy issues into soundbites and slogans. we try to deal with the complexity in words - but it doesn't work on lots of people. It is like two different games are being played.
DanieRains
(4,619 posts)Who want to destroy America.
I will get banned from DU if I say what I think.
Thank God we have Republicans doing the "beating them to death" for us.
I can't comment at all on how I feel about the Democrats lack of attacking true evil on the other side.
A self described pussy grabbing racist who ignores all laws is not ever described as such.
SharonClark
(10,014 posts)Unless youre pro-trump or lie about Dems then the worse that would happen is your post would be alerted on.
I want to hear what you have to say.
LenaBaby61
(6,979 posts)I wasn't banned, but my post was removed for saying what I felt/thought.
Whatever happened to constructive criticism?
BamaRefugee
(3,488 posts)including MILITARY IN THE STREETS and I got taken down for posting "wild fantasies" or however they actually word it.
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)Democrats are "weak, soft, incapable, timid, can't get the message out" (besides other stuff) which the republicans have been echoing for years. Other words are cowards, not strong on terrorist, et al.
What I have been reading re: Bolton's book, republicans don't care if they cheat and steal. Let's see if Williams mentions anything about this.
HotTeaBag
(1,206 posts)The Biden digital team are like toddlers compared to Wilson, Schmidt, Galen etc.
They know how to fight and win. Look how well we did 'without help from anyone' in 2016 against the worst possible candidate in the history of Presidential candidates.
Also, Democrats are not letting others do the dirty work - The Lincoln Project members have identified the threat and are taking it down.
Thank God they're doing what they're doing, Biden needs all the help he can get.
sfstaxprep
(9,998 posts)He said those Never Trumpers are mean and ruthless. That the Democrats could learn a few things from them.
Me.
(35,454 posts)It's going to be a landslide in the Dem's favor
sfstaxprep
(9,998 posts)He says we're going to win, but he wanted it to be a landslide, otherwise Trumpism will survive.
stopdiggin
(11,384 posts)or anything that is "modeled" after Republicans. Thank you.
Midnight Writer
(21,816 posts)If being a Democrat means adapting to act like a Republican, then what's the point?
We already have a Party of shallow assholes.
crickets
(25,986 posts)Being tough when the situation calls for it is a good thing. Being just another one of the thugs... not so much.
stopdiggin
(11,384 posts)but there's another (serious) side to this as well. The Rs have been playing the demagoguery, race-baiting, dog-whistle card for a long time. Trump didn't invent it .. but he clearly took it to the next (and predictable?) level. And now .. the chickens are really coming home to roost with a lot of the very out racism and nationalism we're seeing today. I don't doubt for a moment that the people responsible for stirring this pot for so many years ..now have real blood on their hands. It's more than just playing dirty politics .. it's about fomenting real violence .. and a real breakdown of social order.
I don't want to have blood on my hands (or conscience) .. and I don't want to foment a breakdown in social order.
And if that makes me namby-pamby, or old school, or a snowflake .. I guess I'll just have to live with that.
BamaRefugee
(3,488 posts)back, where you get stiffed and robbed by them but there's this veneer of decency and gentlemanliness.
CatWoman
(79,302 posts)gratuitous
(82,849 posts)Usually a wave election like that serves as a touchstone for the next election. What is the party that got shellacked doing to improve its standing with voters? How are the losers adjusting to try to reach people outside the base? Instead, the Republicans keep chasing their losing bets, narrowing their message to communicate with only the true believers, and bad-mouthing everyone who deviates in even the slightest bit from party orthodoxy.
Where are the media pundits on this?
stillcool
(32,626 posts)what happens to Democrats in Presidential Politics. The "Dean Scream", is my favorite example. I still can't believe that one...and the swift-boating of John Kerry. They sold "Reverend Wright" for anything they could get. Democrats aren't nice because they want to be. They have to be. Different rules apply.
Me.
(35,454 posts)he didn't shy away from getting in on that game
superpatriotman
(6,253 posts)Is tired of bringing hugs to a gunfight
LenaBaby61
(6,979 posts)The party of putin is in court NOW wanting to strip us of our health care.
There's no way in hell I'll sit by sweetly & nicely and accept something like that.
UTUSN
(70,755 posts)JI7
(89,277 posts)They would start claiming Democrats are accusing Republicans of hating the US. Or even be outraged that Democrats said Trump was racist.
We can't ignore the media's role in our political system.
For example for at how they were upset at Pelosi referring to Trump's health and calling him obese.
USALiberal
(10,877 posts)Me.
(35,454 posts)What I want if fairness and them not calling both sides as equal in these dire times.
doc03
(35,387 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)I don't see how that is a thing. He's a news man, and he's quoting someone in the news.
Personally, I'm glad that he's giving press to these new ads. Hopefully they'll have some effect.
Me.
(35,454 posts)and he has toned down his dismissiveness of the Dems lately but it's still there and rears its head still. What I also think is overall, there seems to be a tendency for Dems to be criticized far beyond the Cons. The treatment of HRC is a good example. And at times Dems are no better, they will eat their own. I remember not long ago when Nancy Pelosi was the target du jour. She's past it, too old, ineffective. Candidates made getting rid of her part of their platform. Thank God the naysayers didn't have their way.
demmiblue
(36,899 posts)Yes, I do recall you doing the same in a post about AOC.
Just sayin'.
Me.
(35,454 posts)I have criticused her and she returns the favor by doing the same to other Dems
cwydro
(51,308 posts)Yes indeed.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)embedding of partisan liars in the media, and every other dirty trick they can get away with, majorities keep voting for Democrats. I disagree with arguments that we lose because we don't act more like them, when being a clear alternative consistently works for us.
Those conservative Lincoln Project ads, and others, are aimed at potential conservative swing voters, and they faintly copy that nasty characteristic RW sneer on the voiceovers. That's their nasty-mean signature, not ours. Meanness works on conservatives but repels liberals.
We do obviously need to do what does work more and better and also other things, like somehow limit election theft where they hold power. Fair national elections elect Democrats. GOTV of people wired to indifference and keep weak willies from believing anti-Democratic lies -- but we don't do either by affirming lies that we're "just as bad as them," not worth getting off the couch for.
Btw, speaking of, let's remember Biden's principled competence and great victory in negotiating with 2016's illiberal-left leader to create an alliance against the right. That was very right. Very us.