Reply #48: Unfortunately, people need short talking points [View All]

We have to play with the cards we're dealt. And at the moment our hand is all Corporate Media Jokers/ So we need to have a messge that can be boiled down to cut through the noise.

That DOESN'T mean we should not back it up with substance. There are also a lot of people who want substance, and will bother to do some homework beyond the sportscasting style political coverge of the MSM.

The problem with Kerry -- and the current Democratic approach -- is that they have not really given out the raw meat that is required to define what we actually do believe in.

They also avoid the core issue of concentration of wealth and power. They also avoid the role of liberalism as a counterbalance to that, to protect and advance the interests of the majority of americans.

One example -- On a talking head show, Kerry was asked point-blank: "Are you a liberal?"

Kerry gave a very waffling non-nswer that was evasive, rather than being truly nuanced. Something like "Well, that depends on how you define liberal. Perhaps some of my beliefs might be similar to what you might call liberalism, but as a district attorney I was very aggressive about pursuing criminals, and I believe in common sense approaches....blah,blah,blah"

He lost me right there. But running away from such a basic question, instead of responding with full-frontal asault, Kerry only fueled the Rovian spin that Democrats can't be trusted because they're liberals, and because they have no principles. He also reinforced the idea that liberlism is incompatable with fighting crime or applying common sense.

IMO the answer should have been succinct. "Yes, I'm a liberal Democrat and proud of it. Most Americans are also liberal on the issues that matter, despite the false stereotypes spread by the Republican Party and the media."