The Left Needs Better Spokespeople

I think those of us who are progressive/left of center need better spokespeople.

Listening to Larry King tonight, I'm disappointed in those who are speaking up in support of the Jersey Girls.

Of course I agree with them.

But they are not making some of the arguments that need to be made.

- They are not making the point that not one of the Jersey Girls has tried to prevent Ann Coulter from responding to them. David Horowitz is on there basically making the same point Ann Coulter has: that the Jersey Girls have used their grief to make a political point and prevent anyone from responding.

But I did not hear Rep. Rangel or the others on the panel say that no one has tried to preclude Coulter from responding.

- And when Horowitz and the other right-wingers on the panel talk about the Jersey Girls cutting ads for John Kerry, not once did they step up to say that the Republicans put up their own widows (i.e. Deena Burnett) to go out there and support Bush and the Iraq war.

They just aren't making the arguments that need to be made. I'm really disappointed.

They're all bright people, but I swear to god ne'ery a one of them has ever hired a competent PR person. I realize these are hardworking people, but get with it! As much money as they make you'd think they'd pay someone to brief them properly and with good soundbytes.

:grr:

or Donna Brazille who sits there and smiles, and then agrees with "the president" or her "good friens and lunch-buddy", Karl Rove.:puke:

He'll help, :toast:
Margaret Carlson, Alan Colmes, at your service per Susan Estrich

that's for sure. I don't think I've ever heard one of the 9/11 widows say that they can't be criticized because they are grief stricken and somehow off limits.

No one mentioned the "Let's Roll" book. No one mentioned the Bush ad.

And has anyone asked if Coulter is a spokesperson for the Republican Party? She should be hung around their necks like an albatross but instead they are allowed to flaunt her like a badge of honor. :puke:

Pathetic.

Mz Pip
:dem:

Deena Burnett, a 9/11 widow who spoke at the 2004 Republican Convention, and who also went to Crawford, Texas to take part in a "You Don't Speak For Me, Cindy Sheehan" rally and said her dead husband would have supported the Iraq war.

Nor do they mention Tammy Pruett, a mother who had 4 sons serving in Iraq. And Bush trotted her out as his anti-Cindy.

She gave a speech in support of Bush and said of her 4 sons serving in Iraq: "I know that if something happens to one of the boys, they would leave this world doing what they believe, what they think is right for our country. And I guess you couldn't ask for a better way of life than giving it for something that you believe in."

more access-just like the right has every night.When was the last time Nancy Pelosi was on oh say Hardball?Mr.Spittle had friggin Kit Bond on tonight..KIT BOND!!!How about having Tom Daschle on sometime?Newt gets enough screen time.I don't think it's a matter of better spokesmen I think it's more about exposure.Dems have some great ideas that never get heard.

Did you miss that part?? It's one thing when they really are being biased, because they usually are. But when they aren't, and when our people actually do a good job the way Redford and Murtha did tonight, we should say so. That's the real problem with the left and Redford actually nailed that. We have forgotten how to speak with hope.

Those two are charming pit bulls. They take no shit, and no prisoners. Arianna Huffington, schooled on the right, now on the left, can rip into people too, quite convincingly.

The glass isn't half-empty, here.

is that WE always seem to be on the defensive. We need to take the offense and take it to them. We have all the pieces and all the players, so why are we so timid.

Media work on the Colmes principal finding the weak and passive. If a spokesman is too effective they are ignored like Al Gore or are castrated like Al Franken.

or should I say "Meet the Republicans?" He was also interviewed on Keith Olbermann's Countdown today, Monday, June 12th. Some fine candidates for spokespersons were at YearlyKos: Jane, Christy, emptywheel, and I'm sure others.

I don't get it. The 9/11 widows are "witches" and "biased" because they vote Democrat? Don't they have the right to vote how they like?

If mAnn's point was that the 9/11 widows have used their status like Bush uses 9/11 - to deflect any criticism - then that's a valid concern. But to attack them the way that she did was beyond reproach.
Ringo

We needed someone on there to debunk Coulter's claim that the Jersey Girls are an example of "the left's doctrine of infallability."

I keep going back to this point.

Kristen Breitweiser, the most vocal Jersey Girl, is a Republican who voted for George Bush in 2000. And when she announced her support for Kerry in 2004, Mary Jacoby asked her if that meant she switched parties, and she said no. She said "I'm not a Democrat."

So Kristen Breitweiser is not some radical Bush hating lefty.

And we needed someone to debunk her claim that they used their grief "to make a political point while preventing anyone from responding." Not once have they said they were untouchable because of their grief. And no one has made that point on their behalf.

And while I was watching Larry King, I was waiting for Charlie Rangel or one of the other panelists supporting the Jersey Girls, to make that point. And it did not happen. Very disappointing.

... good tv-speaking-presence folks in the biz...

bout the only exception I can think of is "RedHedd" (forget her real name) from Firedoglake - saw her on cspan with some right-wing idiot woman - redhedd was good.

But I saw Matt Stoller (or something like that) on tv/video - he seemed awful presentation-wise - stumbling, stuttery, almost as bag as Krugman.

Don't get me wrong - I love Stoller, and I REALLY love Krugman - but we need PRESENTERS of the ideas as well as the THINKERS - that's all I'm sayin.

... with Dems. I can't tell you the number of times I've watched a talk show where the right wing moron made his statement and I could have torn him a new asshole but the left talking head they've got can't tear him a new mosquito bite.

Major points are left unmade, major half-truths are left standing - I've gotten to where I just dont' watch it any more, I can't stand taking a reaming for no good reason.

If we should not be the spokespersons…we each have a computer and a printer….why are we not leaving little notes as we go about our daily business……? Like the White Rose.

a Rethug claims "Dems are being obstructionist!" or whatever the complaint du jour is, just agree, and go with it: "yes, we believe in obstructing this damaging/unpatriotic/ill-thought-out legislation!" Notice my example has a Dem saying "unpatriotic." The left shouldn't let the right "own" certain words. Too often a RW will characterize a Dem position as "unpatriotic" and the Dem gets stuck in the rut of protesting they're not unpatriotic. They should learn to throw the bullcrap right back at the source, even it it's just repeating something a RWer says back at them. I think too many on the left are too concerned with being polite, and these are rude times.

sandbagged by the corporate whores of the MSM.

And if they fight through that crap, they are dogpiled on...like Randi (behind the scenes debacle), or not asked back (i.e. when has Katrina been on lately...anyone asking Stephanie Miller...)

No-- we get Mona "Leni" Charan, Bay "Eva" Buchanan, and Ann "Satan's sh*( stain" Coulter...