Messaage to DEMS: Stay the FUCK OFF OF TEEVEE

[Stinky The Clown]

Yes, I intended to shout.

Lots of posts today about Pelosi (I, for one, think she did just fine - ***particularly*** in view of how that fat fuck Russert treated her).

Dems have no message .... blah blah fucking blah.

Ya know what? Let's show them what NO MESSAGE looks like.

How about boycotting their stupid fucking shows? For a one week cycle, every dem goes on everywhere they can and says, clearly:

'We are no longer going to be on your shows because you can't report fairly and that YOU are part of the problem. Our 'plan' and our agenda has been out there for weeks and while you SHOULD know what it is, and while you probably DO know what it is, you just plain to refuse to acknowlege it. So go fuck yourslef, you pig."

We get nothing but disrespect, disparagement and gotacha.

Fuck that.

Enough is enough.

[Robbie Michaels]

1. I'd love to see that happen

:kick:

[Ignacio Upton]

2. "A week without Democrats"

No Democratic surrogate should appear on any of those cable shows for at least a week. We should also scare the living shit out of mealy-mouthed "Democrats" like Peter Bienart or Susan Estrich who insist on embarassing us and make sure that they don't appear either.

[ComerPerro]

35. We're on year four "without Democrats" and look how far downhill

we have gone...

[July]

3. I'd like to see them get out on blogs and forums like this that week.

Scare the crap out of the so-called "journalists" on TEEVEE.

[grasswire]

4. it would be very cool if they would break some news on blogs

That would be hilarious. Make news, but force MSM to go to the blogs to get it.

[Stinky The Clown]

20. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

It does two things ..... it provides the Dems with a new outlet for actual news and gives credibility to the 'emerging media'. Next, it tells the MSM to shove it and makes them work for the supper.

[grasswire]

29. yes, you get it

The strategic implications are abundant.

[blondeatlast]

26. Love it. nt

[blondeatlast]

25. YES! That's an excellent idea.

I'd love for them to have a real conversation with party activists.

[eleny]

5. I'm spitting and sputtering over Mr. Potato Head's manner with Pelosi

It certainly is time for someone to do some slapping - verbally, at least. The left wing radio programs are available for discussion. But it's still important to have some talking points structured for television.

The questions are always the same, as you pointed out. So why not some tightly structured responses? There's room for a response along the lines you're thinking about. Call out the interviewer, pointing out how their job is not to misinform the public. Ask them who they voted for and wait for the answer. I see no problems with taking an interview to that place before proceeding to laying out the Dem agenda for the umpteenth time.

[jrw14125]

6. how about they do this instead:

Get together and come up with a single, focused message, and beat the remaining 31% over the head with that message until it sinks in. Put 3-5 spokespeople, like Dean, but also like Obama and others that haven't been "labeled" by the Goebelses yet, out front. If PElosi can't eloquently spit out 5 talking points, then she shouldn't be a major voice of the party. It is time to start campaigning.

I'm sick of hearing "no plan" when they have a plan. the only way to spread the word about that plan is have a unified, SIMPLE message that's easy to digest. After all, lots of these voters don't exactly read a book a week.


My 2 cents.

[genieroze]

17. I doubt that 31% even know how to read.

[Stinky The Clown]

7. To clarify .....

.... I was dripping spittle when I posted the OP .......

To clarify ... my suggestion is that, for one week, we go on every show we can and say "We will NOT be back on this or any other bullshit show. Peroid/go fuck yourself."

And then we stay the hell off .... not for a week.

Indefinitely.

As someone pointed out ... use the 'new media' to break news and let those lazy-assed motherfuckers go find it.

[simonm]

9. Hit em where it hurts

If you target their sponsors with letters and boycotts the effect can last longer.

[blondeatlast]

27. That takes a tremendous amount of energy from the grassroots.

I like H2S's strategy because it directly affects the media that is terrified of being thought of as "liberal."

The real news is on the internets.

[ShortnFiery]

11. Instead of supporting our Minority Leaders ...

We attack them and pick at the bones.

No, I agree, that's UNSAT and they really do need to F*ck off the programs where they know that they will be treated unfairly (O'Reilly, Hannity, etc ... and now Russert) :puke:

[Stinky The Clown]

14. I only disagree with you on one word you used ......

You said "O'Reilly, Hannity, etc ... and now Russert"

I would have said "O'Reilly, Hannity, etc ... and STILL Russert"

That fat fuck has been doing this shit for YEARS.

[ShortnFiery]

15. Point taken - I don't watch him. :-) eom

[motocicleta]

48. that's what I'm talking about

but I don't know if we can have that kind of effect on our proxies until we just stop watching.

I'm telling ya, I think I'm regaining some of my native intelligence (of which I need every little bit) day by day as I get farther and farther from my old TV habits.

[PinkyisBlue]

66. Why not cancel cable tv?

If people really want to promote change, cancel your cable and let ComCast (or whichever cable company you have) know why. The only thing that will get their attention is loss of profits.

At my house, we refuse to shell out the (approximate) $35 each month for cable, since most of it is crap. We do pay about $11 a month for basic cable, which includes only channels 2 thru 13, and it is enough. Why would anyone pay a lot for the propaganda on cable when you can see it for free (or almost free) on the major networks?

[NoodleBoy]

8. yeah, that'll help dispel the "dems have no message" myth-- don't give a

message.

[merci_me]

10. We need one of the houses

and until we have at least one, with the chairmanships, the MSM isn't going to take Democrats seriously. So, your idea.............don't take their programming (and sponsors) seriously and let them all know.

Many years ago, 1970ish, I lived in a complete Repuke stronghold county. For a number of cycles, NO Dems were ever elected to anything. Soooooooo, one year the party took a stand and convinced Dems not to file to run for anything. All the Repukes won unopposed, as they would have won anyway.

Of course, with no races, the Repukes didn't manage to scare up much money, but by the same token, the Dems didn't spend a dime. You should have read and heard the howls from the rank and file Repukes, about "This is not what democracy is all about, there's no choice. It makes our votes meaningless." DUH!!! So Dems should scrape together bits and pieces of cash and do GOTV, just so the Repukes can puff up there scrawny chests and bleat, "We're number one!" Hell, even they realized that coming in first in a one person race is also coming in last. It sure sent the message home to the "independents", who pride themselves in being "independent Repukes".

[Radical Activist]

12. It should be done to the worst offenders

And occasionally to other shows. This is what Bush and the Republicans do. It worked for them.

[MADem]

13. I disagree. We need to be seen, to be the REASONABLE ones

A few lessons from the Barney Frank School of Interviewing wouldn't hurt.

"Excuse me for talking while you were interrupting me."

"You asked me a question. Now let me answer. If you don't, I'll leave. There's no point in my staying if all you are going to do is constantly interrupt me and not allow me to answer."

Barney Frank, a Massachusetts hero, and one tough sonofabitch!!!!

[Stinky The Clown]

16. Lemme tell ya .......

.... if we had ONLY Barney Frank doing our interviews we'd not be where we are now.

"Tough sonofabitch" indeed!

I love that guy.

[LittleClarkie]

18. No. We have to keep trying.

The average American doesn't give two hoots whether or not Dems feel like they're being treated fairly on the news. I appreciate how Wes Clark had the guts to go on Fox, into the lion's den so to speak. It was hostile territory to be sure. But you never know where you might be planting a seed in the mind of someone.

"Punishing" the media because they're not being nice to us is not the answer. We still have to try and get our message out. We can't concede the media to the Republican spin machine, or that's all the public will EVER hear.

[Stinky The Clown]

28. The media can be described in terms like Rummy used for AlQaeda

"We have to be right 100% of the time. The just need to be right once"

By this I mean that, using Pelosi on Russert yesterday as an example, he was ALL ABOUT forcing her into certain quotes that could then be used against her. He kept hammering and hammering to get just that. he didn't give two shits about he substance of the interview. That's all he was after.

The quotes.

She, on the other hand, had to negotiate each and every bullshit thing he threw out at her. In my view, she was both materful and damned lucky. But all too often our side gets blindsided.

[motocicleta]

49. I respectfully disagree

All trends get started by the leading edge, the innovators. If we concede the crap that is TV to the rightwing, which would not be terribly different from what we have today, and start solely communicating through alternative means, pretty soon "the public" will actually notice the vacancy, and wonder where the smart, interesting people have gone to.

Just a thought. But sometimes, it looks like the haters in the public really just exist to argue with us. What if we go away and give them nothing to argue with? I swear they'll start wondering what they're missing out on.

[AtomicKitten]

19. although pummeled by that dipshit, Pelosi didn't rule out impeachment

She calmly explained they would have the appropriate oversight that the Republican Congress has neglected to do, and if that leads to impeachment, so be it.

I think she did fine. Russert on the other hand looked like a bullying assclown.

[Stinky The Clown]

21. You know the backstory on this, dontcha?

Russert was clearly on a mission. That little RW twit, Nicole Devonish/Wallace/Whateverthefuck had a press release already written and issued that called out Pelosi for calling for impeachement and to raise taxes. Russert's job was get the quotes.

Pelosi didn't give it to them. She done good.

[blm]

22. People really need to wake up and accept that newsmedia is working WITH

the GOPers and they are every bit the enemy of real democarcy.

DU and all Democrats need to focus on this enemy because it is the only chance to expose the GOP and voting machines, too.

[AtomicKitten]

23. she did

and for the life of me I don't understand why some here at DU are so anxious to trash Dems that they don't see it. She was grace under fire and said precisely what needed to be said. Most importantly she did not rule out impeachment.

[Stinky The Clown]

24. I agree

She was masterful, actually .... the naysayers notwithstanding.

And by neither ruling out impeachment NOR giving them the quote she walked a very fine line and did it with great skill. In so doing, she got her message out and that should be understood by the naysayers as well. But .... alas, even on our side, for some, facts just get in the way of a good opinion. :)

[PinkyisBlue]

63. Pelosi did a fine job.

I saw the interview, and it was so obvious that Russert wanted her to confirm that the Dems would raise taxes and would impeach Bush. He was loud, arrogant and rude to her, but Pelosi held her own and admitted to neither of the above. My only fault with her was that she was a bit wordy. I think the Dems need to be more concise. Instead of going into a long explanation about the need to conduct investigations into this or that and see where it goes, say "For the last five years, Congress has not been doing its job, which is to oversee the power and authority of the President. In Congress, we need to not be intimidated by this administration, investigate what has been happening the last five years and take disciplinary action, if appropriate."

[Doctor_J]

30. Agreed!

Just put out notices on their web pages and blogs that they will no longer be presenting their ideas in the hostile environment of Cabal "News". Say out loud that as long as the hosts continue to shill for * and the GOP, they will not be patronized.

Along these same lines, I will tell you DU addicts to TURN IT OFF

[NCarolinawoman]

31. But, but, but....I really want to hear what Clark thinks about Hayden.

Even if he has to go on Faux news again to say it.

I realize that Hayden is Airforce and Clark is Army, but surely he knows something about this guy. Remember, at the George Soros fundraiser thingy, General Clark said that he assumes he's being wire-tapped and recorded because of all the calls he makes to the Middle East. I really want to hear what General Clark's views of Hayden are!

Then next week, yeah, the Dems need to boycott!

:o

[LittleClarkie]

32. But it wasn't too long ago the rally cry was

"Where are the Dems!? Why aren't the Dems coming out with an answer?! The Dems are useless."

Now we've got
"Why are the Dems out there?! We should boycott!"

I do wish we'd make up our minds.

[AtomicKitten]

34. it's more fun being contrary, or so it seems

crazy-making shit here on DU sometimes ... no consistency, no direction ... just bitch, bitch, bitch about whatever Dems do or don't do.

[NCarolinawoman]

36. LOL. You're right---a no-win situation.

I betcha nothing is going to change until we take back the Congress. The MSM will listen only if we're working from some kind of power-base.

[motocicleta]

50. when we start all saying the same thing, please shoot us

I'd hate to spend my life as a repuke.

[RamboLiberal]

33. I disagree - Dems need to get on TV and complain whenever

there is an imbalance of RW on the shows! And they need to use controlled anger and smack the hell out the snot nosed pundits like Russert, Matthews, Blitzer, etc. Dems need to quit playing nice when on these shows! Pelosi should've answered Timmy, yes we want to roll back the tax cuts that benefit only the richest 1% in this country because this out of control deficit is making war on the middle class and the future of our children.

The RW made an art of screaming "liberal media". It's time Dems start smacking the media upside the head every time they shill the RNC talking points! The damn media could care less if the Dems boycott - right now that only works for the RW - remember when they threatened to boycott Tweety's show back in I believe was 2004?

[NCarolinawoman]

37. I don't think that Pelosi did all that bad, but you sure

just articulated the subject of taxes better. What is so hard about saying we ONLY want raise taxes on the TOP income bracket? It's the Paris Hilton tax! Why do Democrats still stumble over this??!!!!

[bvar22]

42. She did OK,

but she fumbled on the raising of taxes,
and she let PotatoHead get away with the meme that Abramoff or his associates also gave money to the Democrats.
She should study the Dean tape on Abramoff.

[valerief]

38. Shows? What shows? n/t

[Joey Liberal]

39. Democrats should boycott Russert

I felt that Pelosi was not on top of her game. She stammered a lot and let Russert run all over her.

So, Democrats should do two things: Do not appear on Russerts show and do not watch his show.

[The Gunslinger]

40. Id like to see "all" Dems turn the TV off for a week nt

[Harper_is_Bush]

41. Even a dog finds the greatest page once in a while. n/t

[Stinky The Clown]

44. Thanks for that enlightened bit of discourse

You'd maybe prefer a pussycat?

[Harper_is_Bush]

46. U R welcome!

I appreciate knowing my brutal honesty is appreciated!

Your thread was like a car alarm to the senses.

[otohara]

43. Howard Dean KICKED ASS Yesterday

on George Steph...polis. I'm going to watch it again it was so much fun.

Russert was disgraceful - his true colors were blinding yesterday.

[motocicleta]

45. Dude, perhaps we should take a different angle

I am constantly off TV, and I must say it is becoming my new favorite cause. I quit about a year ago, not totally intentionally, but I am realizing many unexpected benefits, and I am beginning to question whether the TV can actually do ANYTHING good for us. I just read that in our lovely prisons we are taking everything away from the inmates BUT the TV, including law libraries and porn, yet the inmates largely put up with it because of the soporific effect of TV. That's all it takes for me: if it's good enough for the US penal system, it ain't good enough for me.
So if they can't report properly, eff em - let's quit watching altogether ...

[Tom Joad]

47. Pelosi stood up AGAINST IMPEACHMENT, and promises to

block it if Dems win the House in November. She will be, after all, the Decider.

We won't stand for that, and she will eat her words.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/10110

[peacetheonlyway]

51. What Ego to say John Conyers Reports to Her

Pelosi is a pugnacious bitch who needs to be replaced by real democratic leadership.

I can't wait for Conyers to have subpoena power....

Does anyone get excited about Pelosi's subpoena of the energy task force? That was so friggin long ago, that's like stone age compared to the juicy stuff she should subpoena...

[Stinky The Clown]

54. "pugnacious bitch"

Gee, what do you call Republicans?

Don't you think that sort of hate is a bit over the top?

I'm just sayin' ..............

[peacetheonlyway]

65. silence during the rise of the most despicable dictatorships

makes anyone who does not go out of their way to speak the truth,

complicit in the very crimes Bush is committing on the country.

This week, I watched my 2 friends, Gloria and Tracey (along with Ray McGovern) risk arrest to stand up to Rumsfeld.

If my friends can hold signs and scream 'war criminal' to the dictators that run this country, I expect our elected democratic leaderst to do as much

and I expect people on DU to demand leadership from the people who have the power to start with
a. censure
b. investigations / impeachment hearings
c. impeachment

real simple.... real real simple....

[Stinky The Clown]

53. I'm not so sure that's true

as mentioned here, above, in this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2612490#2612857

Pelosi was being set up by Russert, who had the sole mission of eliciting certain quotes from her, no matter what it took to get them. Here is a link to an RNC press release. Note **closely** the issues they cite. All they wanted was some sound bites out of Pelosi to put the icing on the cake. She was wise in not giving it to them.

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=65322

Note the date and time of the release ... what? An hour after FatTimmy signed off? Coincidence? Serendipity? Not hardly.

Now, if wanna keep going out there and geting our asses handed to us in Living Color, that's fine. I'd rather we take some drastic action. But that's just me.

In the larger issue you raise about Pelosi's stance, she worked hard NOT to have one.

Note, I am neither for nor against Pelosi. There are others I'd rather have in her seat more ... and others I'd rather less. That's beside the point. The point is, had she called for impeachment they would have crucified her ... and by extension, all of us. Not good or bad so much as fact. Were she to have called for it, you would be cheering. But not many others outside we few activists would cheer, actually.

And keep this in mind as we move on in the next few days ....... le villan du jour ....... ?

None other than Leader Pelosi.

We have Bush as our nationally known asshat Repub icon. They need one. Right now they're trying to make it Pelosi. You just watch .... on every goddam show she's on, you'll see a replay of FatTimmy's tactics. They **want** those sound bites. Bad.

[Tom Joad]

57. What i should be clear on is this.

It did not bother me so much that she did not promise to work to impeach Bush, as if that were the sole concern of the Dems (and they have no agenda for health care, getting out of Iraq, and so on), but that she seemed to come out against it.

She will change her tune before then. I think it will become the most popular election issue before November, even.

[Voltaire99]

56. Pelosi's pathetic.

Like Reid, a mouse who has done little of value to oppose the fascism under which we all now live. Rather than resist, they have folded.

As long as such people run the party, it hardly matters who wins elections.

[Stinky The Clown]

59. Do you have any direct experience at leading anything?

Just trying to see what your perspective is.

[zulchzulu]

62. You're not paying attention...she flipped the cards over and was positive

She was not about to be foaming at the mouth saying Bush is going to be impeached at the top of her lungs to Timmy. You can bet she wants to see Bush impeached, but handing that soundbite over to the RNC is not good poker playing.

Positive spin works better at this point. People will vote for that...including moderates on the fence.

[Us vs Them]

52. GOOD IDEA! Kick and nom n/t

[vickitulsa]

55. I've said this before, but I'm a reformed "TV news junkie" and I LOVE

my new life! I have almost completely stopped watching ANY so-called "news" programming on the teevee after having been fairly well addicted to it for much of my adult life.

I'm not exactly sure when I changed, but I know I haven't tuned in the mislabeled "all-news" channels much at all since about two months after I discovered DU. Hmmm ... reckon there's a connection there?

I had already learned during the last five years that I can find real news reporting all over the place on the Internets (and not all of them lefty, either), so I've relied increasingly on those sources during this time. When I hit DU, I discovered a lot more great resources on the Web and have a ball every time I decide I'm going "news-seeking" on my PC today.

DU is usually my first stop, but before I feel ready to respond in many threads that interest me, I want to investigate further -- and I usually do. Sometimes I never get back to DU to post about it, but that's okay. I make sure to do it if I uncover something I think might be being missed here, but that seldom happens, actually.

As for the long-lived weekend formats from the major networks, I never DID watch those idiots, so I'm certainly not tuning them in NOW. And I haven't felt that I'm suffering from any shortage of information now that I avoid teevee news like the plague. In fact, I feel much better informed now, and I have a lot more confidence in what I find out than I did when I had to "take their word for it."

Not only do I not watch those "Face The Nation" type shows, I don't know one other single individual who does! (That's not counting those of you here at DU who talk about watching them, of course.)

So what's the big deal about these sorts of programs? I guess I just don't get it.

I DO know I'm happy as a clam as a reformed teevee news junkie.

[Singular73]

58. Nah, I disagree

We need real representation.

Pelosi ain't cuttin it.

She wouldn't commit to shit.

People don't care where you lead them. But they want you to lead.

[AuntiBush]

60. Mine is in the OFF mode.

Matter-of-fact, it will stay off their stations till they "stop" the crap.

DU is my first-stop daily for all the news. Heck, everyone says I know more then the anchors on the tee-vee. Thanks to DU, who needs them :)

[zulchzulu]

61. Completely WRONG

They just need to be schooled better before going on the Sunday shows. If they are off the screen, you get even more of the "where are the Democrats" spew...

[Stinky The Clown]

64. In the end, you're probably right, but .....

... rest assured .... if we had an army of Dems bitch slap the worst of the worst (Fat Timmy, Leslie, Tweety, Asshat ... er Hannity ..... folks of that ilk) if our side went on a one week, full-out campaign to bitch slap them and then stay off the air until ....

It would be HUGH!!11! newz. Everyone would know exactly why they're not on the air anymore. Hell, even Entertainment Tonight would cover it ... it might even get a mention on Survivor.

[fearnobush]

67. Kill your Corp Cable News TV. I've been saying tune out the TV and login

for 5 years. Cable news sucks, all GOP owned and controlled. They kick us Olbermann to keep us from kicking there doors down, but Keith ain't nearly 1/10th enough. I've spread the word to hundreds, "Stop watching TV news and go surf the internets" Unless it's fake news from 11pm to 12am on that comedy channel. Go to DU, go Kos, go to Rawstroy, go to Truthout, Just freaking go... NYT, Wapo, Time, Newsweek - even these limited and sometimes GOP stacked (Judith Miller) sources are 10 times better than the Bushpuke Zhan and O'Rielly world of TV insanity made up of cable media whores and ego's.

[Stinky The Clown]

68. For those who say "Turn off your teevee/cancel your cable"

Saying that here is kinda meaningless. I'm not putting down or even disagreeing with your choice. But face it ..... in this forum, the people who read your posts pretty much know what's going on. Just read this thread .... not too much in the way of shyness of opinion, is there?

We're all informed and we all see right smack through the shillery and bullshittery and obfuscationary and gotchyary.

We may not all agree on how we interpret what we see, but we're at an absolute, bed rock minimum, aware and informed.

The issue is how this shit looks to Joe Sixpack who might just be cruising the airwaves. Or how the other side's sympathizers can get talking points to use at the next boy scout pot luck supper.

Turning off **our** teevees is good only for those of us with hypertensive disease. Or lower than normal bullshit tolerance.

Good bad or indifferent, how our side comes across on teevee - and in particular on the three **non** cable networks - is really pretty important.

[endarkenment]

69. Democrats should drop all issues and plans and talk only

about corruption incompetence and criminal behavior. If directly asked, by all means mention that we do have programs, but every time a Democratic spokesperson initiates a public statement it should be directly attacking the character of the administration and framing the 06 election as a referendum on the vile corrupt felons in charge of the nation, not as a referendum on policy differences.

The rightwing strategy here is to put Democrats on the defensive about their 'lack of programs' TO GET THEM TO STOP TALKING ABOUT THE CORRUPTION, CRIMES, AND INCOMPETENCE. Sheesh we should just go to the clue factory outlet store.

[Dr Fate]

70. Terrible plan. Most people still get all their info from tee-vee.

They should do the opposite- have their PR people bombard them with requests for multiple appearances.

When they get on- ask Wolf, Tweety, etc to their face & on the air:

"Can I request that you give us equal time from now on? Can we have a top name Democrat on your show every night?- maybe that way you wont have a reason to keep repeating the GOP talking point we have nothing to say..."

If they are turned down, they have further proof of media bias.

[RedStateShame]

71. Only one man need make a move

Unfortunately, that man is Alan Colmes. Yes, wormy himself, the Scratchy to Sean Hannity's Itchy, needs to snap on air during one of those sessions with Oliver North, G. Gordon Liddy, or one of the other convicted felons that will associate with that assbag. Or during another impassioned plea for Terri Schiavo--I know Sean's got one more he's just dying to squeeze out---Colmes should just stand up, cold-cock him in the face, and say "Listen here, you pus-filled weasel, every single dollar you're earned and every viewer you've influenced has been through fear and bullying. And we've bullied long enough!!" This is of course, to be followed with a hard choke on said windbag, a la when Homer chokes Bart(2 Simpsons references by a Gen-Xer, who'd have guessed?), until Bill O'Reilly's fleet of secret Fox News Police pulls him off. Then, and only then, should Democrats do any show not hosted by Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Tavis Smiley, or Bill Maher.

[yellerpup]

72. It worked when the Republicans used this ploy.

With everyone except Dan Rather.

[More Than A Feeling]

73. We have enough trouble getting on the first place.

What you suggest would indeed be a bold move. The problem is that all the media has to do to counter that is to keep doing what they have done in the past: IGNORE IT! They would have no problem having all Republicans on their show, and they would get a free pass to say whatever they want without the opposing view.

Take a look at how it took freakin' forever to get the media to pay attention to Stephen Colbert.