Linguistic expert,: how John Kerry can hone his message more effectively

[G_j]

THE FRAME

Don Hazen, AlterNet

Linguistic expert George Lakoff considers how John Kerry
can hone his message more effectively as he struggles to
find a defining theme.

http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=18573

The Frame

By Don Hazen, AlterNet
May 2, 2004

Editor's Note: The Frame, by Don Hazen, will be a regular column on AlterNet, often featuring George Lakoff, linguistics professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

<snip>

If the Democrats want to succeed, it is necessary to pin this weakness on Bush. People have to say this really loudly. And Bush himself is a weak president. When he testified to the 9/11 commission, he needed Cheney to be there to hold his hand, like a little kid going with his mommy. Is he a president or isn't he? What kind of president can't talk for himself? This weakness should be a national issue.


What else should the Democrats be saying?


Speakers should continually recall the Clark and O'Neill books, which have separate independent testimony to the fact that Bush doesn't read his briefings. Important information about 9/11 – he didn't get. Weak presidents do not pay attention. There is a pattern of him not paying attention to things about the defense of our country and the protections of our citizens. That seems clear regarding 9/11. He also ignored all the warnings about why we shouldn't go into Iraq – the same reasons we didn't march to Baghdad in the first Gulf War; you 'll have civil war; you'll have guerilla war. it will be a quagmire.


How do you get this message out? The Dems right now don't have a hit man like Cheney.


That's right, but there are many people among the conservatives who are going out there ahead of Cheney. If the Democrats are to succeed , this focus on weakness needs to be said by everyone, by candidates running for office all over the country. There needs to be more spokespeople. The Republicans have agents who constantly call up TV stations and get their people on the air. Democrats, progressives need the same kind of aggressive agents – a network of experts. They have not organized the academic world, but the conservatives have organized theirs. They have not organized NGO leaders who can speak on their own. Kerry needs not to be out there all by himself, so they can take shots at him. He should be in the middle surrounded by many people saying the same message.


What about Kerry and the War in Iraq? ..more..