the Dean scream, Iowa Caucus, January 19, 2004
I understand some folks are troubled by Bernie’s repetition of talking points. They seek nuance, or perhaps a more polished, TV ready persona. They’re more comfortable with Hillary, or are at least willing to be swayed by her more dynamic, camera ready appeal.
Media literacy, anyone?!? Her slick TV personality is exactly what repulses me about the current embodiment of HRC. And I voted for her in the primary in 2008.
Bernie was little known outside of New England prior to October 2015. He needs to introduce himself to the entire electorate. That’s women and men, young and old, of all religious and cultural backgrounds, in fifty states. He needs to send a consistent message for the duration of this campaign. Get used to it.
Bernie needs to NOT DEVIATE from his message, certainly not to provide any fodder for the main stream media to seize on as an opportunity to trash him, which if Howard Dean’s scream was any indicator thereof, they most certainly will.
I was not a Dean supporter in 2004. However I do clearly recall driving home from a long work day on a construction site and hearing the Dean Scream played over and over again on, of all stations, NPR. It was then that I knew without a doubt that Dean had been thrown under the bus by the Democratic establishment, that his anti Iraq War stance was too outlandish for the war hawks, and that National Public Radio could not, with any shred of doubt, be trusted to report without bias on any issue. The corporate sponsors at NPR were holding sway, wayyy too much sway. With an exception for Car Talk, I ceased listening to NPR right then and there.
I thank GOD and my lucky stars for alternative media, for the opportunity to become a producer of media and not just a consumer of media. Perhaps I’m dating myself, but there was a time before the internet when the masses were easily swayed by media manipulation. With our opportunities come responsibilities, to research, to help one another connect the dots, to situate our current realities in historical contexts. At the risk of being redundant, I refer you to my previous post: My New Rock Star
May we help Bernie build coalitions so that he may institute the change we so desperately need in this country. May we send contributions to those running for office who endorse Bernie, especially in hotly contested races. May we find the time and resources to run for elected office in our own towns, counties, cities, and states. May we stay on message for as long as it takes to get Bernie elected President of the United States of America so that we may turn the ship of state and create massive opportunities for real radical change.
Perhaps it will help those of you who are already tiring of the repetition to picture my friend Judy, a petite, 74 year young brash NYC retiree with flaming purple hair, busting out with gleeful laughter every time she hears Bernie say it: “This great nation belongs to all of us, not just a handful of billionaires!” Because for so many of us, we’ve been suffering for a very, very long time.
