Dear Progressive Talkers

Last night I caught Rachel Maddow on MSNBC and Ed Schultz on Larry King.  I think it's great that these cable networks are finally beginning to even out the balance of viewpoints on their programming.  I also think it's great that progressives are getting better and better at framing the issues to 'win' in these little debates.  But.....

...there are some things to frame and some things to take head on.

With Maddow it was Buchanan.  With Big Eddie is was that sloppy lipped ex-Bush speech writer that gives you the smarms just looking at him.  Both these pundits started to roll out the meme last night.  That Obama 'represents and is dominated by the 'far left wing of the Democratic party.''

Now Rachel and Ed both did a fine job deflecting this charge.  Rachel with her frame of McCain representing 'no change, no hope, no we can't.'  With Ed it was 'I don't think the voters care about this far left, far right stuff.'  

But this is a charge that should have been taken head on going back to at least Quayle, if not earlier.  The reason it is completely false.  No Democrat running for office at any point in time, in the history of this country has represented the far left.

This Republican frame of anyone with a D after their name being too liberal or 'far left' has to be crushed.  The only way to crush it is taking it head on.  Every response to these charges must begin with something like this...

"Here's the problem with that.  Republicans have completely lost track of where the left, center, and right of this country is.  The fact is, 60% of the American people support the positions of <insert D here>.  <Insert D here> doesn't support or represent the far left.  S/he supports the position of the majority of this country."

Then feel free to throw in the frames.  But the bottom line is that progressive politics in this country is never going to advance anywhere if the progressive mouth pieces continue to allow this BS 'far left / too liberal' frame to persist.  Our message will not gain traction if right wingers are allowed to say "liberal" like it's a four letter word and have it resonate with their audience.

•  Tips?

  Only my second or third diary.  I think I'm supposed to put this here, no?

  by whereisboblafollette on Wed Feb 20, 2008 at 08:50:27 AM PDT

•  Bible Jesus was a liberal and a leftist.

  Maybe that's what nutso theocrat Huckabee meant when he said Jesus was too smart to run for office. His most rabid "followers" of today wouldn't vote for him.

  by Neon Mama on Wed Feb 20, 2008 at 09:02:53 AM PDT