Democrats silent again, losing the messaging war

[Bobstandard]

A surprising number of prominent Republican are expressing disappointment, disapproval, even outrage to find in his indictments that Trump has put the military, our espionage agents, and the rest of us at risk by stealing, then leaving those classified, compartmentalized documents lying around where anyone could have seen them. One thing I’m not hearing is prominent Democratic voices expressing the appropriate level of outrage that they should be expressing. Loudly. With sound and fury!

Republicans are left to the field making the case that this isn’t about treason, or reckless disregard for the safer of our troops and the nation, it’s about politicization of the DOJ, and what about Hillary, Hunter and Joe Biden.

It’s working. You certainly see and hear more discussion about that than what a dangerous, criminal fuck up Trump is. If Democrats stay silent most mainstream media discussion will devolve into the politicization narrative.

Whether Trump is convicted or not the real story here is how Trump failed the country. How Trump failed in his duty to keep us all safe.

Democrats-besides the folks here on DU—should be shouting from the rooftops about this stuff. They’re not. WTF?

[Lunabell]

1. Going high.

Again.

[NewHendoLib]

2. We play too nice. And we don't have an equivalent noise machine

[Tree Lady]

34. Our only noise machine

Is Keith and he isn't in mainstream anymore.

[edisdead]

43. And members here complain about him being hysterical.

[radius777]

53. Yep, and nice guys finish last.

The public doesn't care about issues; they only pickup a sense of what the narrative is, and as long as the GOP can shape it then the facts won't matter.

The answer to the Hillary/Biden whataboutism is: 'They complied with the gov't, Trump did not, that's the difference. Trump was given every opportunity to comply but did not.'

[inthewind21]

63. And that

very thing has been said all over the news, time and time again.

[Lovie777]

3. Nope.............

[mucifer]

4. I'm sick of people saying this and ignoring what

Democratic politicians say and only reflect the media.

The medias reporting is crap.

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

28. Agree. The MSM is the biggest impediment to Democratic messages.

I'd like to see a coast-to-coast billboard campaign started up showing all of the accomplishments Biden and the Democrats have achieved for the people. Put them in the areas that really need to see them.

[betsuni]

39. +1

[johnp3907]

5. I disagree.

From Heather Cox Richardson:

"Guided by President Biden, the Democrats are refusing to comment on the indictment, likely in part to undermine the argument that it is about politics and also because they recognize that many Americans are just tired of drama.

Overall, though, they seem determined to redirect people’s attention to the reality that the Biden administration and the Democrats are actually governing according to the principles of a democracy. Frustrating as this tactic is to partisans, scholars who study how to restore democratic norms in a faltering democracy suggest that emphasizing those norms is crucial."

[SharonClark]

7. I agree with HCR and you.

[EarlG]

11. I like this take

The Trump Show is a never-ending circus, and Trump fatigue is real.

A few years ago Trump succeeded by simply gish-galloping the nation -- flooding the media zone with bullshit and jumping from scandal to scandal so fast that it was impossible to keep up. It was awful, but it was a new approach to politics and it kept the media (and the nation) hooked.

But without the power of the presidency and the bully pulpit, Trump's ability to misdirect and distract is much reduced. The only reason we're all talking about him now is because he's been indicted for major crimes -- that's the only story in town as far as Trump is concerned. He can't deflect attention away from this. His GOP allies (even his primary opponents FFS) are all over the media trying to misdirect and distract for him, but this story is not about Republicans vs. Democrats -- it's about Republicans vs. The Rule Of Law.

I think Republicans would LOVE for Democrats to get more involved, much like they would have loved it if antifa had showed up on January 6. They want to (and they're trying hard to) divert attention away from Trump's crimes and paint this whole thing as "just politics" -- nothing more than a battle of ideas between two opposing ideologies.

But there's really no need for Democrats to get more involved -- at least, not right now. You better believe that ALL of this is being taken down and saved for powerful 2024 campaign ads though, creating a theme which will drive home the message that Donald Trump is a tired, stale, criminal clownshow and the nation will be better off without him.

[usonian]

12. And that's why we saw so many republicans testifying to the Jan 6 committee and grand juries.

A good detective (or scientist) sees "what isn't there" as well as what is.

Yesterday, upon the stair
I saw a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today.
He must be from the CIA.

[EarlG]

16. Lol

Great poem

[usonian]

17. I'd credit the author if I knew who it is!

[Hekate]

25. by Hughes Mearns -- but I really like the "CIA" change!

Antigonish [I met a man who wasn't there]

Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away...

When I came home last night at three
The man was waiting there for me
But when I looked around the hall
I couldn't see him there at all!
Go away, go away, don't you come back any more!
Go away, go away, and please don't slam the door... (slam!)

Last night I saw upon the stair
A little man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
Oh, how I wish he'd go away...

[Silent3]

31. The CIA line is NOT from the original poem!

[usonian]

32. I asked, and they can neither confirm nor deny that. n/t

[bluboid]

22. thanks for the wise insight ...

that's what makes DU special - stability & wisdom

[betsuni]

40. +1

[GoCubsGo]

46. Yes, that, and the GOPers are also starting to beat up each other.

As more of them actually read the indictment, they're turning on Trump, much to the dismay of the MAGAts.. Let them and the Trump cult have at each other. The Dems need to just stand by and let them weaken each other. Never stick your hand into a bag of rats that are fighting, or you'll get bitten. Just let 'em keep fighting.

[RAB910]

6. The Democrats need to tread a fine line

Say too much, or the wrong thing, and the charges look political. I think the Dems should focus on Trump's defenders rather than Trump

[Tetrachloride]

8. +++ Dema lost Wisconsin Senate race against Ron Johnson

one of many examples where Dems high and low didn’t show up and Republicans did.

even in DU, how many for Wisconsin?

[JohnSJ]

10. Wisconsin is a very precarious state. Barnes was ahead before the actual race started, but

it wasn’t because the Barnes campaign went “high”, but his position on crime, which didn’t resonate with the people in Wisconsin. There were dozens of attack ads against his no cash bail position, and he never adequately addressed. Yes, he pushed back on the defund the police mischaracterization, which was good, but ignored the no cash bail which the republicans pounded him on, saying it would put dangerous criminals back on street.

The other issue was that he was significantly outspent, along with the battle of winning against an incumbent, no matter how bad he is. You need a lot of money to do that.

The fact that Evers won a second term indicates that Barnes campaign was lacking something

[f_townsend]

33. Barnes was a mediocre candidate

Running against a very beatable opponent, it was Barnes' race to lose, but he managed to find a way to lose it.

[JohnSJ]

37. Unfortunately I agree

[Poiuyt]

36. My blood still boils over losing that race

Johnson was very vulnerable to attack on a number of issues, but instead Barnes ran ads of him making peanut butter sandwiches at his kitchen table.

[JohnSJ]

9. What do you want them to do. When interviewed they plainly state these are serious charges, and

it isn’t about politics, but violations of the law, and putting are country potentially at risk.

As for the republicans are concerned, the only thing they are doing when interviewed is talking over the person interviewing them, and throwing out lies and misinformation, which the interviewer can’t get a word in edgewise because they keep interrupting. For them it is about retaining power and distraction.

Two impeachments failed, not because the Democrats didn’t make the case, and the January 6th Congressional Committee case was not because of Democrats not doing nothing. In fact most of those witnesses under oath were either republicans, or part of the trump administration making the case against trump.

The republicans are trying to make this about politics. It isn’t. It is about national security, and when interviewed, every Democrat I have heard point out the hypocrisy of the republicans, their disregard for national security, and their reckless and dangerous rhetoric calling for violence.

[betsuni]

41. +1

[FSogol]

13. Want to win the war? Work on getting young people registered to vote.

Last edited Mon Jun 12, 2023, 04:45 PM - Edit history (1)

Only half of the eligible people in this country vote. Get them involved and registered.

[Sky Jewels]

19. I freaking love Gen Z (I made two of them, ha ha) and before the WI election I wrote postcards

to young people in Madison urging them to vote and also to get their friends to register. The postcards were through The Civics Center and they provided a QR code that was easy to scan with a cell phone to take the "kids" to a site where they could register.

Anyhoo, The Civics Center is a great resource for registering and mobilizing younger voters.

[GenXer47]

14. I share your frustration

The media cannot break from its playbook - "political controversy".
This is sooo far beyond controversial. But by interviewing R's primary contenders, airing these lukewarm cop-out comments, and framing this as just another 'ol election is *exactly* how outrageous, dangerous behavior becomes normalized.
It reminds me of sado-masochism. You incrementally habituate the masochist to respond affirmatively to humiliation, discomfort, pain, injury - each time, reinforcing this totally contrary-to-natural response.
That is the abusive relationship between Trump and his thralls. But try to break them from it! They are exactly like abused spouses, abused children.

[inthewind21]

64. Depending

on the media is your first mistake. And, it's not the media who elects, it's the people. Just sayin.

[Fiendish Thingy]

15. If Dems followed your advice, it would make things worse.

If Dems were screaming as loudly as you wanted them to about Trump’s indictments, then it would be just that much easier for the average American to dismiss his charges as politicized and “weaponization” of the DOJ.

The Dems “messaging” should simply be to let the DOJ speak for itself.

Meanwhile, that creates space for the GOP loonies to make excuses for Trump, and the “sane” and serious Republicans to craft a narrative that Trump is “toast” and clearly unelectable.

Next year, as the general election draws closer, then the Dems can use their PACs and dark money for hit pieces on Trump’s crimes (and think how much more we will all know by then).

[mcar]

18. Maybe you should tell them

[BannonsLiver]

20. Oh no.

[Mr.Bill]

21. The republican party is destroying itself

right out in the open. No need to interrupt them.

[GoCubsGo]

47. Yes, exactly right.

And, as more people read the indictment, the worse his defenders are going to look.

[TomDaisy]

23. we need to be the messengers

[aax]

24. High ranking Dems speaking out about this only gives Trump more ammo to claim it's political

Best to keep it professional and let the DoJ handle the criminal matter.

[edisdead]

26. oh another how wrong democrats are post.

Gee we really needed that

[ismnotwasm]

27. ? Not sure to what you are referring

Just did a quick google search. This is from “The Hill”—

Democratic lawmakers claim indictment news shows Trump ‘not above the law
Democratic lawmakers on Thursday weighed in on former President Trump’s indictment in connection with an investigation into his handling of classified documents, with many arguing that the news shows the former president and current 2024 candidate isn’t above the law.
“Trump’s apparent indictment on multiple charges arising from his retention of classified materials is another affirmation of the rule of law,” said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who played a central role in Trump’s first impeachment.

Trump, who is running for president in 2024, said on Thursday that his legal team had been told he was indicted and summoned to appear in federal court in Miami on Tuesday.
“For four years, he acted like he was above the law. But he should be treated like any other lawbreaker. And today, he has been,” Schiff said of Trump.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4041785-democratic-lawmakers-claim-indictment-news-shows-trump-not-above-the-law/

[Oneironaut]

29. I can't wait until cable news dies.

It’s had such a detrimental effect on this country - especially in the last 10 years. For profit news should never be trusted.

[inthewind21]

42. Cable news?

There is such a thing? There lies the problem, people think they are watching NEWS. They aren't they are watching talk shows with commentators who express opinions and speculate about current events and splash in a bit of "news" but then go back to commentary and speculation and people take it as gospel, because it's the news. It's all just like watching The View, with a political bent. But it's certainly not "The News"

[Hortensis]

30. "Never interfere with an enemy while he's in the process of destroying himself."

One of many variations on Napoleon's statements on this subject.

What possible reason would someone have for distracting the media to our political statements when they're all focused on criminal actions of Der Traitor and Der Traitor's party?

Know that, and "who" would be answered too.

[Bobstandard]

38. The 'weaponizing the justice system' narrative is

featuring at least as prominently as Trump’s betrayal of the troops, national security, and our safety. If the narrative isn’t refocused from time to time on to Trumps crimes, it will eventually win out.

I can see why Biden, his staff, and the DNC ought to stay out of it, but other prominent Dems ought to speak out.

Republicans have always portrayed themselves as the national security party. This is our chance to take that from them.

[Hortensis]

49. Well, they are trying desperately to focus it on us as a criminal government.

Of course. The stakes are enormous.

[Autumn]

35. I guess when they go low we still go high

I don't get it either.

[betsuni]

44. Because if I didn't hear a tree falling in the forest, it didn't fall down.

[JohnSJ]

45. and I actually sense that is a problem for the reason that the MSM seems to give more time to

republicans to spout off their nonsense, and doesn’t give at least as much time to the Democratic point of view

Some of that I believe is because they create chaos, which gets attention

[betsuni]

48. Republican trees are full of rabid raccoons that scream as the tree falls, landing on roaring bears

Last edited Wed Jun 14, 2023, 10:29 PM - Edit history (1)

who disturb a huge hornet's nest as they flee, the birds sound alarm and swarm in great flocks that block out the sun, the lumber company immediately cuts up the tree with noisy buzzsaws and loads it in enormous trucks along with all the other Republican trees that have "fallen" -- the whole forest hears it every day.

[JohnSJ]

52. What a great analogy

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

59. I actually had an idiot teacher in secondary school

Who tried to argue that a tree falling in the woods didn't make a sound.

"What do you mean it didn't make a sound? It generated sound waves, which, by its cery nature, is making a sound."

"It doesn't make a sound if no one is there to hear it."

"So if someone is playing a stereo in some isolated woods through a speaker, it's not making a sound? You really want to go there? And define 'no one.'"

"No one is no person. You need a person with a brain to interpret it as sound to know that it's made."

"You enjoy being wrong, I take it, because the tree did generate sound waves--which is literally 'making a sound,' and plenty of animals capable of receiving the signal were there to hear it. Why do you assume that the tree falling doesn't make a sound if humans aren't there to hear it? Do those animals not count? Because I promise you when that tree fell, a bunch of animals cleared out at the sound of it."

I got in trouble, as usual, for refusing to let a stupid and outrageous lie go unchallenged.

[Demsrule86]

50. Completely not true.

And no message will pierce the stupid MAGA folks.

[Bobstandard]

51. Agree. The messaging is to convince unenthusiastic Democrats

that Democrats are able and willing to fight for this country and that they should come out and vote for us. It’s also to convince independents that Democrats are not just mild mannered, turn-the-other-cheek proponents of arcane policies but that we stand for security and democracy and the rule of law and that we’ll fight for those things.

[inthewind21]

65. Well

if "some" democrats and independent's are "unenthusiastic" about nixing the loons currently in power and need to be "convinced" that anyone with a D behind their name needs to replace anyone with an R and any 3rd party should be completely ignored in order to restore some sort of sanity then I guess they would prefer the loons to stay in charge. It's just that simple!

If everyone (other than a deranged MAGA) doesn't see crystal clear by now what will, and has, already happened because some weren't "enthusiastic" well, I'm not sure they can be reached either. And we will ALL get exactly what we have already got. And more!

[Cha]

54. Oh yes, it's all the Dems Fault.. SARCASM!

Check Post # 5 by johnp3907 and Post # 11 by EarlG to Learn what's going On.

Not the Dems Fault.. that's What's Going ON.

[Bobstandard]

55. I'm confused, what are you blaming on Dems?

This site is supposed to support Dems.

[Cha]

57. Did you read Post 5 & 11?

There is NO "Confusion".. I posted it is NOT the Dems Fault.

The first sentence was Sarcasm.. and I'm going back to post it as such since you didn't get it.

[BootinUp]

56. People get tired of outrage.

If you actually measure how many people are all into this trial and want more news discussion and outrage I think you would be surprised at how small that number is.

The most important thing is to win at the ballot box. I see no reason to think we won't be beating GOP ass in the next couple of elections.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

58. Oh for crying out loud

Are they silent, or are they not given a platform to express their views.

Think on this long and hard.

I'll wait for you to realize what the problem really is.

[Bobstandard]

60. Google 'Chuck Schumer statements on Trump indictments'

Or make a similar query re Hakeem Jeffries or for Democrats in general.

Kerry Eleveld over at Daily Kos has a take on this similar to mine and says it better. Check that out. [link:https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/6/14/2175357/-Democrats-silence-on-Trump-leaves-a-vacuum-for-disinformation|

[Deep State Witch]

61. They've Been Told

Not to say anything. From POTUS on down. At least according to Alex W last night.

Let the facts speak for themselves.

[Renew Deal]

62. I've seen these complaints before

And in the end it turns out Democrats played it perfectly.

[Scrivener7]

66. I agree. And your point about googling to see what our Congressional leaders

have said about tfg's crimes is an excellent one. Doing so makes your point very clear.