My view on Bernie's messaging problem.

[Motown_Johnny]

Just watched him on MTP. He always turns back to the economic inequality issue and then he gets criticized for it. How long does this need to go on before his campaign finds a way to deal with it?

My suggestion: Explain that in his view, lessening economic inequality will empower people (of color, among others) to better combat the social inequality and injustice that exists.

Simply focusing on his one strongest message is not good enough. He needs to justify why his focus is so intense and then tie it into the other issues that people care about.

It seems like a pretty easy fix.

[Armstead]

1. Not sure you were listening.

He did do that. Maybe not as forcefully as yo would like, but when he gets a few precious minutes on a mainstream news show (with a dense thickheaded host like Chuck Todd) he has to hammer home his basic message -- which did include what you suggested.

[Motown_Johnny]

8. He needs to say it outright

use a phrase like "the key to answering the social problems...."

It isn't just the MTP interview. Bernie just needs to justify why he always comes back to the economic argument. Without doing that he won't get as much support from the voters who do not watch as closely as you and I.

He needs a soundbite, a bumper sticker... I know it sucks but it is the way things go this far out. Most people are not really paying attention so you need to keep things short and simple.

[leveymg]

2. Bernie's "messaging problem" is really a problem for his front-running opponent

Hence, the Rovian "attack the strength" (and twist it into something it isn't) campaign against Sanders.

[appalachiablue]

3. Bernie did acknowledge that racial issues must also be worked with esp. since

they impact poverty and lack of jobs. As he said also, MLK Jr knew that both racism and economics had to be dealt with.(Some people attribute King's assassination to his move to the economic realm). Todd was also wrong about blacks and minorities not supporting Sanders, that is untrue, part of the corporate news theme because for an establishment, pro corporate candidate like Hillary to win they need the large voting block of those two groups.

I think Sanders did exceptionally well esp. on the gun issue and last Sunday's incident at the Net Roots Nation conference which Todd tried to attack him on. John Nichols of the Nation was also great, emphasizing how the country is much different post 2008 Re acceptance of immigration by labor groups and the new form of populism that is very different than the positions of RW Trump and Buchanan. Nichols' bringing up how FDR was not a culture based populist was so relevant.

[Snotcicles]

4. I agree 100%. He needs to explain thoroughly, exactly how each issue parallel's with

economic inequality. He needs to dedicate a portion of his interviews to just showing how each relates to the other, one at a time.

[Motown_Johnny]

9. He did say that they parallel

and maybe that is what brought this to my attention.


That is to complicated an argument for the soundbite MSM that dominates the discussion.

He needs something short and sweet to drive it home.

[Snotcicles]

11. Bernie does his best when he is having a conversation. He should be asked to explain

the cause and effect. And do it as completely as he can.

[Motown_Johnny]

12. Agreed, but that might be part of the problem.

That kind of thing will come out in the debates. In these short interviews where he is criticized as always focusing on the economic issue he needs to justify why he does it. He also needs to do it in a sound bite way. This really is the only way to get the message out. The MSM won't play a long and reasoned explanation over and over again. He needs a sound bite.

[Snotcicles]

17. If he starts his next campaign event out as I mentioned in post #14

I believe it would help him a lot.

[merrily]

5. I think people of color get how economic improvements relate to them. They don't get how it

relates to Chris Rock getting pulled over repeatedly for dwb.

I think we Sanders supporters need to get that there are two issues that, while intertwined,each need to be addressed in some different way. However, I don't think any other candidate has been or will be better on race in actions than Bernie has been. Also, I think federal laws/federal government can do only so much about hatred and bias. Bernie has been calling for so many things people say he has not been calling for, such as less incarceration.

[Snotcicles]

14. Yep, Bernie needs to show his knowledge of how deeply intrenched

institutional racism is. And that he recognizes the tactics and methods used to perpetrate and perpetuate it.
That would be my advice to him.

[Chiquitita]

6. I see your point, and I think he's been listening and responding.

I'm sure it's tougher than it looks and Bernie is doing a great job. The fact that people criticize him in this way is more constructive than harmful, ultimately. God knows we need to talk about this stuff as a nation. If people are talking, maybe we can make some progress together and form a stronger coalition in which people aren't told to shut up and wait. To me, hearing Bernie on NBC today and reading the speech he gave in Louisiana it seems he showed respect for what POC are saying and understands that it's white Dems that need to wake up.

Honestly, there is a lot that white people (hey, I'm white too) don't get so easily because we haven't lived it. Our skin color privilege is second nature to us: we don't face the potential of being dehumanized and criminalized by authority figures for our pigment or hair as a sort of daily thing since we entered grade school. But it's not just that. White middle class families in the 20th century had a clearer path for home ownership, education, union membership, etc. and could enjoy passing that wealth onto their children and grandchildren. POC know this. Do white folks know this? I just don't think Bernie needs to explain anything to people of color. If the point is to grow the middle class, we have to fight institutionalized racism (especially in housing) or the potential for wealth won't be equally distributed.

One way of threading the two issues together, is that FDR's New Deal helped to create the economic conditions favorable to the Civil Rights Movement. The more people had, the more resources there were for fighting for opportunity. Of course, the wealth created for the growing American middle class at that time was not not by a long shot equal. We had to wait for the GI bill to be fairly distributed to black vets (the GI bill was what pushed my white father into the middle class, as his family's first college grad). Then there was the issue of getting a mortgage in your choice of neighborhood -- try doing that as a POC in 1960. Generationally, wealth couldn't be built up by black middle class families over time at the same rate as in white families.

I don't think it is easy to explain this, because few of us want to admit in this country that we had an advantage over our neighbor of color, and saying that in a campaign speech might not get us excited to vote.

[madfloridian]

7. You did not watch the same interview. Todd was horrible, childish, drowning in talking points.

Sanders had a powerful interview. He DID integrate his economic message with racial concerns.

Some simply are not going to listen, not going to hear, and their decision is already made.

He is an interloper in a contest with a so-called inevitable conclusion.

"How dare he" is the attitude.

I say good for him.

Powerful interview.

[Motown_Johnny]

10. Todd is always horrible

That should go without saying.

I just think that Bernie needs to drive this home with something short and to the point.

He is being seen as weak on social equality when it should be a strength. Something in the message needs to be made more clear.

[madfloridian]

13. I think we saw different interviews.

[Motown_Johnny]

15. Did you watch after the interview ended?

Toad went after him for always focusing on the economic issues.

This narrative needs to stop.

[madfloridian]

16. I must be misunderstanding you.

I don't think Todd has earned the right to set agendas like that.

I am backing off. I quit posting in GDP, not going to argue anymore.

No I just watched the interview itself. I found it hard to see anyone subjected to stupid idiotic questions like Todd posed.

[Trajan]

19. Just so you know

I sincerely appreciate the battles you have fought here in Bernie's behalf ... You have done so worth decency and honesty .. .

THANK YOU!

[SoapBox]

23. A tool like Toad and other Bernie bashers (see GDP)...

will never be satisfied.

Bernie can change his narrative, drilling down to microscopic pinpoints...and it's never going to be good enough for those that are only concerned with their agenda. The is no compromising with them to make them happy...ever. You will never hear Toad say, OK I get it...end of conversation.

Where was HRC today on the shows? Oh ya...no where to be found, as she's roped off from any media.

Bernie and Team Bernie are doing just fine right now.

[PADemD]

18. Bernie was great.

He cut off Chuck Todd every time he tried to make a talking point.

[LWolf]

20. I thought he did a really good job here:

&feature=youtu.be

and here:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2zcakx_bernie-sanders-stops-chuck-todd-cold-when-he-tries-to-spin-a-false-narrative_news

I'd like to hear from those critics and see how well they think he did here.

[hootinholler]

22. Don't hold your breath

It doesn't fit the narrative.

[aspirant]

21. All I've heard is

if he would do just a little bit more, maybe just a little bit more, perhaps a little bit more will do it.

This is an unending game with no solution in sight. He stated in the interview MLK's socio-economic views.

Now it is said to go point by point and show how economic and social justice intertwine, so I ask exactly how many points are there and when is the moment of completion.

This is a Rovian tactic and the plan is to have it never end, nothing will be enough.

[madfloridian]

24. ....

[Divernan]

25. I agree. It IS a Rovian tactic and I don't like seeing it posted in this group.

It smacks of faux "concern".

I thought he did a masterful job on Meet the Press and addressed the question sufficiently.

[arcane1]

26. I saw a different interview, it seems. His "messaging" was perfect.

The problem isn't his messaging, it's the misplaced criticism.