The lesson from the hearing for all of us "regular citizens" is:

[smartvoter]

Get your message down to a tight statement and keep your emotions in check. People with good points undermined their credibility toward the end.

There is a lesson for all of us in this. We need to be reasoned and rational sounding when we make our case. If fraud is exposed, the rest takes care of itself.

[regularjoe]

1. Too right you are. n/t

[electropop]

2. Yup, sound bites beat lectures

especially when talking to the short-attention-span US Public.

[smartvoter]

3. Yep. One of our challenges is we don't have a universal sound bite

to spread this around yet.

[electropop]

7. A few slogan suggestions

Republicans stand for:

Faith-based voting
Hate-based morality
Haste-based warfare
Spae-based weapons
Bald-faced greed
Waste-based energy policy
Straight-faced lies
State-based religion
Fate-based planning

Democratic slogans:

Your turn
You matter
Think clearly
Smarter IS better
Save the middle class
Make America America again
Better ideas, better results
No more welfare for the wealthy
Healthier smarter kids for a safer America
The most important weapon in the War on Terror is a brain.
Stop hating, start helping
Privatize Bush

[MarkusQ]

4. Also: don't drone on about your credentials

It's a good general rule, and it's value was very evident here: people who aren't sure of their standing often blather on about who they are and what they've done, while good speakers let their point stand on its merit.

Instead of giving your life story, get to the point. Make a clear statement or ask a pointed question, making the most of that initial instant where you've got their full attention.

--MarkusQ

[Alizaryn]

5. Well said

[merbex]

6. Be clear and precise or don't say anything at all n/t

[Wordie]

8. kick

[marions ghost]

9. These tips are excellent...

and I do agree with you, but also some people would never speak out if they had to look at themselves on camera. OK some of the regular folks at the hearing came off as angry, nervous, too wordy. Not polished. But I did't mind some reality TV in there.

Yeah the message is the thing of course in this critical moment, but at least in this context they were clearly overshadowed by the other heavy hitters. And Conyers was totally in control of the situation.

For those who may be speaking on any such issues, I agree it's very important to relax, speak slowly, and pare the message down to the absolute minimum. But I still have to commend those citizens who had the guts to belly up to the microphone...not easy. Good to see the passion. Might make others feel like they could do it.