If we were as good at kicking ass as we are at making excuses...

[Dr Fate]

...for why we don't kick ass, we would win every election.

Looking over DU, I see literally hundreds of excuses for why we can't fight-

"The Media..." BULLSHIT. Who is stopping top name DEMS from going on TV and calling out Bush & the media on stories like Gannon, WMDs, etc? WHO is keeping top name DEMS from going on TV every night and listing "lies" put forth by Bush & the media?

"We are going to let them fall on their swords" HA! They are not idiots- why not stab them instead???? Much quicker, and we get the credit for it.

"We are giving them enough rope to hang themselves with" Uh-huh, Worked so well with he Swift boats, didn't it? NO SALE.

"If we did that, the media would be mean to us and ask us hard questions." PLEASE- is this REALLY an excuse? I thought the media smeared, lied and trashed us even when we played nice- like after 9-11- so why not fight since they will do it anyway???

"The base could not get its act together on the message, so the media did not cover it." BULLSHIT!!! NO ONE stopped Kerry, Dean, Hilary or Obama from going on TV and putting forth an aggressive, on-target message.

"The media would not cover our press conferences" LAME- WHO is refusing Kerry, Obama, Dean, Hillary live interviews? WHO???

"DEMS wrote letters about this- so they really are fighting." LETTERS???? Is this the 1890's? What about the god-damned TV???? Who the hell knows about "letters?" Writing letters is "fighting???" According to WHO????

"IF we come across too aggressive, it will confuse swing voters." I see- and they REALLY responded to us in 2002 after we played nice with Bush/media, didn't they? NO SALE.

THEN there are the personal attacks-"You DEM bashers are bitching but not doing anything." I suggest you think twice b/f resorting to this one, or I might ask you exactly what you have done. I'll bet I've done as much or more.

As I said, when DEMS can up with as many ways to KICK ASS as they can excuses for not kicking ass, we can, well- KICK SOME ASS!!!!


MY ADVICE:
STOP making excuses for why we can't kick ass and start KICKING SOME ASS.

[Jim Sagle]

1. This is a kick-ass thread. I'm giving it a kick!

:headbang:

[blogbear]

3. Ditto!

[janx]

2. You are absolutely right.! n/t

[Al-CIAda]

4. Nominated!

:thumbsup:

[FrenchieCat]

5. Hear, here!

A :toast: to kicking some GOP ass today and everyday!

But I will concede that the media is truly fucked. But that shouldn't stop us from sticking our foot in there....where the sun don't shine and calling out the GOP on their assinine bullshit as they serve it up on a daily basis!

[justgamma]

6. "Who is stopping top name DEMS from going on TV "

Maybe it's the media. Do we hold guns to their heads to force them to put Dems on?

[ZootSuitGringo]

7. And I will add, that when they do have dems on

it's always the same ol' ones. Biden is just about on my last nerve, but when I turn on the Sunday morning talk show, all I can see are his obviously bleached capped teeth. But we can't seem to get some real Dems on those shows?

[Dr Fate]

9. Which media outlet has refused interviews to Dean, Obama, Kerry...

...Hillary, Harry Reid, etc?

Please name the shows and on what dates.

[Grooner Five]

8. Well Said

We should live or die by our ideas and beliefs. Blaming the media or anything else is just a cheap crutch. Any big-name Dem can get a lot of talking time on TV, and many of them do.

It's what they say (or don't say) that's really the problem.

[Dr Fate]

10. While I admit the GOP controls the media, it's still no excuse...

...for DEMS refusing to go on TV and tell the blunt, unvarnised truth about Gannon, WMDs, literally hundreds of Bush lies, etc, etc, etc.

[justgamma]

11. Please name the shows

that the Dems refused to go on.

[Dr Fate]

12. I never saw Kerry, Dean or Obama on ANY show talking about Gannon.

As one example.Which is a shame, b/c it was the perfect story to expose media corruption. Instead, we gave Bush yet another free pass.

I never saw any DEMS go on any show and accuse Bush, Judy Woodruff & Wolf Blitzer of "Lying about Kerry's War Record."

Of course, top Republicans DID go on EVERY SHOW and accuse Dan Rather of "lying."

I'm not here to make excuses- I'm here to come up with ways to kick some ass. It's not about what shows they do or do not go on- it's about what they say when they do go shows- or what they COULD say if they were brave enough to stick their necks out and go on these shows.

[blm]

42. You didn't see the media cover his healthcare press conference, either.

The media CHOOSES Who will be on the shows and WHAT topic will be covered.

Kerry has had several NEWS CONFERENCES that 99% of the media blanked out completely.

The GOP control of the media HAS To be exposed somehow. THAT is the battle the Dems HAVE to take on or else NOTHING else will cut through.

It doesn't matter WHAT Dem leader says about about anything for the 5 minutes they get on air. It's HOW the media spins it afterwards that makes the final impression.

Now, if the Democrats refuse to take on that battle and stupidly IGNORE it as if it doesn't matter, THEN I will target them as dumbasses.

[Al-CIAda]

43. They had a chance w/Gannon-propaganda, but they are BLOWING it.

[sendero]

13. I like the way you think...

.. :) If you are ever in Dallas, get in touch let's get a beer. :)

I'm sick to death of the excuses. I'm sick of pink tutus. I'm sick of congresscritters who are more worried about keeping their perk laden jobs than about accomplishing jack shit. I'm sick of politicians who believe nothing and are in permanent campaign mode.

And as for the "media", yeah they are biased. But they cannot pass up a good story. As soon as someone gives them some red meat, they will air it. As of late, nobody has the stuff to do it. It makes me want to punch holes in the wall. :(

[Dr Fate]

18. Gannongate had EVERYTHING. Once again, DEMS gave Bush a free pass.

Of course, the hard working base did everything we could to expose media corruption throught the Gannon story- but DEM "leaders" were too chicken to go on TV and back us up on this.

We lose on ALL issues until we force the hand of the lying, corrupt GOP/media.

[Laurab]

25. They can pass up a good story, and they do

Gannon had EVERYTHING the media wants in a story. It shouldn't have needed dems or anyone else to talk about it once it was out there. I am afraid the media is more powerful and/or frightened than we'd like to admit. I mean, the Enquirer - the Star - they THRIVE on stories like that, but, not a peep. I believe Murdoch owns them, I'm not positive? I have heard media people say they were not "allowed" to talk about voter fraud (Randi Rhodes for one).

I honestly believe we're kidding ourselves if we think the media can't pass up a good story these days. There is a reason a lot of stories don't make it to the media, and it's not because they're not good stories. The media is either in fear of retribution, or owned by powerful right wingers. The stories the dems bring up become framed the way the RW want them to.

I really wasn't convinced until the Gannon/Guckert thing. I'd be in the supermarket, looking at the tabloids, and when I saw not a word, it finally clicked. They have total control. The public would have eaten up every word of the Gannon thing if it had been reported on. There was scandal, sex, politics...everything the reading public (particularly the tabloid reading public) wants. It would have sold papers, which proves the RW agenda is more important than making money for those types of publications, or at least for their owners.

As far as the dems going on tv, giving press conferences - I think we're seeing more of it. We should see a LOT more. It's been time to take off the gloves for a long time but they seem to be only beginning to understand that.

Bottom line though, is that the dems should not have to be reporters, particularly for scandal type things. THAT is the job of the media. Blame the dems if you want, for not going on talk shows, but don't blame them for not doing the media's job for them.

[Dr Fate]

30. They have to do the media's job for them if they want to win.

I'm not blaming them- I'm telling them how to win.

You are right- the media does pass up good stories- but no one ever stopped DEMS from talking about Gannon and getting things rolling, for example.

If Wolf Blitzer etc. wont talk about an issue such as media bias/propaganda, then Kerry, Dean, Hillary & Obama need to start talking about it- and in a way that people notice.

[earth mom]

34. Very well said Laurab!

Great thread and your reply was great too. There does need to be some ass kicking going on, but I think the people who can make a difference are afraid...possibly for their lives. I remember reading something about Kerrys daughters life was threatened if he went after * for the stolen election. And that the Gannon story has faded as it has is just unbelievable; the only explaination I can see for any of it is FEAR.

FEAR is an extremely powerful weapon that * & Co love to wield.
Lets not forget 9/11 or the anthrax scare in D.C., etc., etc., etc... :scared:

[solinvictus]

14. Our Officials Should be Mad as Hell...

24/7, any time there's a camera or mike they should be like fucking rabid pit bulls attacking Bush and all his lies. Where the hell's our version of a meaner, smarter Ann Coulter? AAR sure isn't doing it and most of our pundits have milk in their veins.

[European Socialist]

15. I think the dems have adopted the Bush mentality.

Up is down. smart is dumb. left is right. Dems want to leave the fighting to lawyers-and not get the public riled up. When you are in the minority, your only hope is public opinion.

[sandnsea]

16. lol

Suggesting that WE are going to have to get our shit together really pushed some buttons didn't it?

Let's play a different game. Let's say NO Dem ever says a word about anything. Then what?

What are WE going to do to fight both parties?

Whatever those steps are, they're the exact same steps we need to be taking to fight the Republicans now. No matter what anybody in Congress does or doesn't do.

[Dr Fate]

17. I'm doing my part. I'm at least entertaining some ways to kick some ass.

The Democrats at DU or the ones you meet behind you in the grocery line don't have a problem- we know what is up. It's the ones who are afraid of Bush/media that are dragging the rest of us down.

If *I* were on Larry King, we would not be afraid to call a spade a spade.

If *I* were John Kerry, *I* would have told the blunt, unvarnished truth and said "Bush and the media are lying about my war record, just like they lied about the WMDs." Swing voters who dont understand "nuance" WOULD have understood that.

That is just one tiny example out of hundreds of possibilities.

As I said, if we could kick ass as much as as we can make excuses and blame others, we would be winners.

One way or the other, the status quo has lost us 3 election cycles- obviously we are doing somthing wrong, and the agressive, blunt-speaking Republicans are doing somthing right.

"We" are writting letters to the editor and organizing- "we" are spreading the word that Bush is a "liar" with ZERO credibility. "We" are spreading the word that the media is corrupt and bought out by GOP interests.

Its about time the "leaders" started backing up the ground troops on these things that "we" have been truthfully saying, no?

[sandnsea]

19. Your job

"The president keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that,"

"They're a front for the Bush campaign. And the fact that the president won't denounce them tells you everything you need to know --he wants them to do his dirty work,"

YOUR job was to repeat that ad nauseum. They're a Republican attack group doing Bush's dirty work. Over and over and over and over. No matter what specific words you think Kerry should have used, doesn't matter. Those are the words he chose, and it was YOUR job to repeat them. That's what the right wing gets that Dems don't.

Instead, Dems split into two categories. The ones who wanted to tell Kerry how to fight his battles, and the ones who said we should make nicey nice with the Swifties and Kerry should explain his service and bla bla bla.

There were damn few of us who said STAY ON MESSAGE and just follow the campaign's lead.

I'm saying it again. Follow the Dem's lead. They pick a battle, we're the foot soldiers.

Don't tell me they aren't working their asses off. Here's a bunch of battles to pick from:

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/index.php?m=200503

[Dr Fate]

20. I did all those things, and oh, so much more.

We will have to agree to disagree- I still think the DEM leaders are chosing the wrong battles, and poorly fighting the ones they do choose.

Peace, friend.

Doc

[sandnsea]

29. Gotta' find your hope

http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2005-03-18/cols_ventura.html

[IronLionZion]

21. YEARGH!!!

that's all I have to say about that. :P

Chairman Dean is lighting a fire under the Dems' asses. We should all kick so much ass.

[nickshepDEM]

22. Kick Ass and Take names! n/t

[roseBudd]

23. Here is my ass kicking right here...

oooh but she used cuss words, those cuss words will turn people off..

yo check it:

http://bushcheated04.com

yes, I called Rove a rat fucker and Roy hoffman a baby killer

[Dr Fate]

26. No one minded when Cheney said "fuck" or when Bush gave the finger.

That would be my response to Wolf Blitzer "Where was your outrage about cursing when it was the GOP? Why do you constantly protect the Republicans, just like Jeff Gannon does?"

[roseBudd]

32. we need to wake up ans start appealing to the reptilian brain, they

mock us because it works.

[Al-CIAda]

38. rosebud57 kicks ass!

:thumbsup:

[roseBudd]

45. Before the election I wrote a little rap/poem called GWB is a PAB...

George W. Bush is a punk ass bitch
Crony capitalist all about the rich

Dumbass sat for 7 minutes like a dope
While schoolkids read 'My Pet Goat'

No WMD in Iraq you fool
Iran got nukes, Korea do too

George Bush is a punk ass bitch
Crony capitalist all about the rich

Ecomomy sucks and Bush is why
When Clinton lied, no one died

Kerry punked Bush in each debate
Idiot boy Bush could not relate

Punk ass bitch can kiss my ass
Back to Texas like rained on trash

November 2nd is when I vote
Not for the fool who read 'My Pet Goat'

I was passing these out to the tune of over 100 a day and everybody wanted one or more to KEEP, not to wad up and throw away. Most people would not even fold it because they didn't want to mess it up. Now obviously I was doing all my GOTV among likely Kerry voters in our most democratically leaning urban areas. Yet all the middleaged white people from the Kerry campaign, were like, oh you can't say punk ass bitch, and one even saidcan't you change it to mean old witch. Um, no.

[gulfcoastliberal]

24. This charade is fixed....

Enough if not all are compromised to the same extent as the 'pugs, so don't expect any grand battles. It's the only reason I can accept regarding why they refuse to stand up to Bush on any issue at all. Except private accounts. But usually they either make noise about not liking something and voting for it anyway, or just a few dem votes peel off to give the repukes victory. Either way the final result remains the same.

[Dr Fate]

28. I dont buy it - DEMS have no interest in losing their jobs...

...like so many did in 200, 2002 & 2004.

Your analysis has that glaring logical flaw- we have to believe that DEMS don't mind losing their cush jobs in congress- and therefore they "play along" witht he Republicans, slowly "letting them" take control, and their paychecks & influence away from them.

I find that a little hard to believe- closer to the truth is that they are idiots who don't understand propaganda, and who forgot or never knew how to fight.

[Al-CIAda]

41. Coushy corporate jobs await the sell-outs and traitors. -eom

[Joe Chi Minh]

44. I often wonder if the turncoats

are freemasons and brown-nosing their superiors in the organisation - as I believe its more or less the engine that fuels it.

I'm not saying masons are necessarily bad, or non-masons necessarily good, though I believe the organisation is an utter curse on public life.

In Britain, some time during the Victorian era, freemasonry in public life was proscribed for a while, I believe, as its power had become so obviously inordinate and pernicious.

[roseBudd]

46. If dems were that low they could just switch to repug like Zell...

and be amply rewarded. that they remain dems is a testament. And yes they do need to get reelected or we are truly FUCKED.

[Robeson]

40. I agree. ...

...and the fact that they are compromised, with all its implications, is a salient point.

[Shredr]

27. Kick.

[Carl Yasutomo]

31. Agree 100%

[PATRICK]

33. Amen

Unfortunately we have the conditioned leaders who have to be convinced, prodded, pushed and helped to perform an attack they will probably blow because their hearts and minds are far from it. When they did raise their
sights in the past they shot astray and backed off and were quickly spun and buried.

The who must match the how, but you are absolutely right. people have died and will die in ever growing numbers as a result of clinging to mild
static strategies. Not enough to rant on Air America where all too often I hear the compromise crowd "wisely" defending themselves instead of building toward action.

Roadkill.

[Q]

35. I would kick some ass...

...but I have to wash my hair.

Have you noticed that the Corporate Media seldom gets nasty with the DLC 'centrist' Democrats like Lieberman? That's because they're Friends of Bush and his policies. They get good treatment from the media because they're Bush collaborators.

When progressive Democrats DO try to kick Bush's ass...the 'centrist' Democrats treat them like they're crazy or too 'radical'...going along with the 'loony left' labeling of the media.

There is no concerted effort within the party to kick RWing ass because there are too many traitors in the party for it to be effective.

[Tace]

36. Let Me Get This Straight -- Are You Saying We Should Kick Ass?

: )

[Al-CIAda]

39. In Bushworld, you either kick ass or get kicked in the ass.

appeasers will be mowed over.

[Moms Baby Democrat]

37. Despite the fact everyone is still sleeping...

That gets a Dean scream from me with an add on to fit of course..

Hellllllll Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!





:headbang: