Howard Dean's media strategy: shut out the whores

[Cocoa]

I'm encouraged by a couple of things that suggest Dean is going to bypass Bush's media lapdogs, who are pretty obvious in their intention to have some fun at his expense.

First, Dean declined to appear on CBS News when they did not agree to refrain from using the "Dean Scream" speech.

Now, this morning NPR was covering Dean's trip to Mississippi, and they said that Dean declined to speak with them.

Looks like Dean has decided to go straight to the people and I say, right on. Who needs the whores. :toast:

[glitch]

1. In-effing-deed. Sorry for the profanity, but enough is enough. We don't

need the whores any more.

[Cocoa]

4. I'm reporting you to the FCC

:-)

[Warpy]

2. That's the second day this week that NPR has said

Dean has refused to speak with them.

Whores. They're trying to claim balance to all those glib right wing snake oil salesmen by crying that Dean won't talk to them.

[Earth_First]

23. I'm encouraged by this...GO DEAN!

How long until it's spun as liberal elitism?

[CottonBear]

3. Wow! Dean is amazing.

When is he coming to Georgia? We really need him here.

I've all but given up listening to NPR newscasts. The last straw for me was the Ken Mehlman "social security interview " yesterday morning. They might as well have given him 2 minutes of free air time to spout Republican talking points.

[saracat]

6. On the other hand, if Dean doesn't have his side be heard, Ken Melman

stands unopposed. If these town Halls aren't covered, they may as well not take place. Most people who go will be Dem, and they already support what he is aying. What about the 79 million who didn't vote and don't even know about the Town Hall?

[CottonBear]

37. I think that local media coverage is more effective.

I work with a bunch of Republicans, young people and some very religous people (and one Democrat). None of them seem to keep up with international, national or even state news. They don't even read the Atlanta Journal Constitution. They usually don't read the editorial pages of the local papers. They do, however, read the local daily newspaper front pages and the weekly small town papers. Coverage in these local daily and weekly papers may be the best way to reach out to the masses.

[Warpy]

17. Wasn't that amazing?

they let him spout and dodge questions and didn't call him on a single thing, although they did make the point that the GOP has always wanted to destroy the program. They let him evade that point without challenge.

Mehlman is slick as snot on a doorknob and twice as nasty.

[CottonBear]

36. "slick as snot on a doorknob and twice as nasty"

OMG! I'm LOL at that one. I'm gonna work that into a conversation today. I'm not sure how yet, but I will.

Yes, the NPR segment was amazing in an awful, train wreck kind of way.

[dandrhesse]

5. The more he declines the more sought after he will be - good strategy

but the best is that he is playing to a packed house everywhere he goes and the president can't even raise a crowd of 2000? Hmmm....what's wrong with this picture?

[saracat]

8. That is because the Preseident only allows those who agree with him to

attend. it isn't drawing ability. It is message control!

[lyonn]

22. packed house

Good news. Don't hear that anywhere! Just snips, or is that snipes?

[mondo joe]

55. Agreed. The media loves to get Dean on. He's a property,

he knows it and he's in charge.

Good for him!

[plcdude]

7. I think

this is a very good opening strategy. In time the MSM will agree to cover objectively what Dean has to say. At this point they just want to editorialize after the fact so it is not worth being misrepresented or innuendo-ed to death.

[fooj]

9. Glad to see him "play the game" on his own terms! Go Howard!

[Stirk]

10. I wonder if NPR refused to refrain from using the "Dean Scream" clip, too?

[saracat]

Yeah, boycott the only networks that have given a half a break!

The real media whores are Fox and CNN and he still talks to them? Sorry . If this is his strategy, it is silly. And who are these people he is going straight to? Us? We already agree. His message needs to get out there and if it isn't on TV it didn't happen as far as most of America is concerned.

[vi5]

13. My point exactly

[Cocoa]

16. I assume he's shutting out Fox and CNN too

if he's favoring those networks then I agree with you it wouldn't make much sense.

[Guaranteed]

11. It's as if he's bypassing the media entirely.

That's so simple, it's amazing.

He IS going straight to the people.

[Bouncy Ball]

35. Yep.

He did that a lot during the primaries. Lost his voice more than once.

[vi5]

12. Now wait just a second here....I'm glad Dean is the chair now...

But wasn't the reason so many people on here said that they loved him was that he wasn't afraid and that he would stand up to bushco and i guote as was said time and time again "take the fight TO them"?

I love Dean but I want him out there fighting where people can see him.

[Guaranteed]

15. I think he will. See plcdude's post above. nt

[saracat]

20. Not going to happen. Stupid stratedgy. Sorry.

And I really don't think this is what Dean is doing. I give him credit for more intelligence than that. And even talking about the "scream" is stupid. That is such old news.Dean jokes about it himself.

[Guaranteed]

28. It's the correct strategy if every time he says something

they play the Scream or some other such nonsense. There's no reason for him to give them more reason to play that crap over and over. That's not who he is, or what he represents. He's not letting them misrepresent him.

Seems like a pretty damned good strategy, to me.

[saracat]

32. As if he, or anyone else could control that anyway. I don't think the good

Doctor is as ego driven as you present him. The scream isn't as important to him as it is to some people. He is much more intelligent than that.
And if anyone believe that is good strategy, they have don't know anything about PR. And that is exactly what Dean's current job is , and that is all it is. So I don't for one minute believe he is refusing to do his job!
And BTW, His job also isn't to represent himself. His job is to represent us, and I don't recall any of us voting on his boycotting media. I supported him because he would be a strong voice, not to boycott the media.

[mondo joe]

53. The media LOVES Dean. He's just training them like dogs.

They love Dean, they love the scream, they know he's a ratings machine.

He's a commodity the DNC has and he's treating himself like one.

Make the dogs learn to sit and beg before giving them a treat.

Good job Dr Dean.

[rocktop15]

14. I love it.

Fuck the corporate media whores. I'm all for it.

[Cleita]

18. Way to go Dean.

He doesn't need to be humiliated to get his point across. There are many other ways, as the bloggers have proved, to spread a message. Boycotting the media whores is the best way to bring them down. They should be boycotted by our leaders as pundits as well unless they agree to allow them to say what needs to be said without shouting and editing. I know Randi refuses to do TV anymore after doing one of the cable news shows some time ago.

It turns out the MSM are already losing viewership because we, on the left, have mostly stopped watching. If Faux stands alone, then that's okay because there is a segment of the population that has to be fed what they want to see and hear, not what is real and the truth.

[madfloridian]

19. From the NPR report on the MS visit....not giving national interviews yet.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4519273

This is good audio, and quite fair coverage. Dean sounds like the old Dean.

[democrank]

21. I really respect this guy.

He`s doing it exactly right. The message? Media whores don`t matter, the people do.

The rest of the Democratic Party "spokespersons" can use their time bending over on the Crossfire set or joking with Joe Scarborough. Good place for them. Dean can meander around Republican strongholds and spread a dose of truth.

[Me.]

24. Hurray!

A dem is finally controlling his message. I'm not worried about him being ignored. He hasn't lacked for audiences and word is spreading. The media will have to come to him. As for Mehlman, that message is growing staler than ten day old bread. The numbers are stacking up against them on SS, faster than they can spin.

[Southsideirish]

25. Beat 'em at their own game. Way to go, Howard!

[Justitia]

26. kudos on great strategy - do not allow yourself to be ridiculed, also

the more you shun these "outlets" the more crystallized their biases become. For example, more non-political people are coming to realize that Faux is a mouthpiece for the gov't.

In the PR world, what Dean is doing is very smart. Not to mention, he leaves them wanting him, forcing them to respect his new position when he does decide to do interviews with them in the future.

He is also painting his own portrait of being a man who communicates directly with "The People", not a posturing camera hog.

Trust me, this is a very media-savvy move.

[saracat]

34. Again, This isn't good PR.

And it isn't Fox and CNN they allege he is avoiding. It is the only two that cut us a break! And this isn't about Dean. His "scream" is irrelevant. Even he makes fun of it. Dean isn't this stupid. Actually good PR would be to capitalize on the "scream" because that was what made him famous. Americans don't care "why" you are famous "but" that you are famous. That was partially why he was made Chair. We needed to use his name to get coverage. The Doctor is no fool. This is NOT what his stratedgy is and I think it is an insult that people would think it is. It is painting him as am ego mainiac who thinks more of himself than his party. If that were true he wouldn't be Chair.

[Justitia]

38. You are reading way more into this, and worrying unnecessarily

Dean is simply concentrating on LOCAL media and actually mtg with people in person. Thus, he is not taking time out of his schedule to do battle with the nat'l press over his identity or justification as the DNC chair - that battle will continue ad nauseum, to be sure.

He is laser focusing on the PEOPLE of the party, getting out there and doing the legwork - where it MATTERS - on the ground. Not worrying about how some media hack is going to spin his message.

He is spending his time reaching the right people to build up the party, letting them see him for themselves and letting them know IN PERSON that he is working for them.

Who cares what Scarborough's opinion on Dean's visit with dems in MS or KS is?

The dems in MS and KS are the only ones I care about.

[saracat]

39. I'm not worrying. Others are. I don't believe he is avoiding media.

I don't care about the Dems in Ms and Ks. Those aren't the people we need to make points with. They already vote for us. It is the 79 million others who could have voted that didn't that worry me. Talking to Dems is nice, but if it is only to Dems , we are preaching to the choir. We need to create more Dems.

[Justitia]

40. you are taking southern Dems for granted, my friend

Speaking as a TX dem, we MUST shore up our base in the south if you want "more dems".

The field is ripe for the picking if we can encourage local dems to bond together, present a united front and get out and do the hard LOCAL work of getting votes AND DEM CANDIDATES.

We have to give the MS and KS dems a good LOCAL candidate to vote for in the first place and then work our butts off getting them elected LOCALLY. That is how you change the long-term landscape.

It is easy to be a discouraged, non-participatory dem when you feel like you are outnumbered and disenfranchised and YOUR NATIONAL PARTY DOESN'T GIVE A RIP ABOUT YOU, having written you off completely.

And, in regard to fundraising (DNC Chair job) - even if that particular state isn't blue, there are usually lots of good dems who are willing to financially contribute - $$$ - if you just show up and ask them to!

[saracat]

42. Oh, I am not taking them for granted. I think it is great he is visiting t

there and letting them know we support them. It is just the idea that we should only be interested in Dems that bugs me.Or repukes who will never vote for us. We need to bring our message to the 79 million who didn't vote and the only way we do that is through MSM. Sad but true. But no, I think it is great what he is doing and Kudos to the long suffering MS and KS dems. I live in a red state too. My sympathies go out to them.

[Justitia]

43. you have to make the party strong and attractive to non-voters

and repubs you want to win over.

When the party in KS and MS is strong, confident, and puts forth candidates that reflect that, you will be able to attact both new voters and have the others take a second look.

It kills me everytime I go to vote in TX when we have so many "blanks" on the ballot - no dems even running to vote for! Without party support or acknowledgement, no one even bothers to run. And then I have no dems to work for, campaign for, or vote for.

Did you hear in the NPR piece that Dean's visit to MS brought in a record amount of cash (and people) for the party?

Dean is doing the hard work that WILL bring new folks into the party and make others reevaluate their positions they may have only out of habit.

[saracat]

44. I agree, absolutely. No problem here. I just want more national coverage,

and no way do I think Dean is boycotting national media over the stupid "scream" issue.Dean is not a spoiled child but a very smart man. Your analsis is right on. We are tryong to do the same in my state. I have been saying forever that you can register people till the cows come home but you have got to give them something to vote for!:)

[Justitia]

46. gotcha, I understand

I'd always love to see more of Dean too, but I know he is doing the hard, dirty work right now, that will pay off for all of us later.

Remember when Dean pointed out the Christian Coalition took 20 yrs to take over the GOP? When I was writing them off as "kooks" here in TX, they were stealthily waiting, patiently working and they eventually hijacked every level of gov't here in the Lone Star State. Now, we are overrun with corrupt repubs and it floors me.

It'll take time, time on the "down low", but with hard, no quitting kind of work, we will get this party back on it's feet again and get the pubs on the run - state by state by state - one state at a time.

Good luck to you in your red state too :toast:

[saracat]

48. Thanks , Back at You!

:) :toast: We will prevail!

[JNelson6563]

45. haha It hurts doesn't it?

As I read through this thread I see your mantra posted time and again and you seem to be picking up little support. Don't give up little engine that could! You will eventually find others who have the same fear&loathing of Dean that you do and then, well, you'll be much happier. I think it's a proven fact by now that misery loves company.

:toast: Enjoy!

Julie

[saracat]

49. You know what they say about assumption. I am afraid you are wrong about

me. I just know more about PR and read this differently.

[JNelson6563]

57. Yeah, ass-u-me

You "know more" about "PR" than who?? Me? Careful there, don't want to ass-u-me now, do we?

Julie

[mondo joe]

54. It's hard to take PR advice seriously from a Kerry avatar

Sorry but it's true.

[madfloridian]

27. He is just doing local media....thinks it is more effective. NPR audio

Is not giving national interviews yet.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4519273

Good NPR audio

[fishwax]

29. yep. and the funny thing is

by refraining from national interviews, he's undermining the republican strategy of ripping him as the new face of the democratic party. He's focusing on locals (good idea) while the GOP is left swinging at some phantom Howard Dean.

I thought the GOP folks sounded pretty silly on that NPR report. It reminded me, for some reason, of that old cartoon gag in which a baseball pitcher throws a pitch that barely moves at all and the brawny, cocky batter swings wildly and misses, sees the pitch still coming, swings again, pitch still coming, swings again, etc.

[Guaranteed]

30. This is very, very good. nt

[janx]

31. They sounded absolutely desperate.

The "extreme librul" label isn't working anymore! It was the largest Dem gathering in Mississippi history!

[fishwax]

33. It's a beautiful thing :)

The "northern cultural liberal" (or whatever tag they tried to stick on him in that NPR report) doesn't scare off southern dems who, after years of seeing their numbers and power recede, will be interested in anybody who'll bring the kind of energy Dean does.

[Radical Activist]

41. Didn't a lot of party leaders want him to be in the media less?

Because he creates headlines every time he says something stupid. I don't suppose this "strategy" has anything to do with that. There's always a positive spin for everything Dean does.

[Cha]

50. And there's ALWAYS

negative shit coming from you on everything Dean does.

[Radical Activist]

51. wow. i wasn't expecting someone to make that response

:eyes:

[ProudToBeLiberal]

58. how did I know what he was going to say

it's sooooo predictable now.

[Padraig18]

47. Dean spoke to NPR in MS.

Here's the link:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4519273

[marcologico]

52. He spoke, but not to NPR. Listen to the story.

Mara had to find the Mississippi party chair to get a direct quotation.

[deacon]

56. It's about time, finally a gutsy dem in power n/t