The best defense is a good offense

[pat_k]

Here's my attempt to hit Biden with a cluestick. What else can we do to wake these people up?

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I was disappointed with your response to the "Dean remark" claptrap. Instead turning the tables and shifting the focus to something crucial to voters, you jumped in and played their game.

It is wrong for certain classes of voters to face an eight hour wait to cast a ballot. Dean spoke out against this terrible wrong. He was right on. Hours-long poll-tax-lines for poor, minority voters AND none for affluent, white voters is intolerable.

What is more important? A remark that some Republicans found offensive, or the fact that Americans do not have confidence in the results of the last two Presidential elections?

The best defense is a good offense. They want to talk about Dean's remarks? Instead of being defensive, it would be wonderful to see Party leaders say "bring it on!" and talk about the substance of those remarks.

In the fight for trustworthy elections, our leaders must keep the focus on the real scandals: Un-American secret vote counting by flawed machines and the Republican policy of systematic vote suppression. (Mehlman even told us that he planned to employ suppression part of an all out effort to "do whatever we can to help make sure Jerry Kilgore becomes the next governor of the state" - http://www.democrats.org/news/200505310003.html).

Don't play their petty games. Move the game to turf that voters care about.

[senseandsensibility]

1. I agree

But I suppose we could have said this about MANY issues. They are consistently defensive. It's maddening.

[pat_k]

2. If we keep pushing, they will get it....

When you are asked a direct question, it is difficult not to take the question at face value and try to answer it. It is a hard habit to break, but not impossible.

We need to keep pushing and reminding. We, and they, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1840177#1840336">must stop taking the bait and just keep saying what we need to say. You can always tie a message to a topic that might seem unrelated. For example, on the Schiavo mess, the Dems could have said something like "It's a shame the Republicans don't trust the people of Florida to handle their own business, but it's not surprising. They seem to be compelled to step in, just like they did in Bush v. Gore.)

I have a lot of hope. There were a number of very good signs at the Take Back America conference. "Stand up" was on everyone's lips, even the party insiders who were clueless last year.

Barbara Boxer led the way on January 6th.