What can Kucinich supporters do to become mainstream opinion leaders?

[0rganism]

cf http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2255348&mesg_id=2255348

It's clear that while Kucinich leads in some online straw polls of politically-aware, enthusiastic, idealistic progressives as well as issue-based surveys of less rarefied user populations, his case is not being made in the mainstream media. The numbers invert when surveys of candidate support are taken among the general population. We can talk all we like amongst ourselves about how mass media suffers from a stranglehold of self-perpetuating corporate influence, but that is at best an outline of difficulties, not a solution in itself. Let's see if we can't come up with something both positive and realistic.

So, my open question to DU, and not restricted to DK supporters, is how do Kucinich supporters transcend an enforced marginalization to become visible and effective advocates, not only with respect to Rep. Kucinich's candidacy but also on relevant issues?

[mmonk]

1. How can you beat a rigged system in other words.

Just keep plugging and don't buy into their messages of defeat designed to keep you from voting for him.

[0rganism]

5. my question is more how to take it to the next level

Granted, the system is rigged, and even to remain supportive of DK we have to persevere through a lot of bullshit.

We need to translate that loyal support into effective advocacy.

[fenriswolf]

2. hype kucinich whenever you can to whoever you can

develop some flyers and pass them out, put up a sign in your yard, in your office, on your car. post on sites numerous times intelligantly about the virtues of kucinich and why he would be the next POTUS, write editorials to your newspaper, give donations to the campaign and purchase items (shirts, bumpersticker, sign, pins) from the offial campaign store, turn yourself into a walking billboard for kucinich.

[0rganism]

3. of course, credibility then becomes an issue...

I'm not convinced that people who become "walking billboards" of campaign material are communicating effectively -- they often self-marginalize.

However, a lot of what you suggest is important in building name recognition at the very least, and Kucinich needs a lot of it. Perhaps a bumper-sticker that associates Kucinich with a popular position or two, like "Pro-healthcare, Pro-impeachment, Pro-Kucinich" would have a positive impact. (It could also get your car vandalized in some places...)

[fenriswolf]

4. at this point just making people see the name is important

and by "billboard" i mean wearing a tshirt or hat that says kucinich on it. I find most people just need to be told that kucinich is a democrat candidate and what some of his positions are, they become interested and I make them promise they will look him up and i give them some helpfull websites (kucinich.govc ontheissues.org/kucinich, etc)

[0rganism]

6. 100% agreed with the name recognition aspect

What kind of feedback have you received from the folks you've talked with? do they reliably seek out the information you recommend, and does it have a lasting impact?

[fenriswolf]

7. well people at my work know about him

none are as excited as I am though, I recieve positive feedback from most people i talk to, although I do live in california so alot more people are reciptive to very left candidates.

[MuseRider]

10. That absolutely helps.

I still have his Kucinich 2004 sticker on my truck. I went to a television interview before the 2004 elections and the anchorwoman saw my truck with the K sticker. I ran into her again after another election about a month later and she not only remembered me but she remembered me because of the sticker. She looked him up after the interview and told me the next time she saw me that she really liked what he stood for. Before she had just known the name but nothing about him. It makes you wonder how many people do that. It also makes you wonder how many don't because they just don't give a shit anymore.

[Toasterlad]

14. Exactly.

Talk. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. I've told everyone I know about Kucinich and why I'm voting for him, and at least five people have told me they'll now do the same. Imagine if every Kucinich supporter did that, and got those results?

[pnwmom]

8. For one thing, Kucinich supporters could stop acting as if

their involvement in the Democratic party was provisional.

The more they threaten to pull a Nader if they don't like the nominee, the more they marginalize themselves.

[0rganism]

11. it's a fair criticism

Rep. Kucinich needs to be seen as taking a valid and necessary position within the Democratic party, so when supporters appear as conditional Democratic voters contingent on his, and only his, nomination, it doesn't advance his cause as one of a slate of legitimate potential Democratic contenders.

[pnwmom]

13. Right. When most of his support seems to be coming from

Green party members or Nader-types, it doesn't advance his cause as a leading Democrat.

[Toasterlad]

15. I Disagree.

If you view Kucinich as the only REAL Democrat running, than it is more than acceptable to feel, say and vote Kucinich and ONLY Kucinich.

[0rganism]

21. except I'm not asking about what's "acceptable"

Of course you can say and do whatever you like with respect to supporting any given candidate. It's more than acceptable, it's democracy, so go for it if you feel the need.

The question I ask is how to get more people in the "mainstream" to support Kucinich so one could vote for him as the Democratic nominee in the general election too.

pnwmom's post points out that by acting like Kucinich is the only voteworthy Democrat in the race, such zealously exclusive supporters reinforce the notion of Kucinich as a fringy iconoclast and reduce the utility of another candidate "stealing" some of his issues -- it's not like they'll be scoring votes from any of his uncompromising suppporters by doing so, right? pnwmom's point is a good one, IMHO; sure, it's a negative suggestion, but it deals directly with a real concern and shouldn't be dismissed offhand.

Ultimately, my original post isn't just about supporting Kucinich, it's about effective advocacy for marginal candidates and issues so they can become less marginal. Kucinich has a lot of latent support if people start seeing him as a player, but right now he's isolated and ostracized. I, for one, would like to see that change.

[fenriswolf]

24. HEAR HEAR

[mmonk]

16. Blame the victim.

We are marginalized.

[hootinholler]

9. Damn, If I could answer that I'd be a wealthy man.

Seriously.

When I mention DK to people they look at me like I have antennae, nevermind the issues. Pisses me off.

-Hoot

[0rganism]

12. I know what you mean

Even among those who know he's a Democratic candidate, the MSM has done such a great hitjob on him that it's difficult to offer visible support yet avoid marginalization by association.

[begin_within]

17. I'd like to know: what can mainstream opinion leaders do to become Kucinich supporters?

And why don't the other Democratic candidates adopt positions similar to or identical to Kucnich's?

[rjones2818]

20. C'mon...

JE's close to being a Kucinich clone (although I don't believe a word he says)!!!

:evilgrin:

:hide:

[0rganism]

22. uh... openly support Kucinich?

Then the question becomes, how long do they stay "mainstream" when they do?

To your second question, I think we face a similar problem with the candidates. As long as Kucinich is marginalized, they see his positions as potential poison to their campaigns and keep a discrete distance from his wording when taking similar stands.

[Canuckistanian]

18. High profile endorsements would help

Who is endorsing DK now? I can't think of a single person.

[0rganism]

23. It'd be nice, yeah

You gotta hand it to PDA's CD 14, though :D

Seriously, it's hard to step up to the plate when you get written off for even picking up the bat. With the kind of hostility he faces from the mass media, editorial boards ignore or scoff at him, major unions shun him, and celebs think twice about endorsing him (e.g., Russel Simmons) if they can throw their weight behind a top-tier candidate instead to make a difference.

Definitely a difficult situation.

[fenriswolf]

25. gore vidal endoresed kucinich

[fenriswolf]

26. dupe

[WA98296]

19. Since Gore is also a DLC'er, I guess he won't be endorseing DK. So, just Vote.

[aikoaiko]

27. Don't laugh, but this would help....

...Kucinich could withdraw his proposal for banning handguns and, even more importantly, say that he will fight for citizens and legal residents to own the firearms of their choice (as long as they are eligible to do so). He could support the recent Parker v DC decision which makes the case that the 2nd Amendment is an individual right, not a collective, state's right.