Dems' Messaging Nerds Urged Party Not to Talk About Trump's Military Takeover

[Celerity]

Are Trump’s military campaigns in blue cities a “distraction,” or what matters?

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/dem-strategists-urged-party-trump-military-takeover-1235415635/

https://archive.ph/Lga3G



Donald Trump is waging a fascist takeover of the United States, siccing the Justice Department on his political enemies while deploying federal troops to “liberate” Washington, D.C., where crime has been steadily declining. Democratic politicians are responding the only way they know how: by heeding the advice of the wonks who helped get them into this situation in the first place — and whose advice is to avoid discussing what Trump is doing.

Blue Rose Research, the firm led by Democratic establishment darling David Shor, produced a memo earlier this month digging into the effectiveness of various messages related to Trump’s takeover of Washington, D.C. The firm advised that messaging around Trump’s “rising authoritarianism” was “highly unconvincing,” while messages that say Trump wants to “distract” from his damaging tariffs or horrifying Medicaid cuts were more effective. Meanwhile, Republican messaging about how Trump is clamping down on gang violence tested through the roof.

If you’re mad about Dems avoiding talking about DC, you can blame the Democratic quants, as demonstrated in this memo from David Shor’s Blue Rose Research

— Will Stancil (@whstancil.bsky.social) 2025-08-24T17:59:45.525Z

The Aug. 15 memo, a copy of which was reviewed by Rolling Stone, could explain, at least partially, why Democrats haven’t exactly been going to the mat over Trump sending the military into the nation’s capital, and threatening to do the same in other liberal strongholds.

House Minority Leaker Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) was asked on CNN on Sunday what the party’s plan is to fight the president sending troops into Chicago. He only offered that Trump has no authority to do this, and that he supports the men and women working in law enforcement. He also, as the Blue Rose memo suggested is effective, cast the federal takeover as a “distraction” from Trump’s unpopular policies. Jeffries didn’t seem too worked up about any of this, delivering his talking points with a complacency that certainly did not bely that the United States is currently experiencing a militarized dismantling of representative democracy.

snip

[Turbineguy]

1. In the meantime, the emails begging for money continue to flood my inbox.

[BeyondGeography]

2. Unreal

Actually, all too real. Check the Democratic Party’s approval rating with Democrats for verification.

[BoRaGard]

3. WTF?

They paid money for some consultants to tell them to shut up?

[leftstreet]

4. DURec

[Biophilic]

5. Pretty clear how we got here.

I wonder whose side they are really on? You can’t “work” with fascists. History is pretty clear about that fact. I’m really tired of people being stupid. I’m 79 and I’m pissed that we have somehow lost all those rights and progress many of us worked our asses off to earn. Don’t tell me to sit down politely and have tea with the fascists.

[BootinUp]

6. So ignore polls then? Nt

[Ars Longa]

7. Who is hiring/paying David Schor and Blue Rose?? Why aren't we just talking to constituents???

Why is this complicated??????

[Duncan Grant]

8. Those people disappearing from your streets? It's a distraction. (Now write us a check.)

As much as I hate sports analogies — where the f*ck is our offense?! G*d damn. This is an example of complicity and cowardice. The methodology described in the article is madness (and as innovative as a rotary telephone). The current trajectory is like abandoning your property — expecting it to be improved 3 years from now. Criminal negligence.

This is not normal. I have no need to tolerate this any longer.

[Buns_of_Fire]

9. Mustn't say or do anything to upset our "good friends across the aisle".

Oh, and something about "keeping our powder dry," too.

Thank heavens Gov. Newsom doesn't seem to be on Blue Rose's mailing list.

[progressoid]

10. The average American voter doesn't give a shit about creeping fascism or authoritarianism.

But the cost of prescriptions and the price of electricity is a big deal.

[Duncan Grant]

13. Perhaps they should -- or would?

We can do so little about consumer costs — but we could do something great about the long-term, systemic health of this country. Refusing to stand up to trump is not a win.

Two questions: why aren’t the people who give a sh*t about prescription drugs and electrical costs doing something about it? Are they writing checks to the DNC?

[progressoid]

17. I'm not saying we don't stand up to Trump.

I'm saying that using the issue of National Guard in DC isn't an effective Get Out The Vote marketing tool for the typical American voter.

why aren’t the people who give a sh*t about prescription drugs and electrical costs doing something about it?

They did last November. They were sold a bill of goods that Trump would fix it. The economy was the #1 thing on voters minds. And now with the economy about to tank, we have a window to exploit that. As much as I dislike Carville, he was right about one thing - It's the economy stupid.

Are they writing checks to the DNC?

No, they aren't writing checks to the DNC. Why would they? The Democratic Party has lower approval ratings than Trump.

[W_HAMILTON]

11. Bad things about Democrats.

Maybe people are too busy reading/posting bad things about Democrats to realize that pretty much every damn Democrat has been "Talk(ing) About Trump's Military Takeover."

[malaise]

12. Effin crazy

That is all

[flvegan]

14. Something something keeping powder dry. n/t

[hildegaard28]

15. That's a big

Mistake. This is the perfect opportunity to plant the fear in the heads and hearts of the second amendment crowd that Trump will take their guns and whip up paranoia about government goons in their towns harassing them and watching their every move. If Trump can send the military to take over any town or city he wants, he could easily order that same military to confiscate their weapons under the guise of law and order and emergency powers.

[BannonsLiver]

16. David Shor is a buffoon.

[Prairie Gates]

18. These people are morons and proven losers

[pecosbob]

19. Democratic messaging is an oxymoron.

[Bettie]

20. I'm starting to wonder if the consultants

the Democratic party hires are just Republicans getting paid by both parties. The Dems pay them to "strategize" and the R's pay them to keep us sounding weak.

Last few years, it seems like the high priced consultants cost more than any value they are giving.