Why is criticizing Dem leader inaction on pushing our message...taboo???

[AngryWhiteLiberal]

I've had more than a few threads locked here on DU, which I view as nothing more than CENSORSHIP. Since when is it a bad thing to SHAME our elected Democratic leaders into conserted action on this Katrina debacle????

Sure, things are trickling out here and there from some Dem representatives, but I SEE NO MAJOR MEDIA STATEMENTS from the biggies in our party. Where are the press conferences from ANY of the 2008 Democratic Presidential candidates?????

I'm not trying to be divisive...only attempting to understand why we continue to fall behind major Dem figures who do not seize the moment and go for the Repuke jugglar.

JB

[valerief]

1. So many of us are trying to understand that, too.

I'm befuddled. I can only make one conclusion and you know what that is.

[papau]

2. A dozen major media statements have released by Biggies - John Edwards

could not hgt a single quote into the media.

Hillary Clinton being blasted by the NY Post made it into the ABCNote today - but not her statement.

Indeed the media shutdown continues.

[AngryWhiteLiberal]

5. There's a BIG DIFFERENCE between written statements & camera work

I want to see a PRESS CONFERENCE. Not some bullshit low-level written statement or off-hand remark to a reporter that the politician knows will get distributed to the grassroots but buried on a larger media level. That sort of game is typical of politicians intent on "riding the fence" with this catastrophe.

JB

[emulatorloo]

7. Check out this DU thread

Why the hell did CNN cut off Harry Reid's press conference?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4694934

and then a thread on what the press conference covered:

Pelosi and Reid: GOP-led Katrina investigation "a sham and a charade"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4695774

[MADem]

3. When you are trying to make a POLICY POINT

You do not want to POLITICIZE it.

The reporters and the newscasters and the camerapersons in NOLA and MS were carrying our water for us. And they did a superb job of it, too.

Piling on would have looked like CRAVEN opportunism, and would have CUT INTO THE IMAGES. We want people to see the destruction, the devastation, the effects of the crisis, not watch some politician spouting what is clearly THE OBVIOUS.

Plenty of time for the debate later--NOW is the time to BURN THOSE IMAGES INTO EVERY AMERICAN MIND.

Strategy, not tactics--it's how you win wars, and make no mistake, we are all in a war for our lives and the lives of future generations, right here at home.

[emulatorloo]

4. Because Dems aren't being as inactive as some posters are claiming?

I don't know about locking and all that.

But a lot of times i see threads where the OP makes claims that "Dems aren't saying/doing anything." Then others come in to refute with links to statements press conferences etc etc.

Just because I don't see a tree fall in the forest doesn't mean it hasn't fallen.

[redqueen]

6. You're falling for media BS.

Pelosi, Dean, Salazar, even Hillary.

Jesus... will the circular firing squad NEVER stop?

[Zodiak]

18. just observe it

like you see it. Others will do the same, and some will disagree with you. It's all good and the truth will out. We don;t all have to agree, and accusations of "circling firing squad" are cliche and moot at this point.

I have always been critical about weak Dem responses to this dictatorship, but not this time.

I see Hillary, Reid, Salazar, Clinton, Edwards, Dean, Clark, and a few more trying to get the word out. And I appreciate it. Not bad when you consider that I am only a fan of three of them (Edwards, Dean, and Clark).

Can you tell I'm a populist?

[warrens]

8. It's simple

If you read the boards here every day, you will notice that we have about 6,937 issues, and the expectation by each person is that their issue of the day is all that every Democrat in the country will concentrate on for the next six months to a year. If you know any of the big names in the Dem party, they hardly have time to go to the bathroom, much less bone up on every issue we identify.

The media, on the other hand, have the time and manpower to investigate and report on our issues. Pressure on them is what will force an issue to the top of the agenda.

Pelosi, Clinton, Obama and a lot of others have made major statements about New Orleans. Spinning yourself into a tizzy because every single Dem didn't call a press conference and condemn Bush is not going to accomplish anything.

Right now, I imagine a lot of Dems are waiting to get all of the facts, because going off half-cocked is playing to Rove's strengths.

[Q]

9. It's so sad...

...to see so many Democrats in denial about their so-called leadership. I've seen so many rationalizations for Dem party inaction that it's beginning to look like RWingers defending Bush.

There IS no excuse for it. But what WE think is besides the point. It's obvious that the leadership will do what they want and then trash US for wanting them to act like the loyal opposition.

[AngryWhiteLiberal]

12. Thank you, I was beginning to think that the Stepford Wives took over.

I just don't understand why people can't see that the relative Dem inaction has allowed the Repukes to go on the offensive and re-frame the issue. Instead of Bush having to defend himself, we are now arguing about the "blame game" and "local vs. national inaction".

IT IS OBVIOUS AFTER ABOUT 10 DIFFERENT SCANDAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING IS NOT WORKING. Hello...

JB

[LSK]

10. i guess you dont watch TV

Because every channel had parts Pelosi's speech.....

Just because you miss stuff, doesnt mean its not happening.

[LSK]

13. See Exhibit A:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2073278

[WilliamPitt]

11. It's not taboo. You're just wrong.

Keep reading.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/08/national/nationalspecial/08democrats.html

[Whoa_Nelly]

15. I was locked the other day for sharing my letter to the DNC

If you're interested, PM me, and will send it to you. I didn't consider it inflammatory, but it was labeled flame-bait by the mod who locked it. Maybe you can help me understand why it was considered something that could incite negative responses and argument here on DU. Personally, I'm at a loss as to why it was locked, and wrote DU admin on 9/2 asking to kindly explain that to me. I have not received a response.

I love DU and the info and opinions here. However, I was taken aback when my posting of my letter was locked; It felt like censorship.

[jobycom]

14. Don't know if it's taboo, but it's dumb.

The media is back in Bush spin mode. You know, "Mistakes were made, plenty of blame to go around," etc, etc. The Dems have been direct, blunt and highly critical of Bush. Hillary, Dean, Kerry, etc, have blasted BushCo, calling for firings and resignations, as they always do. The media, as tehy always do, ignores it.

So I'm behind mods locking threads that are blasting Democratic leaders when those threads don't know what they are talking about. I wish we'd have started in back in 2001, for that matter. DU shouldn't be helping the media pimp the Republican Party, we should be for spreading truth. Leave the fiction and ignorance to the MSM.

[AngryWhiteLiberal]

17. Really? Please direct me to the video of the press conferences.

What? You can't direct me to links for the video of major news conferences by the major 2008 Dem Presidential prospects? Why? Oh, that's right...THEY DON'T EXIST.

Also, maybe your apparent devotion for "lock-step thinking" would be more appreciated by a certain party on the other side.

JB

[madfloridian]

16. Overuse of !!!!!, and all caps, which used to be forbidden here.

It is considered shouting. And besides, after a day like yesterday when a whole of Dems spoke out....there were even more threads here about WHERE ARE THE DEMS!!!!!!!!!

It is overboard.

[Skinner]

19. Locking.

For the record: Criticism of Democrats is permitted on Democratic Underground.