Should Democrats attack Corporate Media rather than the Repubs?

[kentuck]

Because no matter what truth is spoken, the CM takes it, runs it thru the Repub Prop Machine, and recycles it in a totally different form?

The latest examples are the speeches by Al Gore and Hillary Clinton. The truth of what they say, which indicts the Republicans and their Leadership, is totally disregarded and they come back with reports that Gore is guilty of "hypocrisy" and Clinton is blamed for saying the word "plantation", rather than ask what did she mean?

Obviously, the Democrats cannot win by attacking the Repubs because of the media machine in the middle. Maybe it's time to attack the media machine. Expose them. They are not our friends.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Yes, because the MSM doesn't represent Republicans, either

by Republicans I mean the mainline conservatives who believe in balanced budgets, no foreign entanglements, no government interference in their lives, etc. I think the key is to find common ground with Republicans about the trampling of the Constitution by repukes, which is what I call the neocons.

[Tiggeroshii]

2. That wouldn't work

IF they are twisting our words when we attack their benefactors, think about what they would do if we actually attack THEM!

[kentuck]

5. If you call them on the lies, I don't see how they would do that?

The truth is more powerful than the corporate media.

[carolinalady]

3. Dems can't attack when they don't frame the message.

No one on our side is out there defending Gore or Hillary today. The media gets free reign when our leaders keep their mouths shut. Gore's speech was great, but you had to be college educated to understand half of the words. The media takes liberal license to dumb it down for average Joe. We should be the ones dumbing it down. We should frame our argument and it needs to be done for a good many people who do not read at a 6th grade level.

[Lorien]

7. Good point. Any message needs to be clear and unified

in order to be effective. We aren't there yet, unfortunately.

[MrModerate]

4. Pubbies OWN the media, and they tell the day-to-day . . .

Operations people what to say and who to hire.

Dems should attack the consolidation of the media that has put so much power into the hands of a small number of billionaires. AND they should support the sort of thing Gore is doing, which is to grow competing media.

And never slack off on pounding 'Lican bloodlust, incompetence, and venality.

Ultimately what we're looking at is a war of the the ultrarich against everyone else. Until we can restrict the exercise of power by money, we're going to continue down this ever-more-bumpy road.

[Lorien]

6. That tack seems to have worked for Newt and Rush

their constant accusations of "liberal media" in part made the media bend to the far right to prove that they aren't liberal. I'm for going after both, and putting them both on the defensive for a change (the facts are already on our side, we just hardly ever use them).

[asjr]

10. The media sold their souls long ago.

Love your cats!

[Armstead]

8. They should challenge both

We need more Democrats to do what Howard Dean has done occasionally. When some "journalist" throws dumbass questions that reflect GOP spin, toss it right back at them.

The Democrats should also make a big issue of media consolidation and the need for reform and more diversity of ownership. That's actually an issue many conservatives could also support. (Recall what happened when the FCC proposed giving more power to the media a couple of years ago.)

[blm]

9. Attacking media IS ATTACKING the Republicans. Corp. media's the PR dept.

for the White House and the RNC.

[Yoda Yada]

11. Can't they do both? n/t

[Catrina]

12. Yes, and the best way to do that is to CANCEL subscriptions and tell

them why. There's absolutely no more doubt that the MSM is the propaganda arm of the regime in power. Without it (they fed the public every lie told before the war, eg) they could not have the power they have.

We could all save approximately $600 a year or more and pour that money into a real media that told the truth ~ had real news programs. Money is power, so why do we keep funding them?

[mattclearing]

13. Yes.

It is the corporate media that lends legitimacy to Republican frames, talking points, and ultimately, ideas.

The Republican Party is nothing without it.

[seabeyond]

14. just remember it will be corporate media that present the attack

from the dems. gives media a strong advantage in the attack. especially seeing how effective repugs have been in creating perception that media is liberal. then man, can those media and repugs show what wusses, wimps, weak and spineless to attack their own media for their own failure.

[Southsideirish]

15. Absolutely. I never listen to wingnut radio or tv and can't understand

liberals and progressives who do.

[mandyky]

16. We can walk and chew gum!

LOL I say attack both!

[Southsideirish]

17. On a related note, I could never fathom why Howard Dean didn't

"boilerplate" himself against the corporate media (and the Democratic party establishment for that matter)anticipating that they would try to eviscerate him the more popular he became.

That way when they brought out the long knives the week before the Iowa primary he would have previously tipped their hand and, instead of being caught like a deer in the headlights, he could have just sat back and said "see I told you, this would happen.