I emailed the Scott Brown Cosmo centerfold pic to my friends and some family

[gateley]

members asking them if they'd seen it. They're not rabidly political but will always vote (Dem) and are mildly aware of the political goings-on (probably like the majority of the country).

Not one of them had seen it. I'd only seen it because of the TV I watch, primarily MSNBC, and, of course, DU - the ultimate source for everything.

My anger is because had this been the Dem candidate, every U.S. citizen would have seen it countless times, accompanied by the Republican outrage. But you know that.

I'm not blaming the media, per se, but rather the Dems. The Republicans are masters at getting the cameras turned on them and keeping it there. We're dismal failures.

I think Alan Grayson's messages would resonate with a lot of people, but unless they're watching the shows we watch, reading the things we read, people aren't going to hear those messages and those of people like him.

What can we do? And why hasn't anything been done?

Do you think we'll FINALLY take action? I'm just so sad, angry and frustrated.

[AspenRose]

1. I hear you Gateley

:hug:

[gateley]

10. Aww, thanks.

And we're not alone. :hug:

[blondeatlast]

2. That that wasn't exploited is a MAJOR failure (and I'm considered a

"cheerleader" around here).

It was a perfect tool--easy to mock, offputting to a sizable donor base.

It should have been on a billboard in every county in Mass.

[jillan]

45. Yes - it should've been on every billboard.

[Cheap_Trick]

3. You'd think that the Liberal Media ® would have been all over that.

:sarcasm:

[gateley]

9. I just don't get how the Reps get the media to always listen to them --

and not just the mainstream media -- ALL media. They always get the air time, the mentions, the spotlight.

It is just wrong.

[blm]

11. GOP's fascist pals didn't buy control of broadcast media in the 80s and 90s for nothing.

Did they?

[gateley]

14. No - and I understand that. But I also believe that even more important than

the "message" is the ratings, which of course = $$$.

In THEORY, we should be able to break through that control and generate some coverage.

I could be all wrong, but I'm just so fucking mad!

[Moochy]

34. That would be missing out on all the SYNERGY

Sure the one truth-telling network would have huge ratings, but a lesson in corporate governance would help. The people who sit on the boards of these companies are not looking out for just their own company, but are synergistically looking for ways to pull in the other companies on which they sit. Most board members are professional corporate directors and have seats on more than one company.

Similarly wholly owned companies with boards must also ultimately answer to the board of the media conglomerate parent.

This means that ultimately the owning and controlling seats of media octopus tentacle A can't pursue pure truth and populism since ultimately that might hurt the competing media holding tentacle B.

Self censorship by reporters ensures that only the loyal boot lickers advance. Case in point, MSNBC's Chuck Todd.

[Ignis]

13. Oh yeah. Like a hound dog on a pork chop.

But it's different when it's a GOPper, apparently. :banghead:

[gateley]

28. Yes! It's different! But WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?? And, more importantly,

why ISN'T anyone doing anything about it? (Not yelling at you, just a verbal :banghead:)

[Ignis]

39. I wish I had the answer.

My answer a few years ago would have been "Fairness Doctrine!," but I'll admit I'm growing increasingly uncertain that even this would have an impact on US politics in the right direction.

Frankly, we suffer from a lack of astroturf on the left. We have plenty of awesome, real grass-roots workers and organizers, but we seem to keep stumbling over how to use them effectively.

Well, except for that whole 50-state strategy. That seemed to work well, IMHO, before Dean was declared persona non grata at the national level.

[gateley]

42. And even if we had the answer (I see and hear really sensible approaches

to different issues here on DU and in the media) -- it's getting the powers that be to implement those answers.

Dean's treatment is one of the very most disturbing things of all -- what does that say about our leaders? :scared:

[FrenchieCat]

4. Just think if it was Coakley with a centerfold spread in the nude!

Sorry, but for some reason, I don't think it would have helped her. :shrug:

[gateley]

8. If a Dem had that in his/her background, the Reps would have made such

an issue of it I think not only would that person not have won the election, that person would probably have a shadow hanging over his/her political career for the duration.

[blm]

15. How many nude spreads did Bo Derek do and she was tapped to introduce Condi Rice at both RNC

conventions where there was widespread boasting of Family Values from its participants. Not to mention Derek's affair with Bushboy during GHWBush's campaign in 88.

Corpmedia would NEVER have let any Dem get away with a fraction of what GOPs and the Bushes have gotten away with over the last 3 decades.

[gateley]

17. Perfect examples of this injustice. nt

[blondeatlast]

5. this really should have been a public humiliation. How the HELL could Brown have answered it? nt

[gateley]

6. Agree. I love your billboard suggestion. nt

[spanone]

7. i'll do it for you.....the media

[gateley]

12. The Reps seem to MAKE the media pay attention to them, we seem unable to

do that.

I understand the $$$ behind the media corporations, but still, if it's a good story, garners ratings, that's what's most important. So... why can't WE beat the drum loud enough to get some of that attention?

I think it starts with our Party. We need to get a spine and kick some ass.

[groundloop]

16. EXACTLY. Right wing idiots don't have any problem getting free coverage

Palin just has to make a phone call and she's on TV.
Same for Gingrich, DeLay, Cheney, Rove. We're surrounded by them.

AND why the hell isn't the party of NO called out more often (or at all) for their obstructionism.

[gateley]

20. So, what can we do to be able to receive that same level of attention?

To go back to Grayson, he came out with "Republicans want you to die" which got a look, but then was drowned out by the oh-so-predictable Rep outrage, then it disappeared again. Ideally, that would have been a perfect starting point to get people to listen, but they were able to shut us down. Again.

[CJCRANE]

18. I think the Repubs see manipulating the media as 99% of their job

and so spend most of their time concentrating on it. The Dems seem to see the media as an afterthought.

I heard somewhere that Bill Clinton once said "the media *is* the government" (at the height of the Lewinsky scandal). The Dems should have learnt their lesson back then.

[blondeatlast]

21. Exactly. nt

[gateley]

24. Boy - you're so right. And so was Clinton. Another instance where we didn't

learn.

I now understand my mother's frustration with me when I kept doing the same stupid stuff over and over.

[blondeatlast]

19. Have you read "Teh Republican Noise Machine" by David Brock?

I'm no tinfoiler, but that was a real eye-opener. DUers seriously underestimate the collusion of the "press" and the Republicans.

[gateley]

25. No -- but I'll go order it right now -- unless you think it might be dangerous

for my blood pressure!

So often tin foil stuff turns out to be real, so I usually don't discount it out of hand.

I'll go check it out.

[AspenRose]

41. Yes, do read it. It's a good read.

Don't be surprised if you find your teeth on edge or your jaw clenching while you read, though.

[gateley]

43. Just bought it off eBay for $1 + $3.99 shipping.

I'm sure it'll be frustrating and aggravating and I'll be mentally sending excerpts to Obama as I read it. :7

Seriously, why can't our leaders, in whom we put our trust and hopes, see what many of these authors can?

They are truly living in a different universe.

[blm]

23. Not really. Kerry had a one hour speech to FIREFIGHTERS Convention where he attacked the swifts and

challenged Bush to stop hiding behind the swifts' lies and to publicly debate their services. That was on August 19, 2004. Till then the networks would clamor for coverage of any firefighter event since 9-11 put such a focus on their work and contributions.

Not ONE news channel would carry the speech and few even reported that it occurred. No news network carried Firefighters' endorsement of Kerry in the primaries, either.

That's the way it is now. Dan Rather said the corporate media needed to protect Bush for favorable rulings the owners expected from a Bush second term. They got what they wanted.

Corpmedia is now so wholly invested against Dem issues, there is no turning back for them. Bush was SO bad they couldn't spin any more for him, but, it took Katrina, record mortgage defaults and foreclosures, and record job loss to stop the 24/7 protection of Bush.

[jwirr]

22. Wonder if nudy is a member of the Family on 3rd Street? He fits the

profile.

[gateley]

26. I wondered that as well, for the same reason. nt

[last1standing]

27. It seems pretty shallow to vote for someone based on whether they'd been seen naked or not.

Brown's political views are horrendous but you thought seeing him naked would be more persuasive in defeating him?

I'm not trying to pick on you, but in sending those pictures you did little more than perpetuate the concept that we should all be embarrassed of our bodies. That is neither healthy nor productive to society.

[emilyg]

29. Agree. Brown posig for Cosmo that

many years ago - had no effect on me.

[gateley]

31. Nor on me, but the point is it would have made a difference to certain voters,

and we needed those votes!

This is not a moral issue with me -- it's a strategic issue. One we squandered.

[gateley]

30. I don't care who has posed nude. And the point has nothing to do with

perpetuating body shame (and don't get me started on that - one of my biggest sore points).

The point is that the Republicans would have used this as a reason (another reason?) not to support the candidate. A certain population of voters would have responded negatively (judgmentally, to be sure), and turned against the candidate. They would have used it to win votes. We didn't. We should have.

The repercussions from his election are great. I'm not sure we will be able to get anything passed with the Republicans' automatic opposition to everything we attempt.

I think it was warranted to fight dirty. In other words, play by their rules. We didn't, and we're paying for it.

[last1standing]

33. There are many better ways to fight dirty than that.

You've been here long enough that republicans will always find a way to excuse the actions of their leaders. Rush is a drug addict, O'Reilly is a stalker, Ensign, Sanford, Gingrich, etc.. are adulterers, the list just goes on and on yet they are never punished by their party or its members.

Because of this, the only people you harm in perpetuating the practice of using nudity for shameful purposes are those who are fighting to end this destructive practice.

[gateley]

35. We're going to disagree on this. I see your point, and in theory agree,

but I'm frustrated/angry to the point where I don't care. I'd use whatever it took.

[last1standing]

36. I can understand that. There's a lot of frustration today.

Just think back on this in a couple of days and see if you think differently.


Take care. :hi:

[gateley]

38. And ironically, the perpetuating of the human body as shameful,

something to be hidden, IS one of my strongest issues. So for me to just say to hell with it, does show how helpless I feel. I'll snap out of it in a few days, as you say. :)

:hi:

[Blue_Tires]

37. good point, but how many times did i read on DU the last 3 days

OMFG WTF BBQ!!!!!!!! COAKLEY LIVES IN RED SOX NATION AND DOESN'T KNOW WHO CURT SCHILLING IS!!!!!! HE'S ONLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE STATE SINCE BEFORE AEROSMITH SOLD OUT!!!!!!

Speaking in general terms, voters are usually shallow...

[last1standing]

40. Coakley didn't lose because she called Schilling a Yankees fan.

It likely didn't even cause a dent in her support. At worst the voters took it as symptomatic of an out of touch party that has no interest in the People of MA.

[bigwillq]

32. I've seen it on many news programs

and read about it numerous times in print media. Blame the lazy electorate for not being informed.

[Duer 157099]

44. I don't think it would have hurt him

First of all, repukes tend to be closet voyeurs anyway, so deep down, they approve.

Second, I think that many of the people who voted against the Dem are more the Liberterian type who would not be bothered by this either.

[jillan]

46. And this comes from the party of "Family Values" - do you think his daughters friends have seen that

picture?

I'm NO prude, but I sure as heck don't want my teenage daughter's friends seeing their dad butt naked.