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gab13by13

(28,286 posts)
Fri May 2, 2025, 08:00 AM May 2

Why Democrats Can't Control The Narrative

Congressional Democrats need to find a way to do town halls just like the town hall last night on MSNBC. The town hall was not sponsored by the Democratic party but Corey Booker was invited to participate. Last night the town hall told the stories of terminated federal workers. Last night's show was very riveting and effective.

Every week, hell every day, Democrats need to do similar town halls on prime time.

Do a town hall on SignalGate/NLRBGate, Let Malcolm Nance be the moderator. Explain to the public how Whiskey Pete is a threat to our country's national security. Have the audience filled with security experts, with former people who worked under top secret job classifications, invite people like General Mattis for fuck's sake.

Do a town hall on the 4.7 trillion dollar tax cuts for billionaires. Show the public how Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security will need to be slashed just to provide billionaires with money they do not need. Have former Social Security commissioner Martin O'Malley moderate the event. Have people in the audience who depend on the safety net to not die. Tell their fucking stories. Have people on to let the public know how rural hospitals may not survive without government help. money which will be transferred to billionaires.

Congressional Democrats, if you need more ideas for prime time town halls, PM me.

37 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Why Democrats Can't Control The Narrative (Original Post) gab13by13 May 2 OP
K&R spanone May 2 #1
If former presidents run these WOLFMAN87 May 2 #22
meh. if they become 'routine', they arent news any more. i say mopinko May 2 #2
If "reality" tv can be popular, then real stories from real people have power. . . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz May 2 #3
Didn't they close all the regional offices for Meals on Tadpole Raisin May 2 #8
Good point Trust_Reality May 2 #26
I agree. There truly is a national emergency here and Democrats need to be sounding the alarm every single day Cheezoholic May 2 #32
What he did wouldn't work for other Republicans JI7 May 2 #9
He turned the world up-side-down with lies, hate, manipulation, and threats. We need to re-right it. Trust_Reality May 2 #27
CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN broadcast town halls featuring Democrats criticizing the NoMoreRepugs May 2 #4
Trump's polls videohead5 May 2 #5
Except people have no idea what is happening. gab13by13 May 2 #10
I'm not saying to not do the town halls videohead5 May 2 #18
Truth needs to be repeated and visual. Trust_Reality May 2 #28
fair point. but for me, it's not just about the orange psychopath freak. right? the focus is the entire circus clown msfiddlestix May 2 #37
Because the corrupt corporate media SocialDemocrat61 May 2 #6
Keep saying it!!! I don't ever tire from hearing it. Tadpole Raisin May 2 #7
Well said, gab13by13 May 2 #14
Excellent idea! augyboston May 2 #11
The people that need to be convinced aren't going to pay attention to these things JI7 May 2 #12
Then let these Town Halls fire up the base. We need to be pit bulls from hell. augyboston May 2 #13
Why do they need to be fired up if they are the base ? JI7 May 2 #15
People are coming to understand how bad Trump and this administration are. everyonematters May 2 #16
But seriously folks ... 4th May 2 #17
attack Trump azureblue May 2 #19
No ibegurpard May 2 #20
Yes. The "R" politicians say they are going to rise or fall with Trump. Fine for the "R" party, not for the nation. Trust_Reality May 2 #31
housing Puppyjive May 2 #21
Town Halls are almost ALWAYS covered by *local media* outlets BumRushDaShow May 2 #23
Networks are not going to replace their prime-time scheduled shows with Democratic townhalls. Fla Dem May 2 #24
This message was self-deleted by its author gab13by13 May 2 #25
"The only way we're going to get national coverage now is through paid advertising on the major networks." OldBaldy1701E May 2 #29
Democrats can control the narrative... Chemical Bill May 2 #30
What qualifies as news? What are things that the for-profit/profiteering media cannot ignore? Trust_Reality May 2 #33
I wouldn't label them as Democratic. CaptainTruth May 2 #34
Until FoxNews is gone... hurple May 2 #35
Town Halls bromeando May 2 #36

mopinko

(72,592 posts)
2. meh. if they become 'routine', they arent news any more. i say
Fri May 2, 2025, 08:12 AM
May 2

we shd start the ‘28 prez campaign now. i hope a dozen throw their hats in the ring. cuz the media cant ignore that, no matter how repetitive it gets.

that’s how we got here. he blew away our norms for ex presidents, by announcing and campaigning from his 1st day out of office. so, let’s blow back.

Tadpole Raisin

(1,789 posts)
8. Didn't they close all the regional offices for Meals on
Fri May 2, 2025, 08:52 AM
May 2

Wheels? Or was that SNAP? Gosh there are so many.

Why isn’t that in the local nightly news?

These people are so evil!! If they can’t defund they de-people the agencies. Same affect!

Cheezoholic

(2,987 posts)
32. I agree. There truly is a national emergency here and Democrats need to be sounding the alarm every single day
Fri May 2, 2025, 10:16 AM
May 2

By letting real people tell their real stories. Of course if those televised shows ratings got too high Krasnov and his billionaire friends would try and shut them down. Which in my opinion would prove the point to the American people. "See, they are now refusing to let YOU speak!"

JI7

(91,979 posts)
9. What he did wouldn't work for other Republicans
Fri May 2, 2025, 08:52 AM
May 2

he is there becsuse of hate and the entertainment.

He didn't take part in any debates for 2024. While others did and were getting national attention but it didn't help them during the election.

Trust_Reality

(2,180 posts)
27. He turned the world up-side-down with lies, hate, manipulation, and threats. We need to re-right it.
Fri May 2, 2025, 10:06 AM
May 2

NoMoreRepugs

(11,357 posts)
4. CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN broadcast town halls featuring Democrats criticizing the
Fri May 2, 2025, 08:34 AM
May 2

GodKing Trumpy in PrimeTime???? Network execs would crap their pants just listening to the proposal. The RETRIBUTION would be swift and merciless IMO.

videohead5

(2,643 posts)
5. Trump's polls
Fri May 2, 2025, 08:41 AM
May 2

Are in the shitter. He's destroying his presidency himself. Why do Democrats need to control the narrative? They just need to reinforce what everyone already sees happening.

gab13by13

(28,286 posts)
10. Except people have no idea what is happening.
Fri May 2, 2025, 08:52 AM
May 2

Speaker Johnson wants Krasnov's 4.7 trillion dollar tax cut vote by the 4th of July. Included in the tax cuts are slashes to the safety social net.

I do not subscribe to the Chuck Schumer strategy to let Krasnov burn it all down and then we win the next election. By the time the election rolls around who knows what this country will look like?

Getting people to tell their stories at town halls is very effective.

Getting the major news outlets to allow prime time town halls would be the big hurdle. The fact that the major networks would be afraid to run with my idea tells me that it would work.

videohead5

(2,643 posts)
18. I'm not saying to not do the town halls
Fri May 2, 2025, 09:04 AM
May 2

The networks should cover the town halls. Most of the people knows what is going on or his poll numbers would not be 40% or below.

msfiddlestix

(8,062 posts)
37. fair point. but for me, it's not just about the orange psychopath freak. right? the focus is the entire circus clown
Fri May 2, 2025, 01:27 PM
May 2

show actors, in every office, including the Senate and house. governors etc etc etc
the shitload is huge. they got there, cuz we let it happen. big job to take on and clean up. but that's why we elected our senators and representatives.

Tadpole Raisin

(1,789 posts)
7. Keep saying it!!! I don't ever tire from hearing it.
Fri May 2, 2025, 08:49 AM
May 2

And if the national news is reluctant to show them then the local news will or at least clips. Then when the story goes viral as many of these personal stories do,, the national media will have to scramble to pick it up.

If they interview any citizens the people should ask the journalists why haven’t you shown this before now.

If having a conscience and journalistic integrity don’t work then we’ll go with shame.

gab13by13

(28,286 posts)
14. Well said,
Fri May 2, 2025, 08:58 AM
May 2

Find venues and invite the press. The #1 strategy to save our democracy is doing town halls, just like the one last night.

This could be coordinated by Democratic leadership if they so choose.

Rent a hall, publicize that Malcolm Nance is going to moderate a town hall on SignalGate and NLRBGate. Invite security experts, invite retired military, invite people who can tell their stories about what they went through working with top secret clearances.

Keep doing them with different topics.

augyboston

(344 posts)
11. Excellent idea!
Fri May 2, 2025, 08:52 AM
May 2

Another Town Hall that would bite is to have Americans; especially children, on who've been cut off from treatment in the middle of medical trials because of the medical research cuts.

In the case of those who have died because of this monster, have their surviving relatives on to tell us the tragic stories of loved ones needlessly lost.

We need to starkly convey the impact of these heartless greed driven cuts on the people of this country.

everyonematters

(3,814 posts)
16. People are coming to understand how bad Trump and this administration are.
Fri May 2, 2025, 09:02 AM
May 2

We need an economic agenda for the future for improving peoples lives that the majority of the electorate will buy into.

4th

(275 posts)
17. But seriously folks ...
Fri May 2, 2025, 09:02 AM
May 2

Even when things were going our way we never really controlled the narrative.

azureblue

(2,432 posts)
19. attack Trump
Fri May 2, 2025, 09:05 AM
May 2

And every day make a new attack. Attack him personally - sleepy Don, crazy Don, old Don. Attack his failed polices. Attack his grifts - expose how he is making money, while people starve. Trump can't handle defending a new attack every day - he'll blow a fuse.

And do not let up and do not react to his attacks. Put him on defense and keep him there.

ibegurpard

(17,054 posts)
20. No
Fri May 2, 2025, 09:09 AM
May 2

Attack REPUBLICANS.
A big part of the reason we're where we are is because we only focused on Trump.

Trust_Reality

(2,180 posts)
31. Yes. The "R" politicians say they are going to rise or fall with Trump. Fine for the "R" party, not for the nation.
Fri May 2, 2025, 10:14 AM
May 2

The nation is not going to rise or fall with Trump. Trump will fall. The nation will not.

Puppyjive

(719 posts)
21. housing
Fri May 2, 2025, 09:10 AM
May 2

No party has any teeth in the housing situation. I want reform. I want to make sure landlords are claiming every penny they collect. I want to see expansion of infrastructure for middle class homes and rentals that are affordable. I want to see lower interest rates for first time/single home buyers. I want landlords to pay for not living in the communities that they make poor. I see nothing. Clearly, as a result of the last election, something has to give.

BumRushDaShow

(153,381 posts)
23. Town Halls are almost ALWAYS covered by *local media* outlets
Fri May 2, 2025, 09:27 AM
May 2

You can often go into the state forums here on DU and see posts on them.

The NATIONAL M$M makes decisions on whether to add them to their programming.

But there shouldn't be this automatic assumption, as is common on DU, that if you don't see it on MSNBC or CNN, then it didn't happen or isn't happening.

Unfortunately for the Boomers and GenXers here, much of this stuff IS being streamed on the very social media that many here refuse to use like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc. (and that includes myself, having no accounts on them but who will at least attempt to look at any publication of what is going on that allows public access to that info via the web, so I can view it).

Fla Dem

(26,737 posts)
24. Networks are not going to replace their prime-time scheduled shows with Democratic townhalls.
Fri May 2, 2025, 09:43 AM
May 2

Last night's MSNBC program was not really a "Town Hall" it was a commentary on what the Republicans are doing to our National Government with terminated government employees to provide real life experiences.

MSNBC is a news network and this was/is news. I agree it was an excellent program to show how Trump is ruining people's lives, both directly and indirectly, but no major network NBC, CBS or ABC would televise it. And unfortunately, very few or no Republican/Trumpster would be caught dead watching MSNBC. So it was like preaching to the choir. Even the evening news on the major networks gives superficial reporting on Trump's /Musk's effort to destabilizes and destroy our government. The networks are too scared to report negative Trump news.

When I opened up my PC this morning and went to the MSN front page.....no mention of last night's msnbc "Town Hall".

The only way we're going to get national coverage now is through paid advertising on the major networks.

Response to Fla Dem (Reply #24)

OldBaldy1701E

(7,952 posts)
29. "The only way we're going to get national coverage now is through paid advertising on the major networks."
Fri May 2, 2025, 10:11 AM
May 2

The only way we are going to get any attention is to be LOUD enough to get it.

We are not that loud... yet.

Trust_Reality

(2,180 posts)
33. What qualifies as news? What are things that the for-profit/profiteering media cannot ignore?
Fri May 2, 2025, 10:33 AM
May 2

I am totally NOT an expert on this, but some clues seem to be...
- visuals of people,
- unusual events,
- actions and events as opposed to words (except for Trump apparently),
- more photos, more short videos, fewer words.

Words are boring. Schumer & Jefferies, please take not.

CaptainTruth

(7,669 posts)
34. I wouldn't label them as Democratic.
Fri May 2, 2025, 10:38 AM
May 2

Brand them as educational presentations, like a Ted Talk.

There are a lot of people who won't watch if they're "Democratic" & we need to reach as many of those people as possible, they desperately need to be educated (& de-programmed from Faux propaganda).

Make it personal, like "How tariffs are affecting you" to generate interest.

Of course we can (& I'd say should) do both, Democratic rep town halls AND educational presentations .

hurple

(1,342 posts)
35. Until FoxNews is gone...
Fri May 2, 2025, 10:58 AM
May 2

Or the Democratic Party has a 24/7 propaganda channel like it, they will NEVER control the narrative.

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