What Democrats must do to WIN (cynical, but brilliant)

[dave123williams]

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/9/9/124753/8755


"THE RULES OF PERCEPTION

John Kerry went to Vietnam, saved a man's life and was wounded. Somehow, the voters perceived of John Kerry as a coward who never served his country and would not be tough enough as our commander-in-chief. George W. Bush avoided Vietnam and failed to fulfill his National Guard obligation. Somehow, the people of this country perceived of George W. Bush as a heroic military man and a courageous commander-in-chief.

This is called MANAGING PERCEPTION. Not just managing the perception people have of YOUR guy, but more importantly, managing the perception people have of the OTHER guy! In 2004, more people perceived that Kerry was bad and Bush was good. Just enough people for Bush to win the election.
Which brings us to a cold hard fact: if the Democrats want to take back Congress in 2006 and the White House in 2008, they must become as good as Karl Rove at managing perception. The good news is, it's not some trick only Karl Rove knows the secret to. Managing perception is not even all that difficult once you know the rules.

RULE ONE
Pick ONE INDIVIDUAL to head up your election team and give this person TOTAL AUTHORITY to manage all advertising messages and perception issues. Whatever he or she says -- goes! And no more discussion.

There were 29 people in charge of Kerry, including Kerry himself. The public heard 29 different viewpoints. The Republicans had one person in charge: Rove. The public heard one viewpoint: Rove's. Americans are used to single-minded powerful selling messages, and they like a single-minded powerful point-of-view.

Hint!
Choose the roughest, toughest person who has ever created wildly successful advertising and PR campaigns. Make damned sure this person is a real marketer, doesn't take any guff from anybody and is NOT a political stooge. Make sure ALL money flows to this one person and all spending is coordinated through this person. (Strong hint: if the DNC drafted Donnie Deutsch, they'd take it all.)

RULE TWO
Learn how to disseminate simple catchphrases the mainstream media can use. Like Rove when he invented "cut and run" -- which Fox and the mainstream media lapped up like a thirsty dog. You need to do this with the same dexterity and speed. You will never exceed Rove in this, but you can do AS WELL as he does, which would basically neutralize his effectiveness in the media.

Just watch Fox News (Official News Channel of the successful invasion of Iraq and media/PR representative for the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth). You may hate them, but they're incredibly effective at spreading the Rovian catchphrase of the day and using it to rally the faithful, while keeping GOP politicians in lockstep and on message!

Hint!
You do not have a media outlet like Fox, so you must work twice as hard to get the mainstream media to carry your message to ALL voters. Importantly, do not believe the mainstream media is for you and against Republicans. They're not. If you somehow think they'll help you win an election, you've already lost."


(continued at the link above)

[Lexingtonian]

1. first of all,

this has been posted at least twice. Secondly, it's still wrong.

[blm]

2. This assclown is telling us to disrespect voters just like the GOPs do at

the exact point in history when MOST American citizens are turning their BACKS on the GOP and their tactics.

This is a post Katrina America now, and MOST citizens want HONESTY and competence from the next president.

[dave123williams]

5. All evidence from the last two elections to the contrary...

[blm]

6. And all evidence of post Katrina feelings towards Bush and the GOP?

.

[blm]

7. All evidence points to Americans voting FOR gore and Kerry and shows

that the GOPs were forced to lie, cheat and steal votes while suppressing Dem voters thru purged voter rolls and rigged machines.

If GOPs were SO much better than Dems at campaigning they wouldn't have to spend four years figuring ways to STEAL and SUPPRESS Dem votes, would they?

[OzarkDem]

12. And doing a good job of selling Dem candidates

won't stop them from supporting us. In fact, they're turning away from Bush but still haven't embraced Dems yet. We have to give them good solid, easy to understand reasons for doing that. Black and white. Right and wrong.

People are turning their backs on Bush because of his policies and governing. Doing a good job of selling our candidates and our party isn't going to turn them off.

[blm]

13. What's wrong with telling the American people that you'll be HONEST with

them and keep them safer by fighting terrorism the way it NEEDS to be fought?

There is only ONE reason that Dems APPEAR to have trouble being sold and that is that ALL Dems' best work is on the floors of newsroom editting rooms - that is, IF a camera even bothered to show up.

There is also the fact that Dems ARE winning and that the GOPs campaign so poorly that they have to rely on lying, cheating and stealing votes from Democrats thru voter purges, suppression and rigged machines all over the country.

[OzarkDem]

14. Nothing at all

But do it with a better communications strategy. Dems have to sell their POV like any other product. That means doing what the person mentions in their memo - develop central themes, short, vivid messages that are delivered to me media every day.

If a party and its ideas are worth defending and promoting, its worth it to do it well. But we also have to fight the GOP.

Try reading the memo again and envision using the strategies to promote Dems strengths. That's how you get a 15 or 20% margin of victory, not just 5 or 7%.

[blm]

15. I am all for Dems getting on the same page - but it still comes down to

how the media chops it up. Dems have to EXPOSE the GOP control of media FIRST instead of expecting them to play fair.

[Greyhound]

16. That's going to be tough since the Dems gave them the control in

the first place.

We are in this predicament because neither side gives two shits about us. It's all about the money.

[dave123williams]

17. What part of the strategy advcates dishonesty?

[blm]

20. Talking to voters the way GOPs talk to their voters relies on disrespect

as a tactic.

When I point to honesty I am saying there is nothing wrong with TELLING voters that you'll be HONEST with them. THAT should be the campaign message.

Dealing with the GOP control of broadcast media and the voting machines should correct the loss problem.

[whistle]

3. This whole article is a repuke talking point

[AX10]

4. Remember Rule number 5!

[Ian David]

8. Run third-party candidates pretending to be conservatives...

just to spit the Republicker vote.

Your fake candidate should wake-up in the morning and say, "Today, I will pretend to be Alan Keyes."

It could be done really simply and cheaply, too.

It may be as easy as having a few dozen people handing-out fliers at the polling stations urging people to write-in a non-existent anti-gay, ultra-conservative candidate in a last-minute "surprise" campaign.


I'm thinking of writing a political thriller around this premise.

[patricia92243]

9. Sounds good to me. n/t

[OzarkDem]

10. He's right - sell Dem candidates now, govern later

A campaign isn't a national forum or town hall meeting. Its one big long commercial to get people to buy your products, period.

Take them out and sell them, then worry about nuances of policy detail later, after you're elected.

[AtomicKitten]

11. dems must dispel the "dems are weak on terror" meme

because the Republics are hitting that hard vis a vis the 9/11 mockudrama.

That must be turned on its head to REPUBLICS ARE WRONG ON TERROR

[dave123williams]

18. I was thinking, 'Republicans are incompetent, dishonest douchebags'.

Think that'll sell in the heartland?

[AtomicKitten]

19. the truth is often a hard sell

particularly when people do not wish to see it. We can only hope that their actions speak for themselves.

[OregonDem]

21. This article is exactly what we need a clearer message

one that fights back and prevents the GOP from defining what our canidates stand for.

[omega minimo]

22. BullFuckingShit

You can't beat the lying cheaters at their own tactics.

You get candidates in debate or taking questions from UNhandpicked audiences and see who does better.

TIME FOR DEMOCRATS TO STAND FOR THE TRUTH NOT THE "FRAMING."