Olbermann Should Do a Demo Too

[gulliver]

Maybe headline it with a speech by Olbermann. Get Maddow to talk, maybe Elizabeth Warren, Oprah... Leaven it with appearances by McCartney, Springsteen, Crowe, the Dixie Chicks. Get Maher, Stewart, or Colbert for some humor.

I like the "no signs" rule, I have to say.

Anyway, I think it would be a draw.

[Fuzz]

1. I don't know. Liberals aren't into the whole 'rally' thing so much.

Are we? I know I'm not a big fan.

[gulliver]

2. I think liberals like them more than conservatives actually.

I'm not a big fan of rallies that are specifically aimed at some controversial point or ones where people have a lot of signs/anger. I think those are counterproductive. The "no signs" rule is a good innovation. I think a sort of peaceful, friendly liberal gathering to mirror and exceed the attendance of Beck's little soiree would be good, imo. It would be a good unifier for liberals and a good show of strength.

[movonne]

9. well the rallies for Obama there were a lot of liberals...

[TomCADem]

3. The Real Problem Is You Need Millions In Corporate Money Behind The Scenes

These conservative "grass roots" groups are just fronts for funneling corporate money into the political process. You need groups like Freedom Works and Fox News to take the corporate money through ad sponsorships and direct contributions, which pay for the buses, the signs, the permits, security, etc., then you need Fox News to endlessly hype the gathering.

It is a mistake to assume that what is going on the right is anything but a corporate funded ad campaign with activists being used as props for a pro-corporate Republican party.

Unless Democrats and the left can find a couple of billionaires and corporations willing to throw millions to fight pro-corporate policies, and a network willing to provide hours of free coverage, then we cannot expect to replicate the circus on the National Mall that is being passed off as a grass roots movement. It is not.

You could argue that the left needs a leadership to attract billionaires to bankroll their efforts, but I think that is unfair to leaders on the left to demand a Beck-like corporate funded event.

[gulliver]

4. It would help to have that, I agree.

But...we've been able to pull together huge demonstrations before, and we didn't need a false "news" organization or Murdoch/Koch money to do it. We've got better intellectual talent than the Tea Party and better personalities on our side. Not to mention, we have friendly people, a diverse, young crowd, etc. I don't think we would need anyone to bankroll us or promote us using a false news organization front. A lot of people would go, I'll bet.

[digitaln3rd]

5. I like what we're doing already.

Sponsoring free clinics for the uninsured is infinitely better than some rally where you listen to speakers.

Doing something is much better than talking about doing something.

[gulliver]

6. Well, it's not either/or.

Free clinics for the uninsured is a great thing though.

It's just not good for the country to not see a show of strength from liberals. There were probably a lot of good people watching the Beck rally who might think he is representative.

Also, a bigger rally occurring after Beck's smaller, all-white, mostly old rally would negate Beck's rally in the public's mind.

[digitaln3rd]

7. True, I see your point... but...

But how many people would really care about the rallies besides people that already believe in what the speaker is talking about (I'm not counting things like MLK, etc - I consider that to be on another level) but really rallies are just an extension of talk radio.

It's not really going to turn anyone that didn't already believe in that message. I think people would rather see action then in-action, honestly. A good show of strength would be getting out there and working to change the country rather then standing around watching a podium (because, let's face it, no one likes a lecture!)

Let's face it, at the end of the day, Beck's rally isn't really going to be a dinner table conversation except among those that already have a solid opinion on the matter (one way or the other).

[EC]

8. It gives people hope

that there are many that see things the same way and will be out to vote...

[terrya]

10. Stephen Colbert couldn't do it

Since appearing at a liberal rally would be antithetical to the "Stephen Colbert" character. Unfortunately, there are people out there who actually think "Stephen Colbert" is the real thing.