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[Nanjeanne]

38. It's hard to rehash the election and also make sure the rules of DU are followed but I do feel that

Dems in charge do too much focus grouping/polling adjustments to their messaging and then it gets diluted and watered down as they go on. Rather than have the vision and change public perception. Which is what Walz was very good at. It’s what Rs do all the time although their vision always sucks. But they manage to change public perception over and over. Trans in sports? When was that something in anyone’s list of important issues? But Rs made it matter and suddenly lots of people were concerned.

If Ds stuck to what really matters in their vision of America and had a coherent and unified platform it would be easier for the public to know what they stand for. Tim Walz understood that really well. He didn’t apologize for his progressive policies. He normalized them. He made them seem completely reasonable not radical and he didn’t shy away. Unfortunately in the pursuit of R votes and the embrace and campaigning with Rs there wasn’t much discussion of real policies that affected people and make their lives better. Because there were anti Trump Rs on our side the big picture became more anti Trump and pro democracy than pro the policies that make people understand how it affects them directly. Pro democracy is great but pro raising min wage and pro affordable child care and pro paid sick days is much more identifiable.

What I hope for next chance we have is for the Dem platform to be bold and exciting and not incremental and cautious. And that the people on the campaign trail speak about it with passion and conviction and not shy away from Rs trying to put a label on it.