Democrats are in major attack mode today - check out the MSM coverage!

[NightOwwl]

Here are just a few of the headlines returned from my Google news search using keywords "democrats press conference ethics". This is all over the media!

• Democrats Increase Drumbeat over Abuse of Power
  
• With GOP Defensive, Democrats Attack
  
• Republicans vs Republicans, Extremists Continue to Dominate
  
• Pelosi: 'Republicans Are Engaged in Abuse of Power
  
• Sensing GOP rifts, Democrats Attack
  
• Democrats: Congressional Republicans Run Rampant Over Rules
  

I am doing cartwheels in my living room...I am so freaking happy!

:woohoo: :applause: :bounce: :woohoo:

[BrainRants]

1. Abuse of power, Extremists, betrayal of trust, bang bang bang

Bang it into everyone's head until it sticks AND DON'T STOP!

Frame the debate!

[fertilizeonarbusto]

2. My thoughts exactly!

You must be a genius!:D

[electropop]

3. Corrupt! Corrupt! Corrupt!

Sums it all up for the sheeple.

[NightOwwl]

20. Many powerful statements today:

Methinks the Republicans might be a little worried right about now.

[AuntiBush]

60. Local Voting Time: Right 'Round their Job Corners!

Oh yeah. Time to stock-up on the :popcorn: and :beer:

[emulatorloo]

4. Thanks for posting - I am nominating you for the "greatest page"

because I see many threads there about how Dems don't fight, are weak, are scared of Bush, etc etc -- all because the media doesn't report the opposition the Dems

For Example, there's one called "Why The Democrats Are So Lame"

Glad to see the Media is picking up on what the Dems are putting out.

[NightOwwl]

10. Thanks for the nomination emulatorloo!

I saw that "Democrats are Lame" thread too. I wonder if the poster doesn't know about the press conference Reid, Pelosi, Hoyer and Slaughter held today. Awesome stuff!

[ProfessorPlum]

13. Nope, hadn't seen it

thanks for the heads up. And nominated.

[ProfessorPlum]

15. My point really is that Democrats are so hobbled

because they won't tap into any of the anger that people rightly have about being screwed. But I'm enormously happy to read about this.

[NightOwwl]

19. Yes...so very happy! Here's a portion of Louise Slaughter's remarks:

"Honesty…integrity…accountability… Values which should be the hallmark of this government - have instead been thrown under the bus by an arrogant Majority... Casualties in a misguided campaign to shield from accountability those who abuse this House."

They are framing this beautifully.

[BOSSHOG]

5. To use a Military Metaphor, the republicans are now providing

a TARGET RICH ENVIRONMENT. Just pick one and tell the truth. Its like pouring water on the wicked witch.

[sendero]

40. ROTFLOL....

.. "target rich environment" ha ha LOL :)

Let's hope that DeLay is "a casualty of friendly fire" and causes a lot of "collateral damage" :)

[0007]

54. There are so many of them, where do you start?

TARGET RICH ENVIRONMENT isn't always ideal. Like when the Chinese would break the front line and came down the hill by the thousands. One would aim by looking through the tube of a 155m and fire then hope the jets would soon arrive.

The jets in this case would be the media, public opinion and our legislative politicians.

[democrank]

6. It`s about time.

Wonder how long before the DLC will come out and admonish us for not playing nice with our friends across the aisle?

[NightOwwl]

49. Al From is probably foaming at the mouth right now.

How dare Democrats act like Democrats!

[tavalon]

65. I see

close to no friends across the aisle. And quite a few who supposedly aren't across the aisle (DLC) who also aren't our friends.

[NightOwwl]

7. Harry Reid uses sports analogy...

to describe the corruption. Even Joe six-pack can make the connection; this is just about perfect!

*****************
Over the years, the basic rules in baseball have stayed the same, and even the sport's youngest fans know that you can't change the rules just to get your way. Unfortunately, Washington Republicans don't seem to understand this fundamental principle.

In recent weeks, we've seen many examples of Republicans abusing their power and trying to change the rules.
*****************

It gets even better - here is the link to full story: http://rawstory.com/exclusives/byrne/democrats_drumbeat_power_413.htm

[followthemoney]

51. Republicans trying to gain an unfair advantage over the Democrats

Next they will use steroids. anything to win.

[meow2u3]

68. Steny Hoyer explained it even better

Over the years, the basic rules in baseball have stayed the same, and even the sport's youngest fans know that you can't change the rules just to get your way. Unfortunately, Washington Republicans don't seem to understand this fundamental principle.

In recent weeks, we've seen many examples of Republicans abusing their power and trying to change the rules.


Sen Reid explained that what the Repunks are doing is "like changing the rules (in baseball) to 6 strikes and you're out and 8 balls, take first base." Steny Hoyer did Reid one better: that the batter and the umpire had to agree that the pitch was a strike--otherwise, it's a do-over.

[BlueIris]

73. Dude, thanks Harry!

Shrewd, yet accesible.

[zipplewrath]

8. I like "divisive"

It's Obama's schtick and it played well last year. "Pitting us against each other". The GOP has been playing a game of division, not seeking consensus, and looking for "wedge" issues and it would seem that with schtick like the Shiavo debacle, this could be highlighted. We ought to drop the "Red vs Blue" lingo and pick up the "purple" country stuff. Stick Randall Terry's photo everywhere as the "face" of the GOP. Also a "we approved 200+ judges and all they can whine about is the 10 of which we disapproved". Could even fold in something about "private accounts dividing us up" or some such sound bite. Not to mention "threatening OUR federal judges".

[Robeysays]

61. i like that idea of purple America

i read dean's book "you have the power" and he talked a lot about bring America together instead of dividing us.

[NightOwwl]

63. Hi Robeysays...

Welcome to DU :hi:

[SeanQ]

75. As long as the DNC remembers that bringing us together

mean bringing Americans together on shared goals/values. _Not_ bringing the Dems in D.C. closer to the Republicans!

(why oh why can't we just kick Lieberman and the other republican apologists out?!? I understand the necesity for compromise. But there is NO compromise with these neocon fanatics)

[Beetwasher]

9. GOOD!! They Are On Message!!! AWESOME!! Extremists! Abuse Of Power!!!

Keep hammering that home, repeat ad nauseum from now until forever!

Rebpublican=Extremists and abuse of power.

[NightOwwl]

16. Check out these comments from Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer:

"Republicans run the most closed and bitterly partisan House in the history of our country, by enforcing closed rules that stifle debate, having sham conference committees that are irrelevant and holding votes open to achieve pre-ordained results.

"When arrogant partisanship is the name of the game, the American people lose and the special interests win.

"Nowhere is this more evident than in the complete and total breakdown of the ethics process in the House. While allegations of unethical behavior swirl, there is no process in the House to determine right from wrong, and truth from lies.

:woohoo:

[cyberpj]

11. I know! I've been trying to give details here since 2:30pm

:woohoo:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1721966

[NightOwwl]

12. Isn't it great! I think it will pick up steam soon. n/t

[cyberpj]

14. I was so excited I could hardly stand still while watching them.

Pelosi did a great job and used all the right language to (finally) convey the importance.

See newswire writeups in the other thread I mentioned.

[NightOwwl]

17. Was it on CSPAN?

I've read their statements, but I missed the live press conference. Darn! I want to watch them speak!

[cyberpj]

34. It was on CSPAN around 1pm -

I caught it by accident when I turned on the TV to make lunch today.

I'm betting CSPAN will re-air it for sure. We'll have to keep watch because it is WELL worth watching!

Oh - and the Republicans response was, "he didn't do anything most of congress hasn't done".

[NightOwwl]

36. Thank you cyberpj!

The response by the Republicans is laughable. Waiting for them to eat crow.

[ClassWarrior]

18. That's awesome - but the Corporate Media STILL isn't "mainstream"...

...so please don't use MSM.

NGU.

[cannabis_flower]

What is MSM? nm

[RandomUser]

27. "Mainstream Media" (n/t)

no text

[Vincardog]

50. Corporate Controlled propagandists = MSM no more CCP

[meow2u3]

69. Try Corporate Controlled Creepy Propagandists

Better known as CCCP!

[NightOwwl]

23. I'm glad you think this is good news-but please don't tell me how to post.

I know the terminology. I had my reasons for selecting one over the other.

[ClassWarrior]

33. Sorry, I thought we were all in this together, helping one another out.

Framing is essential. Sorry you seem to be more concerned about matters of ego.

NGU.

[NightOwwl]

41. That's funny-You do know a subject line only holds so much text, right?eom

[ClassWarrior]

56. That's funny - you know Radical RW frames only help the Radical RW, right?

Geez, why are your comments dripping with so much hate?

NGU.

[NightOwwl]

62. Nope, not gonna fall for it...

http://www.fallacyfiles.org/loadques.html

[Dr Fate]

21. You might say they are "worked up"- please see links

The new CNN President Jonathan Klein offered another theory during an appearance on PBS's Charlie Rose Show on March 25: Progressives aren't angry enough. When Rose asked if there could ever be a successful progressive version of Fox News Channel, Klein thought not. He explained that while Fox was tapping into a brand of "mostly angry white men" conservatism, "a quote/unquote, 'progressive' or liberal network probably couldn't reach the same sort of an audience, because liberals tend to like to sample a lot of opinions. They pride themselves on that. And you know, they don't get too worked up about anything. And they're pretty morally relativistic. And so, you know, they allow for a lot of that stuff."

http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0412-11.htm

ACTION:
Tell CNN President Jonathan Klein that the notion that progressives don't get "worked up" is wrong-- and that if he'd allow genuine progressives on his network more often, he'd know that.

CONTACT:
CNN President
Jonathan Klein
Phone: [phone]

Original thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

MODS: please do not delete as a dupe- this is very important.

[NightOwwl]

30. I so enjoy watching CNN's ratings go down the toilet.

In the meantime, MSNBC is squandering a huge opportunity. There is huge audience desperate for voices other than O'Lielly, Hannity and their ilk. They are nuts not to provide an opposing view (not only are they nuts, it is a bad business decision as well).

[Jo March]

22. This is great!

I nominated this too!

I can't believe that the Dems are standing up like this! It's great!

[fooj]

24. I'm right there with you, Arnheim!

Sorry I didn't get back to you re: e-mail! Good God...I totally forgot until I saw your post! I've had alot on my plate lately...I am such a spaz!!!

Peace!

[Jo March]

28. fooj, no worries!

I tried to answer my own question and then started to back away slowly.... LOL!

No worries. I loves me some fooj!! :hug:

[NightOwwl]

46. Belated thanks for the nomination arnheim!

Do you realize the last time we heard anything this powerful from the Dems was pre-9/11? I don't know if the newfound courage is due to the influence of Dean and Reid, but wherever it is coming from, it is long overdue.

[Jo March]

57. I think that it's due to the influence of people like us

Think about it - Dean and Reid are doing great, Kerry is working furiously, Boxer is kicking ass, Conyers, Pelosi, McKinney, Wes Clark - the list is starting to grow.

But...

But....

They could not do it without us - we the people. I have the number for the Congressional switchboard programmed on my cell phone, for goodness sakes! I'm sure that others do as well. We call, we write, we email and we fax. We are a force to be reckoned with and the Dems are taking their cues from us.

Make no mistake - we are having to "manage up" and tell them their jobs and they are responding.

The lesson now? We can't give up! We have to keep contacting them and hammering our message home:

*Leave Social Security alone.
*No war in Iran
*Exit strategy for Iraq
*No on the bankruptcy bill
*No to a change in the ethics rules
*No to * and his cronies
*No to Halliburton

We have so much more to do but we have managed to get this far!

[NightOwwl]

58. Right on!

There is no stopping us now! :toast:

[Lone Pawn]

25. Awesome! Let's hope they can keep it up!

[NightOwwl]

32. I haven't seen anything like this in...

well...I can't remember ever seeing anything like this. :applause:

[frictionlessO]

26. Charge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is this zero hour or we still just trying to coerce them into playing nice?

This needs to be the real thing, no let up until Delay is done, Frist is tied to the post, SS piracy is placated and filibustering stands!

No More Lies!!

[NightOwwl]

35. This appears to have been very organized and well-thought out strategy...

to put the Pubbies on the defense. There were remarks from the Senate and House Minority Leaders, and the House Whip. And just this morning Rep. Slaughter gave a speech to the House on ethics. So I think a lot of planning went into this.

Here are some of Pelosi's comments. Doesn't look like she wants to play nice anymore:

"Ten years ago, the Republicans, in their Contract with America, claimed that they had to restore the trust between the American people and their representatives in government. Here we are today with the radical right-wing Republican majority that is destroying that trust, and doesn't want to play by the rules. In fact, this Republican majority wants to be above the law.

"In addition to this, the Majority Leader in the House is presenting thinly veiled threats against the federal judiciary. He may not care about the system of checks and balances, but the American people do.

"So we have an issue here that is as fundamental as our Constitution. It's about respecting the freedom of speech, minority rights, and not operating above the law as Republicans are.

:woohoo:

[frictionlessO]

59. Shes my Rep!! I prayed for a leader like Sen. Boxer in New York

When the Boxer rebellion began I found renewed strength and with each passing battle shes fought I have found more and more hope.

When Rep. Slaughter demanded answers about Gannon I knew my prayers were answered. Since then I've grown even more proud of her, I didn't realize we had a fighter like her in our own backyard. I plan on doing everything I can for her campaign.

As for organized well it was awesome, but this needs to be the pace now it needs to be awesome from here on out. Especially in regard to election reform, civil rights, and pre-emptive war strategies. I don't believe it was a matter of growing a spine for some of these leaders, I believe it was a matter of waiting for a storm to use it in.... but thats the optimist in me!:woohoo: :applause: :patriot:

[tavalon]

66. Speaking of framing

I've called Newt's slimy "Contract with America", the Contract on America for years.

[Romulus]

29. momentum must be kept, less we stall out . . .(eom)

[Stinky The Clown]

31. Get a grip ... this is an anomoly ...... today was also the

Faux News company picnic ..... no one's there today except the interns.

[NightOwwl]

39. I might have agreed with you yesterday...

but this looks too well-planned to be just a fluke. We shall see, won't we?

FYI...link to full remarks here: http://rawstory.com/exclusives/byrne/democrats_drumbeat_power_413.htm

[DURHAM D]

37. Every Democrat who gets a microphone in his face should

refer to the people as the "Silenced Majority".

The Silenced Majority is here and unheard.

The Silenced Majority will no longer stand for massive abuse of power by one bug hunter from Texas.

The Silenced Majority does not want two or three corporations to count our votes.

The Silenced Majority does not want a handful of big corporations to get their hands on the people's money.

The Silenced Majority does not want corporate controlled media.

The Silenced Majority is both.

etc, etc, etc

[NightOwwl]

44. I was just thinking about this the other day...

How Dems/progressives/liberals...and anyone else who disagrees with the Bush/Repug Administration are today's Silent Majority.

But you are right. We are the "Silenced Majority." Perfect terminology, and I'm going to start using it in my daily conversations whenever the need arises.

[cyberpj]

38. Meanwhile, Conservatives announce petition to support Tom DeLay

Amazingly announced immediately following the Pelosi Reid news conference today that lambasted him and the neo-cons in the Republican party.

=============================

Press Conference to Announce Conservative Leadership Petition to Support Tom DeLay

Contact: Don Feder of Judeo-Christian Council for Constitutional Restoration, 508-405-1337 or 508-395-0142(cell)

The conservative movement -- which elected both George Bush and the Republican Congress in 2004 -- is uniting behind House Majority Tom DeLay. Specifically, the Declaration endorses DeLay's call for judicial reform. Echoing the words of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, signers of the Declaration are saying, "We must save the Constitution from the Court and the Court from itself."

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=45779

[janx]

42. Perfect.

They will implode at last. Dean was right.

[cyberpj]

43. We've waited a long long time to watch the slime retreat -

I hope this will truly get it started.

[NightOwwl]

45. The "Conservative Movement" supports Tom Delay.

"The conservative movement -- which elected both George Bush and the Republican Congress in 2004 -- is uniting behind House Majority Tom DeLay."

Too funny. Notice the lack of names, only a reference to a general entity. Heh.

[cyberpj]

47. TONIGHT! CSPAN will re-air Reid/Pelosi press conf re: Abuse of Power!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1722372

[NightOwwl]

48. Now this is what I call "Must See TV!" n/t

[mzmolly]

52. Dean and Reid make one helluva team so far!

:toast: Go DEMS!!!

[NightOwwl]

53. Aren't they fantastic! There is a great article about Reid on msnbc.com...

Playing Rope-a-Dope
Harry Reid's strategy: let the GOP punch itself out.

There's nothing fancy about Harry Reid, the Democratic leader in the Senate. Sartorially, he is a symphony in brown. He hails from a Nevada eye-blink called Searchlight, but isn't at ease in the spotlight. "I would just as soon never have a press conference," he says. An amateur boxer in his youth, the 65-year-old Reid's idea of a good time is to watch reruns of famous bouts on ESPN Classic. A favorite was on the other night: the 1955 epic between Archie Moore and Rocky Marciano. "Moore flattened Rocky early," Reid said. "Had him down, almost out. But by patience and sheer determination Marciano came back, round by round, and won. Both guys were cut and bloody when it was over."

As the Senate waits for the opening bell in one of the biggest legislative bouts of recent years—over the rules for confirming federal judges—there's mounting evidence that Reid could be the Rocky in this show. President George W. Bush started 2005 in triumph, with lofty poll numbers, sweeping goals, a tightened grip on both houses of Congress and a united Republican Party. Now those numbers are falling, his domestic programs are in trouble and the GOP is increasingly divided and wary of igniting an Armageddon-like confrontation with the Democrats over rules by which the Senate votes on presidential nominees for the federal bench. "Some of our guys are getting a little bit nervous," said a GOP strategist with close ties to Bush. "And with good reason."

Reid, with 37 years in politics, is prospering partly by doing what shrewd boxers do in the early rounds to survive: let the other guy overreach. Proudly unphilosophical, he thinks the Democratic Party needs no soul-searching. "I believe in simplicity," he says. "Health care, pensions, energy independence—that's my agenda." Meanwhile, he's glad to watch the president travel the country, attempting to sell his theory of Social Security personal savings accounts. "The more he talks about it, the less popular it gets," Reid says.

more at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7445649/site/newsweek/

[mzmolly]

55. Very nice. Both he and Dean have a straight forward/common sense

approach.

Reid's poll-tested line of attack: ending the filibuster rule would destroy the separation of powers envisioned by the Founding Fathers. It's not clear whether Frist has the support—or the nerve—to press for a vote on ending the rule. His own advisers are divided.

There is no such hesitancy in Reid's corner of the ring. He has all 44 Democrats with him, and is trying to lure defectors from the GOP with a coalition that includes some unlikely names, like the Gun Owners of America and the YWCA. If Republicans push a vote and prevail, he says, he'll shut down virtually all business in the Senate by other parliamentary means.

:toast:

Taking down Tom Daschle (while I think he's a good man) was a blessing in disguise me thinks. ;)

[OzarkDem]

64. Up in arms over "inside baseball" in Congress

Here's hoping they get as fired up about GOP actions that affect the rest of us out here in the real world. :applause:

[number6]

67. bout time ....

:)

[Liberty Belle]

70. Terrific! Links, please?

[NightOwwl]

71. Your wish is my command - Links and more links!

(Results have changed since my original search, but the message remains the same)

With GOP defensive, Democrats attack
http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/11380175.htm

Sensing GOP rifts, Democrats attack
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/11378500.htm

GOP fears it's losing Frist v. Reid
http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/041405/gop.html

Sullied GOP leader seen as fodder in bid to retake House
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/04/13/MNGQIC7FTD1.DTL

Pelosi: 'Republicans Are Engaged in Abuse of Power and the American People are Paying the Price'
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=45783

Despite Numbers, Democrats Remain In Charge
http://www.michnews.com/artman/publish/article_7844.shtml

Enjoy! :toast:

[Liberty Belle]

72. Awesome! Thanks.

[Festivito]

74. NOT that happy. Nowhere near an election. All will be forgotten.

This is a great time for them to dump all this. Campaign time will have the gay agenda, and contraceptives, in voter's faces against a vague memory of too many scandals for a bumper sticker.

There will be a new Repub for CHANGE, against a new Dem with some new exploited feaux fatal flaw.

DeLay will be gone, or, worse, Teflon by a lie too big for belief and too big for the bumper sticker.

In the end the military industrial congressional complex will out organize us with their huge corrupt money funneling.

Lots of mandatory hard work ahead.