To Kerry Team or anyone who can help

[ropi]

Quote from Lakoff:

"There are many other things that are excluded from the official framing of the "global war on terror," such as oil, the economy, the deficit, health care, jobs, education, taxes, and the effects of global trade. The implication is that none of these things matter if every American is in mortal danger, even those in the swing states where there's little to no chance of a terrorist strike.

But rationality is not at issue here. People think in terms of frames. If this frame is accepted, all such "rational" arguments will be beside the point. Negating the frame would just reinforce it. The facts alone won't do the job.

If you don't want this frame accepted, you have to puncture it effectively by using what the public already believes (for example, that Iraq is a disaster area), and you have to offer a strong, positive alternative frame.

And Fast."

------

I know that I have posted a few things on the boards (I lurk most of the time), but I am becoming increasingly aware that the Kerry Team does need to confront the ads and the issues raised by Republicans. Moreover, I have even noticed some threads and links to articles, which tell us that Kerry’s team is regrouping in order to stand-up against the Bush/Cheney team. Yet, I am struck by the way that right after we read these posts on DU—we later end up seeing the same old Democratic Tactics being used. That is to say that the Kerry Team does not seem to be ‘speaking’ to the American people like the Bush/Cheney team.

I came across these articles on Buzzflash a few days ago by the linguist, George Lakoff. I think they would be of interest to Kerry’s people, but I don’t know how to get these out to them. Realizing that some of his aides may lurk here (and I know I have seen a few nicknames and a few threads with posters stating they work with the Kerry campaign), I am providing these links in hope that they take the time to examine what Dr. Lakoff sees as the manner in which Republican’s ‘frame’ their issues.

If they are an intelligent bunch( and I believe that they are) they will have to move fast and copy the way that the Republican Party frames issues. It’s the technique of framing that speaks to the everyday American.

http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2004/08/31_lakoff_gop1.shtml
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2004/09/01_lakoff_gop2.shtml
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2004/09/02_lakoff_gop3.shtml
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2004/09/03_lakoff_gop4.shtml


http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/10/27_lakoff_p2.shtml

edit: quote added. (mods- if i put too many lines in..please let me know)

[MGKrebs]

1. For God's sake, I hope they know how to frame an issue by now.

These people are supposed to be professionals.

[ropi]

2. Indeed

But, I think it's their professionalism that is hindering them. I think Lakoff's articles really do present something that these political intellectuals on the Kerry Campaign may have missed.

[Eloriel]

3. Um, well, they still seem to always be

a day late and a dollar short to me. Maybe they forgot the part about "the best defense is a good offense," or something. :shrug:

[MGKrebs]

4. Yeah, but you and I thought

Howard Dean knew how to play this game!

:hi:

[Eloriel]

5. Not so sure I thought of him in that way --

certainly not in any dirty tricks way (which I don't condone for our side since we have a much more powerful weapon: the truth, had we but guts enough to use it and apparently, as Jon Stewart would say, "uh, not that much").

I think I saw Dean as the antithesis to "playing the game."

There are people here at DU who LOVE politics; love the rough and tumble and even dirty tricksmanship of electoral politics (Will Pitt is one). Not I. I loathe politics, with every fiber of my being. That's why I loved Howard: truth over pandering, advocating for the right thing rather than the politic thing. I think he's politically quite savvy in a lot of ways, and at the same time somewhat naive about the "reality" of national electoral politics.

And now I feel like crying again. :-( I'll never "get over" him. HeddaFoil thinks he'll still someday be Preident. I sure as hell hope she's right.