UC scholar to help Democrats refine message - Party is urged to control policy debate

SFGate.com ^ | 12/5/04 | Edward Epstein

[jalisco555]

Washington -- House Democrats, seeking to take the offensive against Republicans in an effort to win back a majority, will talk Tuesday with a Berkeley scholar who says Republicans have succeeded by framing the nation's political debate on their terms.

The scholar, UC Berkeley professor of linguistics and cognitive sciences George Lakoff, is a hot item in liberal circles these days as he argues Democrats must develop a message that resonates more deeply with voters. His latest book, "Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate,'' is on best-seller lists in Washington and the Bay Area. Before the Nov. 2 election, then-Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota and Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez, who heads the House Democratic Policy Committee, distributed hundreds of copies of Lakoff's book to their colleagues and staffs.

"It's all about words and craftsmanship,'' said Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, of Lakoff's advice. "He shows us that we ought to take the Republicans' words and show why they don't work, why they just aren't so.''

Farr points as examples to President Bush's Leave No Child Behind Act, the education law that Democrats say has shortchanged many children, and Bush's calls for "tax reform,'' which the Democrats say is another plan to help the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.

Snip

He has suggested that same-sex marriage should be referred to as "the right to marry.'' Trial lawyers like vice presidential nominee John Edwards should instead be called "public protection attorneys,'' and the term environmental protection, which brings to mind big government and reams of regulations, should instead be termed "poison-free communities.''

[paudio]

Trial lawyers ... should instead be called "public protection attorneys,'' and the term environmental protection, which brings to mind big government and reams of regulations, should instead be termed "poison-free communities.''

I find them contradictory...

[Socrates1]

Their's is an old story.

"We have become a people on the defensive. We work and we fight, we wander, we leave our homes, we suffer and endure, and we do all this with a silent dignity which, in the end, will arouse the admiration of the entire world. Europe may well be happy that it still possesses such a people. Today this people is the salvation of Europe. Tomorrow, therefore, it will be Europe's pride."

Sound familiar?

Who said this: Terry McAuliffe, Nancy Pelosi, Tom Daschle...?

Hint - Social Democrat, Joseph Goebbels in Das Reich of Feb. 11, 1945 -- eleven weeks before the end

[ken21]

sounds narcissistic.

[xzins]

He "protected" us to the tune of 40 million bucks in his pockets.

"Pocket protection attorneys"

[jmaroneps37]

If WE picked somebody to reform the rat party we couldn't do better. These zipper heads actually believe that a guy from some liberal college knows how to speak Redstatian?

[Republicanprofessor]

it's all about style

And now their "style" is being defeated by facts and intelligent thought with the help of the new media. Hurray!

[goldstategop]

You can't pour old liberal wine into a new bottle. Its still the same old liberal wine in the new bottle.

[jalisco555]

If WE picked somebody to reform the rat party we couldn't do better. These zipper heads actually believe that a guy from some liberal college knows how to speak Redstatian?

Amazing, isn't it? Karl Rove must be laughing so hard he he's about to have a seizure. These people are truly hopeless.

[Uncle Hal]

These liberals never cease to amaze me. Changing names for these Democratic talking points to make them less offensive is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It is not going to solve the fundamental problem in that our opponents have no programs that will attract voters.