Late to this party. Great food for thought, but do not think he makes a good campaign villain as an individual entity, rather as a part of the anti-intellectual streak that is growing ever more prevalent on the right. I would fear that singling him out would alienate the crunchy mom type, and moms have a lot of political power. A lot of parents seeking answers to their kids' health issues and faced repeated dismissal by the medical establishment have already switched sides, wrong as their assumptions may be. One quote in the article hits on this well - that Dems should own MAHA; a lot of the policies are things we typically support, like banning dangerous food dyes. The inconsistency between Trump's EPA and Kennedy's MAHA movement may also make a good campaign topic - but would steer clear of pointing the finger too strongly at one man.
That last line really sums up the party. I think our failure to understand how people feel on a lot of issues, and the party’s inability to connect with people, has partly led us to where we are.
Could it be Democrats are where they are by being pussies? Republicans didn't bring their hands and wonder if it might not work? They did what might work and worried about the consequences later, if warranted. Democrats, grow some testicles!
I think Mallory McMorrow can pull off going after RFK Jr. pretty aggressively. She’s got credibility as a mom, and has a great voice and delivery. It’s not something all candidates should take on. Again, it’s appropriate for individual candidates to focus on different issues and Trumpian outrages—whatever works for that candidate in their district or state. There’s no need to create a unified national platform, at least not a top-down one. Let it evolve.
Agreed, but let candidates out in the field decide their priorities and talking points on RFK, Jr, and other Trumpian monstrosities. For RFK, Jr, the approach would obviously be a variation of “he’s a dangerous idiot who’s going to get people killed by (insert idiotic thing he’s done, like eliminating cancer research, discouraging vaccines, presiding over cuts to people’s health insurance, etc).
Of course, he will not make a good "campaign villain". Unless Dems can be strong enough to condemn him as a renegade from their own party. If not, then they've got nothing. They have to own him as the deluded and frankly deranged turncoat he is. Was he "bad" for Trump? Does the sun rise in the East? But he will prove much more deadly to his own party. Because Dems first have to deal with his history. How TF did RKF's son descend so far into madness? It's not going to be enough to tar him as an 'unusual Trumpist'. They have to own, then disown him. Will not be easy, but that's the hell of a task in front of Dems.
Lauren, Thanks for the reporting and well written piece. The pitiful Democrats always hand wringing and indecisive. Learn one thing from Trump, you can lie and talk nonsense all day long as long as you do it with arrogance, conviction and incessant repetition. With Kennedy, use the KISS method. Remind people he has no medical training and no training in research. He loves roadkill and swims in polluted waterways. He had a worm in his f-ing brain. Yet, he's put in charge of the entire mechanism to provide information to improve Americans health and the first thing he does is fire all the most respected and trusted medical and research experts we have in our country. Really, what more do you have to say. Excuse me, I have ro take two Tylenol, the Dems are giving me a splitting headache.
Yeah, gather data and prepare attack messages against Bobby. I actually do think he is a weak link for trump, but the discussion shouldn't be that complex.
Get the data on deaths and illnesses due to taking Bobby's directives. Dead kids who didn't get vaxed. Extrapolate out how much faster the elderly will die once cut off from their Medicaid (blame it on Bobby anyway). Talk about how he engineered large-scale death in Samoa (more than 80 people). The cancelling of childhood cancer research. The whole nine yards. Put it all up on billboards over every major interstate. Buy some radio ads. Hammer the bastard, weaken trump, force Bobby's removal. Move on to the next piece of shit.
The Dems are the Opposition. They don't act like it.
The pusillanimous Democrats are going to lose it for us again arguing with each other and using the same political consultants that caused us to implode in the first place I am almost as sick of them as I am of Repugnants. When are we going to see the results of the investigation into the Biden coverup by the way? I don't give a rats ass whose political career is tanked by the truth.
It's time to stop poll testing and trying to game out messages. RFK is dishonest, crazy and dangerous! "The larger party apparatus," having played a huge role in digging this hole, has forfeited any right to make calls on messaging and campaign strategy. Just speak honestly and reasonably. If people reject that, they are likely unreachable with any message, regardless how well tailored. If you can't make an argument against more beef tallow and raw milk, you're missing decades of science-based public health guidance.
We should put the 'pandemic era masking mandates' in the same category as mandating the use of seat belts when driving. Many people objected to both issues, but no one can argue that both save lives. Just like the wearing of helmets when riding motorcycles. Some people just don't appreciate it when others want to make their lives safer. I guess it's the American thing with everyone's personal freedom to end up dead, whether you want to or not. .
This Kennedy is downright dangerous. He's ill-educated for the kinds of malarkey he's trying to sell. He's got visibility because he was born a rich trust-funder with no need to work for a living. He's got no significant science training, nor any meaningful understanding of the scientific method or statistics.
Part of the reason he's got an audience is that we're at least three or four generations from the point where the so-called childhood diseases not only were rampant but killed and disabled kids. When I was a kid, poor moms in Chicago really did have chickenpox parties as rites of passage.
I started first grade in 1957 at the old St. Leo school at 77th and Emerald, 77th and Halsted for those who know Chicago. There were some middle-class single-family neighborhoods, but most kids were from ratty apartments and tenements, disease vectors themselves. Complications from measles took a child or two every year, and polio still terrified parents.
I'm pretty sure RFK's carrying trauma and the effects of grief from the way his father was killed. But there's no worthwhile political magic attached to that name anymore.
Kennedy is wrecking the US public health infrastructure, such as it is, but especially the CDC.
Kennedy is going to unleash an epidemic of measles (or mumps, or chickenpox, or pertussis). There's no reason to wait for an epidemic of measles-caused weakened hearts in kids to relearn tragic lessons from the past.
Democrats could message on facts, like the antivax movement has been saying that no one had dies from measles for more than 40 years and now we all know that isn't true. Also, what really constitutes herd immunity. Those people that benefitted from herd immunity for the last 40 years only did so because the vast majority of people were immunized. Out in the real-world herd immunity only means that a large enough portion of the herd will survive to propagate the next generation. Plenty of them will sicken and die. How about the number of people that survive cancers that in the past died? Do they really want to rely on a dose from a bottle of who knows what that Dr. Oz calls giving people hope?
The idea to me that Democrats should only appeal to a "big audience issues" is disingenuous and a mark of why so many people stay home on election nights — those people who *already* widely agree and are widely messaged to are the people who are *already* planning on voting. And probably have their minds made up on how.
Those who *are* "niche issue" voters are *never* messaged to and are the people who feel under-represented by the "establishment". Isn't this the big lesson we've learned from Trump's ascension? People will turn up if you *speak* to them, specifically, and not *every* Democrat has to do that with *every* niche issue. But we cannot dismiss niche issues just *because* they have a smaller audience; the pregnant people's outrage over Tylenol could be the difference in many State-level elections and even *federal* elections. How many disenfranchised young mothers are out there? Young women? I'd say just as many as young men. And that's where Trump's votes came from. I'm just saying, if the young men are as noxious as I've seen, even generally, few and far between are the young ladies who would seek to date and marry them (which is a whole other circular issue).
Honestly, that's where the social media influencers come in: delegate to them to bring awareness to niche issues, then work to get their endorsements. There. Problem solved.
TL;DR: message the niche issues! Those are the "new" or the "lapsed" voters, the "disenfranchised" that Trump harnessed! They count, too, and should be spoken to!
There should be no vacillating on an attack on the lunatic Kennedy. Why is this so difficult for Dems. Stop overthinking about whether it's a good or bad tactic. Go after his moronic ass and don't let up. This dipshit will kill a lot of kids. That should make any parent furious.
Late to this party. Great food for thought, but do not think he makes a good campaign villain as an individual entity, rather as a part of the anti-intellectual streak that is growing ever more prevalent on the right. I would fear that singling him out would alienate the crunchy mom type, and moms have a lot of political power. A lot of parents seeking answers to their kids' health issues and faced repeated dismissal by the medical establishment have already switched sides, wrong as their assumptions may be. One quote in the article hits on this well - that Dems should own MAHA; a lot of the policies are things we typically support, like banning dangerous food dyes. The inconsistency between Trump's EPA and Kennedy's MAHA movement may also make a good campaign topic - but would steer clear of pointing the finger too strongly at one man.
That last line really sums up the party. I think our failure to understand how people feel on a lot of issues, and the party’s inability to connect with people, has partly led us to where we are.
Could it be Democrats are where they are by being pussies? Republicans didn't bring their hands and wonder if it might not work? They did what might work and worried about the consequences later, if warranted. Democrats, grow some testicles!
I think Mallory McMorrow can pull off going after RFK Jr. pretty aggressively. She’s got credibility as a mom, and has a great voice and delivery. It’s not something all candidates should take on. Again, it’s appropriate for individual candidates to focus on different issues and Trumpian outrages—whatever works for that candidate in their district or state. There’s no need to create a unified national platform, at least not a top-down one. Let it evolve.
I like this. But even so, thought has to be given about how to approach Kennedy and MAHA. Many a candidacy has been upended by an unexpected question.
Agreed, but let candidates out in the field decide their priorities and talking points on RFK, Jr, and other Trumpian monstrosities. For RFK, Jr, the approach would obviously be a variation of “he’s a dangerous idiot who’s going to get people killed by (insert idiotic thing he’s done, like eliminating cancer research, discouraging vaccines, presiding over cuts to people’s health insurance, etc).
And talking about the outbreaks of measles, whooping cough, and who-knows-what-else. That is what Republicans do, and it’s been pretty effective.
Of course, he will not make a good "campaign villain". Unless Dems can be strong enough to condemn him as a renegade from their own party. If not, then they've got nothing. They have to own him as the deluded and frankly deranged turncoat he is. Was he "bad" for Trump? Does the sun rise in the East? But he will prove much more deadly to his own party. Because Dems first have to deal with his history. How TF did RKF's son descend so far into madness? It's not going to be enough to tar him as an 'unusual Trumpist'. They have to own, then disown him. Will not be easy, but that's the hell of a task in front of Dems.
Lauren, Thanks for the reporting and well written piece. The pitiful Democrats always hand wringing and indecisive. Learn one thing from Trump, you can lie and talk nonsense all day long as long as you do it with arrogance, conviction and incessant repetition. With Kennedy, use the KISS method. Remind people he has no medical training and no training in research. He loves roadkill and swims in polluted waterways. He had a worm in his f-ing brain. Yet, he's put in charge of the entire mechanism to provide information to improve Americans health and the first thing he does is fire all the most respected and trusted medical and research experts we have in our country. Really, what more do you have to say. Excuse me, I have ro take two Tylenol, the Dems are giving me a splitting headache.
Yeah, gather data and prepare attack messages against Bobby. I actually do think he is a weak link for trump, but the discussion shouldn't be that complex.
Get the data on deaths and illnesses due to taking Bobby's directives. Dead kids who didn't get vaxed. Extrapolate out how much faster the elderly will die once cut off from their Medicaid (blame it on Bobby anyway). Talk about how he engineered large-scale death in Samoa (more than 80 people). The cancelling of childhood cancer research. The whole nine yards. Put it all up on billboards over every major interstate. Buy some radio ads. Hammer the bastard, weaken trump, force Bobby's removal. Move on to the next piece of shit.
The Dems are the Opposition. They don't act like it.
The pusillanimous Democrats are going to lose it for us again arguing with each other and using the same political consultants that caused us to implode in the first place I am almost as sick of them as I am of Repugnants. When are we going to see the results of the investigation into the Biden coverup by the way? I don't give a rats ass whose political career is tanked by the truth.
It's time to stop poll testing and trying to game out messages. RFK is dishonest, crazy and dangerous! "The larger party apparatus," having played a huge role in digging this hole, has forfeited any right to make calls on messaging and campaign strategy. Just speak honestly and reasonably. If people reject that, they are likely unreachable with any message, regardless how well tailored. If you can't make an argument against more beef tallow and raw milk, you're missing decades of science-based public health guidance.
Don't cast him as a villain, mock him for being a clueless clown.
We should put the 'pandemic era masking mandates' in the same category as mandating the use of seat belts when driving. Many people objected to both issues, but no one can argue that both save lives. Just like the wearing of helmets when riding motorcycles. Some people just don't appreciate it when others want to make their lives safer. I guess it's the American thing with everyone's personal freedom to end up dead, whether you want to or not. .
This Kennedy is downright dangerous. He's ill-educated for the kinds of malarkey he's trying to sell. He's got visibility because he was born a rich trust-funder with no need to work for a living. He's got no significant science training, nor any meaningful understanding of the scientific method or statistics.
Part of the reason he's got an audience is that we're at least three or four generations from the point where the so-called childhood diseases not only were rampant but killed and disabled kids. When I was a kid, poor moms in Chicago really did have chickenpox parties as rites of passage.
I started first grade in 1957 at the old St. Leo school at 77th and Emerald, 77th and Halsted for those who know Chicago. There were some middle-class single-family neighborhoods, but most kids were from ratty apartments and tenements, disease vectors themselves. Complications from measles took a child or two every year, and polio still terrified parents.
I'm pretty sure RFK's carrying trauma and the effects of grief from the way his father was killed. But there's no worthwhile political magic attached to that name anymore.
Kennedy is wrecking the US public health infrastructure, such as it is, but especially the CDC.
Kennedy is going to unleash an epidemic of measles (or mumps, or chickenpox, or pertussis). There's no reason to wait for an epidemic of measles-caused weakened hearts in kids to relearn tragic lessons from the past.
Absolutely, but it needs to be part of a wider message regarding right-wing attacks on public health and public health expenditures.
Democrats could message on facts, like the antivax movement has been saying that no one had dies from measles for more than 40 years and now we all know that isn't true. Also, what really constitutes herd immunity. Those people that benefitted from herd immunity for the last 40 years only did so because the vast majority of people were immunized. Out in the real-world herd immunity only means that a large enough portion of the herd will survive to propagate the next generation. Plenty of them will sicken and die. How about the number of people that survive cancers that in the past died? Do they really want to rely on a dose from a bottle of who knows what that Dr. Oz calls giving people hope?
The idea to me that Democrats should only appeal to a "big audience issues" is disingenuous and a mark of why so many people stay home on election nights — those people who *already* widely agree and are widely messaged to are the people who are *already* planning on voting. And probably have their minds made up on how.
Those who *are* "niche issue" voters are *never* messaged to and are the people who feel under-represented by the "establishment". Isn't this the big lesson we've learned from Trump's ascension? People will turn up if you *speak* to them, specifically, and not *every* Democrat has to do that with *every* niche issue. But we cannot dismiss niche issues just *because* they have a smaller audience; the pregnant people's outrage over Tylenol could be the difference in many State-level elections and even *federal* elections. How many disenfranchised young mothers are out there? Young women? I'd say just as many as young men. And that's where Trump's votes came from. I'm just saying, if the young men are as noxious as I've seen, even generally, few and far between are the young ladies who would seek to date and marry them (which is a whole other circular issue).
Honestly, that's where the social media influencers come in: delegate to them to bring awareness to niche issues, then work to get their endorsements. There. Problem solved.
TL;DR: message the niche issues! Those are the "new" or the "lapsed" voters, the "disenfranchised" that Trump harnessed! They count, too, and should be spoken to!
There should be no vacillating on an attack on the lunatic Kennedy. Why is this so difficult for Dems. Stop overthinking about whether it's a good or bad tactic. Go after his moronic ass and don't let up. This dipshit will kill a lot of kids. That should make any parent furious.