tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7592841981416728347.post7244037368557459516..comments2023-05-25T03:08:18.166-06:00Comments on Montana Headlines: Sunday roundup and branding -- the Gazette, and beyond...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7592841981416728347.post-57321357031975298792007-04-24T17:36:00.000-06:002007-04-24T17:36:00.000-06:00Very good points regarding the need for humor. Le...Very good points regarding the need for humor. <BR/><BR/>Let's face it -- we Republicans are mean folks. We eat small children for breakfast, poor people for lunch, and endangered species for dinner.<BR/><BR/>So, we need to understand that when we criticize someone in a soft voice, it is heard as shouting. When we whisper, it is heard as a normal voice.<BR/><BR/>Your word "fun" was key regarding what the GOP could have done with the governor's trip. The impulse is to be bitterly sarcastic, and sarcasm by Republicans directed at Democrats sounds mean. The same words said by Dems about Republicans would be funny -- that's just how it is.<BR/><BR/>So humor needs to be used with caution. Self-deprecating humor seems to be what works the best for Republicans. Its effectiveness comes from the fact that Democrats truly believe that we Republicans are retarded wingnut idiots (unless we are pathologically evil geniuses like Karl Rove.)Montana Headlineshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16149094528547382638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7592841981416728347.post-47642481749933605742007-04-23T09:37:00.000-06:002007-04-23T09:37:00.000-06:00I think this is pretty good advice:" ...have rheto...I think this is pretty good advice:" ...have rhetorical discipline. Make every word count. Maintain dignity and composure." <BR/><BR/>Some leaders -- everyone knows who they are -- don't maintain composure and too oten play into the crazy wing-nut stereotype.<BR/><BR/>It also seems as if the GOP could use humor--or at least make its points wiith a smile instead of a sneer. Humor could make them look less harsh, and could be more effective, just as it is in TV ads. The GOP probably could have done something fun on the governor's trip to Hollywood/Bay Area, but the party probably squandered that chance by giving the press a chance to focus a lot of the attention on them for taking work time off over the weekend.<BR/><BR/>The GOP leaders should always be asking themselves: How will what I do or say look in a story on the front page of tomorrow's paper? Because the press always loves a chance to put them there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7592841981416728347.post-32221908271097298292007-04-22T19:50:00.000-06:002007-04-22T19:50:00.000-06:00Here and there I make observations that I think wi...Here and there I make observations that I think will be helpful, but frankly any advice I'd give at this point would be based in ignorance about the situation on the ground there in Helena. <BR/><BR/>Everything at this point is happening behind closed doors and is probably changing hourly.<BR/><BR/>The only piece of advice that I'd give now is the main piece of advice I've been giving all along: have rhetorical discipline. Make every word count. Maintain dignity and composure. <BR/><BR/>When Republicans do those things, it drives Democrats crazy, since we don't give them and the press the opportunity to follow the "crazy wing-nut Republican" script. <BR/><BR/>Republicans need to be concerned about long term strategy -- and that does <I>not</I> mean the 2008 election.<BR/><BR/>And the advice we should give each other is to hang tough in our support for our legislators no matter how things go. They're still the good guys.Montana Headlineshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16149094528547382638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7592841981416728347.post-2559625355545305602007-04-22T18:05:00.000-06:002007-04-22T18:05:00.000-06:00Enjoy your blog. Also agree with your point that t...Enjoy your blog. Also agree with your point that the press will never miss an opportunity to make out the House GOP as villains and the Democrats and governor as the good guys -- though that last part may finally be starting to change a bit. But knowing that's going to happen, why haven't the House GOP leaders been better prepared to wage the PR war? Any advice you'd give them in the session's closing days that they could use to recover ground and get in better stead with the voters?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com