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3 Important Lessons Dems Should Learn From Grayson

Posted by Chris Bowers, Open Left at 3:01 PM on October 1, 2009.


Even as Grayson intensified his rhetoric, Republicans withdrew their resolution to condemn him on the House floor.

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Usually when Republicans and conservative media join together to throw a coordinated hissy fit against something "outrageous" a Democrat has said, it resulted in apologies (John Kerry in 2006), resignations (Van Jones) and public condemnations in Congress (MoveOn.org). Yesterday, however, Republicans actually backed down from their hissy fit when Rep. Alan Grayson stood up to them. Even as Grayson intensified his rhetoric, Republicans withdrew their resolution to condemn him on the House floor.

There were several important differences between this and most of the other attacks from the Republican manufactured outrage machine. Other Democrats in Congress could stand to learn from them: 

 

  1. Grayson specifically chose to use rhetoric that echoed earlier rhetoric used by many prominent Republicans. Lesson: Throwing Republican rhetoric back at them can potentially be more effective then just condemning Republican rhetoric.
  2. Too often, Democrats allow policy discussions to be derailed by Republican rhetorical excess. By contrast, Grayson used his rhetorical moment to shift to a policy argument about tens of thousands of people dying from lack of health insurance.  Lesson: rhetorical moments like these can allow you to control the debate, as Republicans long ago learned
  3. Many Democrats in congress are oblivious to the existence of the progressive netroots or even progressive media. As such, they think no one will be around to support them if they pick a fight like this. Alan Grayson, by contrast, hired Matt Stoller, thus making his office more aware of the netroots than anyone else in Congress. His non-apology yesterday was targeted directly at the progressive netroots, and earned him $100,000. Further, progressive media like the Huffington Post and the Daily Show immediately produced reams of quotes and video showing Republicans using the same sort of rhetoric over the summer.

    Lesson: If you want to pick a fight, and if you understand the medium, progressive media and the progressive netroots can help you.

It is a landmark moment for a freshman Democrat from a marginal, R+2 district to win a rhetorical fight with the Republican smear machine like this. Hopefully, it will become a teachable moment for other Democrats in Congress.

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Tagged as: democrats, grayson

Chris Bowers was a full-time editor at MyDD from May 2004 until June 2007. Some of his projects have included the creation of the Liberal Blog Advertising Network, the first scientifically random poll of progressive netroots activists, the Use It Or Lose It campaign, the nation's most accurate forecast of Democratic house pickups in 2006, and the 2006 Googlebomb the Elections campaign.


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Finally
Posted by: aogfc on Oct 1, 2009 3:28 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
a liberal that isn't weak in the knees and ready to copitulate... hopefully this isn't a one~off....

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I was impressed by Grayson's apparent enjoyment of...
Posted by: pelican beak on Oct 1, 2009 3:53 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
... taking his argument into the middle of
Blitzer's playroom of dumbed-down bobble-head dolls.

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Lessons learned?
Posted by: sliver on Oct 1, 2009 4:29 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Half of the Democrats are simply Republican-lite, so they will vote for big business and act like they are doing the right thing. The lesson they learned was to stay away from Alan Grayson.

The other half is scared to death of someone criticizing them on CNN or FOX. The lesson they learned was not to stray from the corporate line.

I only know a few who will stand up for regular Americans, but at least we can add one more to that list.

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Too bad.
Posted by: UnEasyOne on Oct 1, 2009 5:12 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I was really hoping the Republicans would make a big stand about this and keep it alive as long as possible - and said that here yesterday. They are really smart to try to let it die as quickly as possible.

I'm thinking that Grayson (or another progressive smart enough to see the handwriting on the wall) will find a way to keep it going, though.

My suggestion? Death panels.

Republicans have already publicized the issue - but they already exist. Down at your friendly HMO's corporate headquarters. That is the place where some faceless bureaucrat actually decides who will die tomorrow.

It is a truly (no pun intended) killer issue - and the Republicans have been kind enough to lay the groundwork for us.

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» RE: Too bad. Posted by: oldhippy39
Just figured it out, folks. IT WAS A TRAP!
Posted by: UnEasyOne on Oct 1, 2009 11:54 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It was a huge joke on Republicans intended to make them laughingstocks. Damn near worked, too. Unfortunately, it was triggered prematurely by leftie bloggers innocently intending to defend Grayson by pointing out that Republican officeholders have hurled virtually identical inflammatory accusations at Democrats in recent months!

He is a Harvard Phi Beta Kappa who has hired Matt Stoller - a really net-savvy blogger. They cooked up a beautiful plan.

"die quickly" = (from a Republican) Dems telling old people to "drop dead"

"holocaust?" favorite meme of the anti-abortion crowd. Grayson even remarked regarding Rs indifference to "living, breathing, people."

What finally nailed it down for me was the CNN clip where he called Republicans "nattering nabobs of negativism." That was Spiro Agnew's most famous line ever!

Folks, he was praying that the Rs would try to censure him! He was prepared to show that he has been quoting Republicans throughout.

Unfortunately, well-meaning lefties like us triggered the alarm over at fascist central, the Rs withdrew their resolution, and they are going to try to let it quietly go away. Had that resolution been debated, it would have been a national joke.

I am going to repost this now at the bottom of every Grayson thread I can find. Don't feel obliged to rec every one, lol.

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4changenow
Posted by: 4changenow on Oct 2, 2009 6:21 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
All I can say is maybe we have at least one who does not belong to the "Parliment of Whores" (thanks to PJ O' Rourke who I may not agree with but will steal from)

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At Last
Posted by: agbfpmt on Oct 2, 2009 6:44 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Great job, Rep. Grayson ... keep up the good work!!! IT'S ABOUT TIME a Dem exhibited some balls in dealing with the right-wingnut Repuklicant fear and hate mongers!!! Hopefully our President will do likewise!!!

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Rep. Grayson stood up to the bullies, now...
Posted by: djnoll on Oct 2, 2009 8:23 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
it is time for us to do the same. Join me in DC on November 3rd to send a message to the President and to Congress - YOU REPRESENT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE! WE ARE GOING TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE IF YOU DO NOT!

If you cannot join me there, then organize work strikes against businesses in your community for the same day. Send a message to local governments and state governments and corporations that WE WILL NO LONGER ALLOW YOU TO TRAMPLE ON OUR HUMANITY! WE WILL HOLD GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE TO US, NOT TO CORPORATIONS! IT IS TIME FOR THE PEOPLE TO BE FIRST, NOT CORPORATE MONEY!

Go to my website and find out more. Put it up on your Facebook page and on any other blogs you go to. I am working on a video and when it is done, I will let you know where to find it on YouTube. Support people like Rep. Grayson and Senator Dick Durbin. Get your friends and families, your co-workers and your neighbors out there. It is time Americans stopped being the Silent Majority, and started being the AMERICA THAT ROARS!

Let Freedom Ring.Community

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Grayson is outraged at what?
Posted by: 4America on Oct 2, 2009 9:10 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
He sounds tough, stands up for what he believes in except for one He's not sure.NO ONE knows whats in Pelosi's healthcare bill, including him.. She wont let anyone, specifically Americans, read it..

So what the hell is Grayson talking about..he has no idea!

If he really wanted to take a stand he would join all the repubs that are demanding that the bill be made public and the CBO be given time to analyze it.

So basically, Grayson is just another politician looking for a few votes the easy way!

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Former Prosecutor Grayson Is The Greatest!!!
Posted by: Razional Thinker on Oct 2, 2009 10:21 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Can we clone him please?? He has a history of nailing people and representing the public. Watch him here:

http://dailybail.com/home/there-are-no-
words-to-describe-the-following-part-ii.html


Too bad, he seems to be one of the very few who has an IQ!!!!!

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Would that EVERY Democrat was like
Posted by: bettyn on Oct 2, 2009 10:50 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Rep. Grayson! Wish we had more people like him in service to our state. Maybe we wouldn't have been stuck for eight years with King Dumbfuck Smirkface!

Again, I will ask: CAN THIS COUNTRY BE SAVED?

At this point, I doubt it.

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Obama should learn from Grayson
Posted by: fwhamill on Oct 2, 2009 4:27 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I wish Obama would be as bold as Grayson. I voted for him with misgivings. He's disappointed me on a number of issues. Would it kill him to stand up like a man and take the blows and the credit for behaving like a leader on health care reform. This bipartisian garbage has got to go. He holds out an olive branch to the repugnicans They slap his face. He picks up the branch and offers it again. Pick up a fat stick, Obama, and beat the heck out of them with it (figuratively) You'd be doing it for all of us.

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DAMN NICE
Posted by: on Oct 3, 2009 3:53 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
To keep it simple, isn't it just damn nice to FINALLY have a Democrat whose actions & brains, added to the ability to take the fight to the morons –– & not back-down –– who we can actually be PROUD of!! It's been too long in coming, but may give the rest of "our" party enough nerve to join him in telling the truth, in calling the True Liars LIARS! In point of fact, this man is about 6'3" (or 4") & really is NOT the Democrat for any of those playground bullies to choose in a fight. He's smart, is likable, has a sense of humor & an even stronger sense of outrage. Since his first speech, he's beaten everyone he's chatted with, beaten 'em black & blue! Can't beat the truth, Kiddos. OR the brainpower. Good on 'im!!! I am prouder than I have been since the election. Yay!!!
m. swof. / DEMOCRAT (by Option)

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NOTICE HOW MANY COMMENTS REALLY LIKED GRAYSON. I FIND THIS
Posted by: Raymond Emerson on Oct 4, 2009 5:52 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
personally encouraging. I thank all of you. I'm old enough that I might not wake up tomorrow to thank you. But if I don't, I feel that I would like to leave our/your nation in your hands. Democracy, itself, is a form of immortality. No I don't have any Vicks salve beneath my eyes. (joke)

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ABOUT TIME!!!
Posted by: jvaljon1 on Oct 13, 2009 2:39 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We need MORE ALAN GRAYSONS! MANY MANY MORE!

Any Dem with a set of balls, step right up to the plate. WE NEED YOU! YOU--not the emasculated, bribe-taking DemoPublicans we got now!

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