The problem we run into is that the Democratic Party didn't take a stand against media deregulation. Once the deregulated media started to tabloidize the American political press, Democrats failed to grasp the way in which politics had/has changed. We live in the Rush Limbaugh/FoxNews world. Politics used be criticized for being all show and soundbites, and at it's worst it deserved these criticisms. That being said, in today's world, politics really IS SOUNDBITES. Where it used to just be an insult to say someone had his speech written for him, today it's ubiquitous.

Democrats have got to learn how to entertain. We have to learn that carefully riding the fence, does not fly anymore. Kerry's tactic, going moderate, is an example of using an older, out of date style of campaigning. The traditional strategists assumed tailored messages to garner support of wide audiences. Today, that paradigm no longer works.

We need to think about FoxNews as we think about professional wrestling; not to single out Fox as being atypical, but because it is the new prototype for political news. Now, there are obvious gradations applicable when considering political commentary versus wrestling dialogue, however I do believe it is one of degrees and not of kind. The current state of affaris, makes politics like pro-wrestling. Voters expect staked out positions that are readily identifiable...cliches basically. Democrats have one such position that can provide an example of how to properly frame issues in today's cliamate: pro-choice.

Indeed, pro-choice is the greatest example of success Democrats have in this new style of debate. The practical issue for government is whether the Federal government allows for the imposition of criminal sanctions for providing abortion procedures. Democrats have, so far, won this issue by, in part, framing the issue to be about "a woman's right to choose." The message is simple, it's appealing and it doesn't worry itself with complicated arguments based on privacy, constitutional interpretation or states rights versus Federalism. For this single issue, it's the Republicans that have failed to make their position digestible to the new political media. This one instance where we Democrats have understood how to style our message, but it's also important how the message is delivered.

For the most part, today's Democratic Party lacks firebrands capable of making entertaining debate. We need message control, and for it to succeed we need presenters. We ought to have a stable of firebrand pundits who never concede an inch to counter the likes of Coulter. We have the comedians, we simply need to reach out to them and get them talking points and regular spots on political shows(Jon Stewart is an example.) Most of all we need to rein in the likes of Joe Lieberman and Barbara Boxer.

Moderate Democrats do not have any place on Fox News or any sensationalistic outlet. Lieberman can be a moderate all he wants, but he damages the Party when he appears on new media. His concilliatory, apologetic demeanor is exactly the image the GOP wants to convey about the Democratic party. The tired old fool. The politician glibbly playing the ignoramus left while supporting sensible conservative policy on war and economy. Middle of the road Dems need to stop going on these programs as they dilute, confuse and obscure our Party's oppostion to the GOP.

Remember when Harkin spoke at Wellstone's memorial? The GOP went crazy. Here was a compelling message. Here was a man, Harkin, speaking from the soul about what it is to be a Democrat and a liberal. His message as simple, direct and accusatory. And how did our great Democratic Party react? For a week straight we saw Democrats paraded before Fox denouncing Harkin's "inappropriate" message. The man was distraught...he was filled with passion...he didn't speak for most Democrats. This is what we must stop. Not all of our messengers have to be Deans or Harkins, but A)we need more like them and B)we need to stop making friends with the GOP and apologizing for our Party.

On the national level, we have lost the spirit of what it is to be a Democrat. Our national Party is affraid to make waves and offers us the candidates least offensive to the right. While the likes of Harry Reid do have a place in the Democratic Party, they are not the type that should be leading the Party. Their message is too complex, too nuanced and inappropriate for the taloid-media driven politics of our modern world. What we need is a simplified message, distinct from the right, with a centralized control that will decide who, how and when our message will be delivered. This is how, I believe, we can restore the grandeur our Party once enjoyed.