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Victoria Wright's avatar

Whew, I agree completely. I feel like you're channeling my own resentment here. 'Narcisissm' is definitely the right word and I admit I'm even getting a little testy at some of our friends at the Bulwark as well for not understanding that the national media is pretty much worthless to engage with at this stage. There's a great deal of Harris/Walz content out there, the MSM just doesn't care to cover it and keep demanding they go to them like supplicants. It feels extra outrageous when they can't even get their shit in front of the people we need to reach. Adding in the lunacy of the Trump campaign and MSM's desperation to treat everything like normal politics is jarring. The 'fact-checks' especially, dear gods!

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Jozilyn's avatar

I'm so done with the bulwark until the election. They are still republicans at heart and only know how to reach voters the way that failed party would reach their voters. I find that they are just complaining into the void at this point and aren't actually reaching persuadable voters. Sarah's focus groups are useless to Kamala Harris' campaign. She couldn't have been more wrong about Kamala. I think the Harris campaign is doing a great job reaching persuadable voters. But it's up to US to help get her across the finish line so don't stop championing her until she's sworn in as the 47th president of the United States of America.

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Victoria Wright's avatar

Most of the time I really enjoy the Bulwark. They ARE still Republicans in a lot of ways, but that's usually pretty fascinating and gives me insight on how to talk to right-leaning people that would be valuable to keep in our coalition. Their anxiety is almost worse that ours though, and it shows. At least the focus group this weekend didn't make me want to commit honorable sudoku. There was one Trump-to-Biden voter who was like "I got the impression JD Vance has 3 kids... but that he doesn't know their names or ages." 🤣

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Bethany Reynolds's avatar

The Brookings Institute has a good piece out today looking at how the gender gap could impact the 2024 election.

I’m glad Harris is trying to reach out to male demographics on podcasts, etc, even if all it does is make liberal men feel

a little better about their gender (sorry, guys!). But I am more excited to see her activating the votes of young women. Frankly, I don’t care if there’s a 60 point gender gap in the actual turnout, if that’s what it takes to stop Trump.

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Victoria Wright's avatar

National Media likes to poopoo talking about feelings as "vibes" and then scoff, but women care about feelings. It's how we learn and relate to a person. That was what was really awesome about the Call her Daddy interview. Also, there was a lot of actual explaining the situation we're in to people who literally don't know instead of making assumptions about "common knowledge".

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Marla Kirby's avatar

This. This. This. Every single line.

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Lee Crawford's avatar

I find value in The Bulwark - maybe more than other comments here - but I'm also moving away from overindulging there. Too dire and I don't see it justified, for exactly the reasons pointed to here.

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Bethany Reynolds's avatar

There are some very smart folks at The Bulwark, and I think they’re very valuable in helping us reach persuadable R’s and giving them a permission structure to vote for Harris. But I wouldn’t expect them to be experts in reaching the 20-30 something women in the Call Her Daddy audience. All hands on (the appropriate) deck!

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Victoria Wright's avatar

I agree completely!

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Victoria Wright's avatar

I do really love the Bulwark, despite my "just download Instagram to follow the Harris campaign, guys!" frustration. They conveniently gather up all the most persuadable people to spread the good word about abortion to! But I've been a fully tribal Democratic party loyalist since I was 4 and I feel a lot of empathy and respect towards the Never Trumpers. I can easily imagine the deep pain and betrayal they are going through and always keep in mind the sacrifices they have made to help us defend democracy- regardless of how huffy puffy they make me on certain takes.

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Kate's avatar

I had never heard of Call Her Daddy until this morning ( Axios ) .. and just listened to the whole episode … love the idea that MILLIONS of women — and some men too— are getting reached this way… Love Harris and Walz playing smart

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Victoria Wright's avatar

Omg, after reading this I checked it out and I'm in love. THESE ARE THE ACTUAL QUESTIONS young women care about! I think this is honestly what Sarah Longwell's focus groups want too. Get to know Harris as a person.

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Megan C's avatar

It was a really great conversation and interview.

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Ginny K's avatar

And Politico's headline after Donald's insanely demented butler rally was that he "moved on past the assassination attempt." As Jeff Tiedrich put it in his Substack: Go home Politico, you're drunk.

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Timbo's avatar

Tiger Beat on the Potomac (Charles Pierce, I believe coined it)

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Sheri Smith's avatar

They apparently don’t know the difference between neigh and nigh.

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Jane Kauer   she/her's avatar

Thank you.. I was just going there.

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Ed Charles's avatar

Yes, like yesterday’s headline about Sen. Cotton’s rant on “Meet the Press.” He was channeling Trump, calling Jack Smith “deranged,” etc., blah blah blah. Their headline - “A Temper tantrum from a deranged fanatic.” They basically published his malignant gas-lighting about Smith, Hurricane Helene, immigrants, etc., verbatim as if it all were gospel truth, yet if you read it and compare it facts, you’d see that the headline refers not to Smith but to Cotton. Pathetic in their shamelessness.

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Al Bellenchia's avatar

And blazingly corrupt.

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Scott Blanchard's avatar

I think there is a deal to be made between the Harris/Walz campaign and the mavens of legacy media: Harris and Walz do a few interviews with legacy outlets and the legacy outlets stop cleaning up and "normalizing" Trump's rally speeches.

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Lisa's avatar

I agree 100%. I feel like they view him as entertainment and they allow this because they will get more views and ratings all while ignoring his violent rhetoric.

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RP2112's avatar

This is a great comment. Aside from all the reasons Dan listed, major media made itself irrelevant to the process by normalizing/sanewashing/both-sides-ing/cowering to Trump and MAGA R behavior since 2016. They made that bed, now they have to deal with it.

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Susan OBrien's avatar

Glad tidings from North Central Texas—my Latino neighbors across the street just installed a BIG Harris/Walz yard sign. It goes nicely with my (smaller but earlier) Collin Allred sign. I just hope this means the Latinos are clearing couches for a positive voting result.

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Lisa's avatar

I’m all for what the Harris campaign is doing. They need to get to the group that legacy media has traditionally ignored. When I was in my 20s and 30s, I was not watching Face the Nation. But what bothers me is what one earlier poster said about “normalizing” TFG. I’ve lost all respect for the legacy outlets that are not hammering him on his racism, sexism, anti-semitism and his violent rhetoric. And they don’t hold him accountable for any of his bs.

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Al Bellenchia's avatar

Thanks for bringing up the strategies underpinning Harris’ media activities. Her campaign has been smart and focused. Hopefully it will pay off.

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Trudy's avatar

Case in point: my 22-year old daughter just texted me "have you heard of the call her daddy podcast? The host just interviewed Kamala and it was pretty interesting". Having my daughter listen to politics podcast without me "inviting" her to? that's a big win for Harris Walz and all of us.

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Phyllis Laughlin's avatar

As one in your oldest demographic at Crooked, it took me a long time to throw up my hands at the mainstream media. But I’m converted now. Let their noses be out of joint. I trust Kamala’s team to make savvy decisions. Not going to listen to Call Me Daddy, but will be glued to Stephen Colbert.

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Bethany Reynolds's avatar

I’m not in that demographic either, but if you have time, watch the clip Dan posted. It’s great. I think she comes across as the smart, compassionate aunt that their viewers would trust. She spells out what the abortion bans really mean for young women in practical terms, showing her empathy as well as concrete understanding of the issues. I doubt a legacy media interview would elicit the same connection, even if that demographic was paying attention to legacy media.

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Megan C's avatar

It was my first Call Me Daddy listen, but it was really great. I think you would be pleasantly surprised by the conversation if you decided to give it a chance.

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Tim Carey's avatar

The mainstream media is sounding more like Trump every day. Complain, complain, complain. Woe is me! Thanks, Dan, for teaching me something this morning! Rock on!

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Jonathan E. Kaplan's avatar

Not too harsh at all! I feel I should stop reading Playbook -- it's a thinly reported news curator with mostly weak political analysis and a slight right-leaning ideological frame. I'm sorry if their feelings are hurt that people are not reading them any longer and that they are losing their position as the high priest of journalism. I'm interested in forming a group, Cyclists for Harris. Who's in?

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Beth M's avatar

One of you on one of your pods was asking for ideas for how Harris could garner attention. Here’s an idea - she and Walz should periodically not do their stump speech but instead announce they want to speak with their audience. But they should do it as a surprise They don’t even have to take questions. Duncan flip the switch and ask people about their concerns - what is important to them. And nod and listen. That would get coverage.

Also, love that Harris went on Howard Stern, which was stepping straight into trump’s old territory

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Ginny K's avatar

I listened to Call Her Daddy--alerted by my 20 year old daughter. It was excellent.

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Irrepressible Kate's avatar

I just read your opening paragraph and you are not being harsh about the so-called mainstream media! It has made itself irrelevant! it’s its own fault!! You are quite accurate and I thank you!!

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Callie Palmer's avatar

I mean, how many interviews is Dementia J. Trump sitting for?

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Joanna Edwards's avatar

Listening to the whole episode now. Kamala comes across as genuine and speaks to the issues that the host says her listeners care about. It certainly seems plausible that she will have inspired some young women to get out and vote for her.

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