With everyone's thoughts and concerns in mind, I've had some thoughts as to what a basic framework for such a convention might look like. First, I feel the need to address some of the more legitimate worries. In all likelihood, a midterm convention in 2006 would not get the wall-to-wall coverage afforded a Presidential nominating convention. But that's fine -- we don't need massive media saturation. The most important thing is that the convention is covered by the wire services and the networks and that a broadcast feed is made available. I also totally agree with everyone who's afraid that a unified message must be maintained. But despite the differences within the party, I think it's quite possible to focus on a core progressive message that binds all of the candidates together.
One of the other things people brought up was that midterm conventions have been proposed and held in the past, with varying results. In both 1974 and 1978, the Democrats held midterm conventions. During the 1974 midterms, Democrats gained a whopping forty-nine net seats in the House and three net in the Senate. But then in 1978, the Democrats lost fifteen in the House and three in the Senate. But neither midterm election happened in a vacuum. Watergate was the issue in 1974, massively hurting the Republicans. By contrast, Jimmy Carter's approval ratings were incredibly low in 1978, making it a tough time to be a Democrat. The reality is that, no matter what happened in the past, 2006 will be a completely different story.
Taking all of these factors into account, here are a few key suggestions I'd make in planning the 2006 midterm convention....
• Making the case for our platform...
Much in the same way we're going to sell the candidates, let's sell the platform. No wonky lectures, but rather punchy Oprah-style pieces on real world problems and our real world answers to them. Though there may be differences on small issues, the convention should present the platform as part of a larger, comprehensive vision.
• Show that we're a big tent party...
If candidates want to stray from message, let them. We need to show the American people that we're not a party of strict ideology and loyalty, but rather a broad-based coalition of like-minded progressives interested in making the world a better place. If that means pro-gun Paul Hackett speaking back to back with pro-gun control Louise Slaughter, that's fine. As the netroots have shown, we're not afraid of debate or dissent. Just make sure the focus is on each candidate making the positive case for him or herself and tying it all back to the larger narrative vision of the party platform.
• Not just a cheerleading session...
Minimize the good-times musical acts and confetti. That's great for a nominating convention, but that's not the point here. A 2006 midterm convention won't be a vacation or the type of back-patting session one finds at an annual sales meeting. Fun is fine, but hard work should be the cornerstone of the convention.
• Democrats in action...
Hold real breakout sessions for activists. Some of these will be working groups and some will be panel discussions. These won't really be media events, but media will of course be allowed and invited to cover them. The message to the grassroots is that the party cares about outreach, education, and training. The message to voters back home is that the party is hard at work.
• No cost to the host site...
This is crucial. If the entire convention is not paid for up front, with every and sandwich accounted for, guys like Bill O'Reilly will come down on us like a sledgehammer. There are definitely questions as to where to hold a convention like this, with issues like security costs and accessibility to be considered. Still, full financing is even more important.
• Run a tight ship...
Kill the meme that Republicans are the responsible managers and Democrats are disorganized hippies. The obvious differences between the management of the Clinton and Bush administrations are proof that this is not at all true. Even if only subconsciously, the way the convention is run will send a strong message about the way the country is going to be run under the Democrats.
• Be honest...
There is a certain amount of gimmickry inherently involved in something like this. But for too many years, polls have shown that the American people agree with the Democratic Party on the issues facing the country, and yet we've lost ground. Holding a midterm convention is recognition that we need a radical new approach to sell our agenda to the people. And since it was Walter Cronkite -- one of the greatest living observers of American culture -- who first proposed the 2006 midterm convention, we really ought to give it a chance.
So those are some of my initial thoughts on what the 2006 midterm convention should look like. I'd love to get more input on this to see what you all think should be accomplished with a convention. If something like this is going to happen, it's not going to be because some blogger said it was a good idea. It'll happen because you demanded it.
|
|
|
Permalink :: 40 Comments :: Post a Comment
|
In order to post a comment, you must be logged in. If you have a member account, please log in to comment.
If not, you can make an account right here. It's quick and free.
