We just talked with messaging guru Anat Shenker-Osorio about why so much Democratic political communication falls flat (she’s got a great article out this week that explains why Democrats keep trying to fight fascism with fundraising texts about healthcare), and how one of the most effective ways to push back against Donald Trump’s story that American cities are war-ravaged hellholes is by showing how safe they are for dancing animals. Seriously.
We also discussed how the best communicators out there, from Portland’s Frog Guy to New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, aren’t just responding to Republican critics, but setting the agenda. And more importantly, Anat told us what everyone can do right now to start changing things: documenting and sharing what’s happening, having those political conversations, and making concrete — not vague — plans to get out and join a demonstration near you.
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Next Saturday, October 18, is a national day of action, meant to make it clear that America wants No Kings. Find an event near you at nokings.org, invite some friends, and make your voices heard!
More Live conversation this week!
Tomorrow, Friday, October 10, at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, we’ll be talking with historian Timothy Shenk about the story Democrats should be telling, and how to build a progressive populist coalition.
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