All you said was correct but when Harris -Walz tried to do those things, they were told to turn it down. I was electrified by Harris but there was so much nay saying that the message didn’t get through. Best wishes to Mr Mamdani and his campaign! I hope he can accomplish what he wants to do.
"They were told" by whom, exactly? If you are running for President, you shouldn't be allowing consultants to give you "orders." If you can't stand up to them, how can I trust you to stand up to Putin or Chevron for that matter!
Exactly. They quickly turned from relevance and joy to platitudes and fluff. Because of corporate donors. They turned away from addressing the keffiyah in the room because they knew if they exercised any desire for honesty and integrity they would risk losing big donors and be relentlessly smeared.
I've voted in every election, and I mean EVERY election local and national, since 1976.
I think the Dems, certainly at the national level, are stuck in 1976.
They've failed to grasp the changes in their base and clearly do not know how to respond to tactics of MAGA.
Even labor leaders are abandoning the party because it's afraid to stand up for labor. If the party doesn't stand up for labor, what DO they stand for?
It's the likes of AOC and David Hogg who will lead the party into the future, if there is going to be one.
The part needs to contest every election at all level ALL of the time, evben in rural red states and areas.
See the work of Jess Piper who is trying to free Missouri from a 22-year long MAGA fascist strangle hold.
Yes, I love Jess! But Ken Martin absolutely does support labor. He just didn't support those two people maintaining their leadership positions they have had for decades. Even labor leaders can be entrenched old guard and resistant to positive change!
I actually think content and form are more intertwined at this point. Maga messaging works because it is paranoid fantastical cultic manipulation tailored to the base constituencies. The Dem Socialist messaging and messengers mentioned are effective because of exactly what you cited - integrity, passion and relevance. Establishment corruption among dems has some success because they monkey the racist cultic bullshit calling it reaching across the aisle but mostly because they have so much corporate money aka brute force aka corruption. But obviously that can only work if you keep on ratcheting up the manipulation and they can’t compete with the republicans in that department or don’t want to because they are actually decent people who are conflicted about corruption. I do not think the moderate messaging has had much integrity for a long time. What you’re recommending they do stylistically in my view can only be done effectively if you have a relevant message and you’re telling the truth. Moderates in both parties have been corrupted so their paths to relevance require either playing to the cult base or strong arming through with corporate sponsored lies; in my humble opinion. Therefore what I believe you are actually asking moderates to do is to stop bullshitting. The problem is many don’t want to give up the trappings of corruption and the good ones who would like to change things for the better see it as too risky - as it has indeed been very risky. Maybe New York will reassure them that there is an honest path forward.
I agree, the authenticity AND the message - Zohran speaks clearly of economic justice (more than economic populism). And it resonates. We have all been screwed for so long we forget we don't have to cower to the money and the consultant class.
'When voters complain about candidates and Democrats in particular, you often hear that “they only come around when they want something.” The most important thing you can do is to show up. Be present. Get out there in your community on the street and talk to people.'
Do Republicans come around more often to just chitchat? If not we need to call BS on this lazy excuse for voting for people who are taking rights away or for not voting at all.
For decades, Republicans have built relationships in communities, through churches, Chambers of Commerce, and more recently through groups like Moms for Liberty. They are there all year round. They may or may not canvass, but they invest in long term cultivation of local influentials who then open doors for Republican candidates. Recently they have even opened up community centers in urban communities of color, and things like entrepreneur clubs for young hispanic men.
Yes! Cultivating relationships with community groups including churches is very very important and I’m afraid secular Democrats and especially progressive democrats are afraid of engaging with religious communities. This is never going to work especially in rural areas that have strong religious institutions.
Sharing via a friend, based on this excellent excerpt; bookmarking to read in its entirety:
"For months, pundits dismissed Mamdani as championing too radical, too fringe, too unserious an agenda. But now that he’s clinched the nomination, the narrative is shifting: Mamdani, they say, succeeded not because of his policy program, but because of his energy, his style, his vibes. On Pod Save America — a proxy for the entire Democratic political class and its liberal followers — Tommy Vietor praised a video of Mamdani walking across Manhattan for giving him “Obama 2007 feels,” calling it “nimble and fun.”
Then came the pivot.
“I do think it’s worth separating out the style of politics from the policy,” co-host Jon Favreau said. “Because we could have a whole debate about what policy positions can win... but if there’s a center-left candidate who campaigns like Mamdani, that person could be president.”
That’s the tell.
This is not a new trick. When liberal elites feel threatened by a winning candidate whose politics could actually challenge capital, they seek to depoliticize the victory and attribute it to vibes, marketing savvy, and brand. It’s a containment strategy: Treat the insurgent’s style as admirable while ignoring — or quietly discrediting — their policy platform. That way, the establishment gets to appropriate the energy without having to endorse the demands.
In Mamdani’s case, that means celebrating his charisma while deflecting attention from what he’s actually campaigning for in America’s most unequal city: public ownership of housing, a fare-free transit system, and a rejection of the developer class that has looted the city for decades. Those policies aren’t just inconvenient — they’re explicitly anti-corporate. So instead of embracing them, the Pod Save America cohort imagines a more centrist candidate borrowing Mamdani’s energy but dropping the content. They want the slick video, not its deeper message.
Mamdani has undeniably mastered the art of a compelling campaign. His videos are cool and culturally fluent, a reflection of the city he’s running to represent. But unlike most mainstream consultant-driven campaigns, his aesthetic serves a mandate — not the other way around.
Despite years of hand-wringing about democracy under threat, the pro-democracy center — #Resistance — still sees democratic socialism as a bridge too far. That’s because, for all their rhetoric about fighting authoritarianism, their actual project is about restoring elite norms, not redistributing power. Mamdani hasn’t been calling for a gentler tone or better manners — he wants structural change that shifts resources, reclaims public goods, and limits the rule of capital.
“I will be a mayor who doesn’t bow down to corporate interests (and) doesn’t take his orders from billionaires,” he declared at a recent rally with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D.-N.Y.).
On Election Day, in an Instagram live with Ocasio-Cortez, Mamdani explained, “We can’t just say what Trump is doing is authoritarian, and think that’s the only crisis for democracy. The other crisis is that people just feel more and more removed from this.” Reversing such feelings of hopelessness, he continued, was the spirit of his campaign.
That promise, more than any one tactic or cool video, is what sets him apart.
Mamdani’s agenda, at its core, is not about state control or ideological purity. It’s about democracy not just in the voting booth but in the economy — in housing, health care, transportation, and labor. When Mamdani calls for public housing or fare-free transit, he’s not offering a fantasy — he’s offering freedom from dependence on private landlords, exploitative bosses, or hedge fund-backed developers. That’s why his campaign threatens the elite consensus, and why it has to be rewritten as a stylish one-off."
Forwarding this to a friend who is running for AZ State Senate. This advice goes against the "wisdom" being spread around by the consultants saying Dems needs to shift to the center. That "center" is now well right of where it used to be. Running as a Democratic Socialist feels so much better!
Hi Cat! They don't need to run as Socialists. They just need to run LIKE Socialists! Also, there is good language we can use to talk about Economic Fairness in ways that don't ailenate Americans of a more traditional or rural vibe!
I’d like to upgrade my subscription but when I clicked on the link there was no way to do so. It points me to the subscription email signup box, but I’m already subscribed. Could you let us know how to support your important work?
If it gives you the email sign up box, it is possible that you were just not logged in to Substack on that browser or app at the time! Also, if you are currently a subscriber, there should be a button at the bottom of the email that says something about upgrading your subscription. Thanks again!
Agree with all of this but — am genuinely curious about the negative campaigning piece… Didn’t trump spend nearly 100% of his advertising on Harris-bashing, while the Harris campaign mixed in a fair amount of positive advertising?
Actually no. Trump put a lot into telling people he loved them and would fight for them. We never provided a clear positive vision, just a few spending items. It's complicated!
All you said was correct but when Harris -Walz tried to do those things, they were told to turn it down. I was electrified by Harris but there was so much nay saying that the message didn’t get through. Best wishes to Mr Mamdani and his campaign! I hope he can accomplish what he wants to do.
"They were told" by whom, exactly? If you are running for President, you shouldn't be allowing consultants to give you "orders." If you can't stand up to them, how can I trust you to stand up to Putin or Chevron for that matter!
Exactly. They quickly turned from relevance and joy to platitudes and fluff. Because of corporate donors. They turned away from addressing the keffiyah in the room because they knew if they exercised any desire for honesty and integrity they would risk losing big donors and be relentlessly smeared.
This analysis nails it.
I've voted in every election, and I mean EVERY election local and national, since 1976.
I think the Dems, certainly at the national level, are stuck in 1976.
They've failed to grasp the changes in their base and clearly do not know how to respond to tactics of MAGA.
Even labor leaders are abandoning the party because it's afraid to stand up for labor. If the party doesn't stand up for labor, what DO they stand for?
It's the likes of AOC and David Hogg who will lead the party into the future, if there is going to be one.
The part needs to contest every election at all level ALL of the time, evben in rural red states and areas.
See the work of Jess Piper who is trying to free Missouri from a 22-year long MAGA fascist strangle hold.
Yes, I love Jess! But Ken Martin absolutely does support labor. He just didn't support those two people maintaining their leadership positions they have had for decades. Even labor leaders can be entrenched old guard and resistant to positive change!
I actually think content and form are more intertwined at this point. Maga messaging works because it is paranoid fantastical cultic manipulation tailored to the base constituencies. The Dem Socialist messaging and messengers mentioned are effective because of exactly what you cited - integrity, passion and relevance. Establishment corruption among dems has some success because they monkey the racist cultic bullshit calling it reaching across the aisle but mostly because they have so much corporate money aka brute force aka corruption. But obviously that can only work if you keep on ratcheting up the manipulation and they can’t compete with the republicans in that department or don’t want to because they are actually decent people who are conflicted about corruption. I do not think the moderate messaging has had much integrity for a long time. What you’re recommending they do stylistically in my view can only be done effectively if you have a relevant message and you’re telling the truth. Moderates in both parties have been corrupted so their paths to relevance require either playing to the cult base or strong arming through with corporate sponsored lies; in my humble opinion. Therefore what I believe you are actually asking moderates to do is to stop bullshitting. The problem is many don’t want to give up the trappings of corruption and the good ones who would like to change things for the better see it as too risky - as it has indeed been very risky. Maybe New York will reassure them that there is an honest path forward.
I agree, the authenticity AND the message - Zohran speaks clearly of economic justice (more than economic populism). And it resonates. We have all been screwed for so long we forget we don't have to cower to the money and the consultant class.
My take on the money aspect of campaigning.
https://skywaterearthhobie1.substack.com/p/dear-actblue
Thanks for all you do.
-Hobie
'When voters complain about candidates and Democrats in particular, you often hear that “they only come around when they want something.” The most important thing you can do is to show up. Be present. Get out there in your community on the street and talk to people.'
Do Republicans come around more often to just chitchat? If not we need to call BS on this lazy excuse for voting for people who are taking rights away or for not voting at all.
For decades, Republicans have built relationships in communities, through churches, Chambers of Commerce, and more recently through groups like Moms for Liberty. They are there all year round. They may or may not canvass, but they invest in long term cultivation of local influentials who then open doors for Republican candidates. Recently they have even opened up community centers in urban communities of color, and things like entrepreneur clubs for young hispanic men.
Yes! Cultivating relationships with community groups including churches is very very important and I’m afraid secular Democrats and especially progressive democrats are afraid of engaging with religious communities. This is never going to work especially in rural areas that have strong religious institutions.
Good points.
Thanks for the info.
"When voters complain about candidates and Democrats in particular, you often hear that “they only come around when they want something.”
I was ready to post this reply when I saw yours.
I would add that in many Republocan districts the reps never canvas at all.
Sharing via a friend, based on this excellent excerpt; bookmarking to read in its entirety:
"For months, pundits dismissed Mamdani as championing too radical, too fringe, too unserious an agenda. But now that he’s clinched the nomination, the narrative is shifting: Mamdani, they say, succeeded not because of his policy program, but because of his energy, his style, his vibes. On Pod Save America — a proxy for the entire Democratic political class and its liberal followers — Tommy Vietor praised a video of Mamdani walking across Manhattan for giving him “Obama 2007 feels,” calling it “nimble and fun.”
Then came the pivot.
“I do think it’s worth separating out the style of politics from the policy,” co-host Jon Favreau said. “Because we could have a whole debate about what policy positions can win... but if there’s a center-left candidate who campaigns like Mamdani, that person could be president.”
That’s the tell.
This is not a new trick. When liberal elites feel threatened by a winning candidate whose politics could actually challenge capital, they seek to depoliticize the victory and attribute it to vibes, marketing savvy, and brand. It’s a containment strategy: Treat the insurgent’s style as admirable while ignoring — or quietly discrediting — their policy platform. That way, the establishment gets to appropriate the energy without having to endorse the demands.
In Mamdani’s case, that means celebrating his charisma while deflecting attention from what he’s actually campaigning for in America’s most unequal city: public ownership of housing, a fare-free transit system, and a rejection of the developer class that has looted the city for decades. Those policies aren’t just inconvenient — they’re explicitly anti-corporate. So instead of embracing them, the Pod Save America cohort imagines a more centrist candidate borrowing Mamdani’s energy but dropping the content. They want the slick video, not its deeper message.
Mamdani has undeniably mastered the art of a compelling campaign. His videos are cool and culturally fluent, a reflection of the city he’s running to represent. But unlike most mainstream consultant-driven campaigns, his aesthetic serves a mandate — not the other way around.
Despite years of hand-wringing about democracy under threat, the pro-democracy center — #Resistance — still sees democratic socialism as a bridge too far. That’s because, for all their rhetoric about fighting authoritarianism, their actual project is about restoring elite norms, not redistributing power. Mamdani hasn’t been calling for a gentler tone or better manners — he wants structural change that shifts resources, reclaims public goods, and limits the rule of capital.
“I will be a mayor who doesn’t bow down to corporate interests (and) doesn’t take his orders from billionaires,” he declared at a recent rally with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D.-N.Y.).
On Election Day, in an Instagram live with Ocasio-Cortez, Mamdani explained, “We can’t just say what Trump is doing is authoritarian, and think that’s the only crisis for democracy. The other crisis is that people just feel more and more removed from this.” Reversing such feelings of hopelessness, he continued, was the spirit of his campaign.
That promise, more than any one tactic or cool video, is what sets him apart.
Mamdani’s agenda, at its core, is not about state control or ideological purity. It’s about democracy not just in the voting booth but in the economy — in housing, health care, transportation, and labor. When Mamdani calls for public housing or fare-free transit, he’s not offering a fantasy — he’s offering freedom from dependence on private landlords, exploitative bosses, or hedge fund-backed developers. That’s why his campaign threatens the elite consensus, and why it has to be rewritten as a stylish one-off."
https://www.levernews.com/zohran-mamdanis-mandate-is-a-democratic-earthquake/
Forwarding this to a friend who is running for AZ State Senate. This advice goes against the "wisdom" being spread around by the consultants saying Dems needs to shift to the center. That "center" is now well right of where it used to be. Running as a Democratic Socialist feels so much better!
Hi Cat! They don't need to run as Socialists. They just need to run LIKE Socialists! Also, there is good language we can use to talk about Economic Fairness in ways that don't ailenate Americans of a more traditional or rural vibe!
I’d like to upgrade my subscription but when I clicked on the link there was no way to do so. It points me to the subscription email signup box, but I’m already subscribed. Could you let us know how to support your important work?
If it gives you the email sign up box, it is possible that you were just not logged in to Substack on that browser or app at the time! Also, if you are currently a subscriber, there should be a button at the bottom of the email that says something about upgrading your subscription. Thanks again!
I did it! not sure exactly how but I think it had to do with a login issue (:
Yay! Thank you!
Thank you! Try this link: https://reframingamerica.substack.com/subscribe
If that doesn't work, let me know and I will try something else!
My take on the money aspect of campaigning.
https://skywaterearthhobie1.substack.com/p/dear-actblue
Thanks for all you do.
-Hobie
Agree with all of this but — am genuinely curious about the negative campaigning piece… Didn’t trump spend nearly 100% of his advertising on Harris-bashing, while the Harris campaign mixed in a fair amount of positive advertising?
Actually no. Trump put a lot into telling people he loved them and would fight for them. We never provided a clear positive vision, just a few spending items. It's complicated!