Former GOP advisor and media consultant Kurt Bardella unpacks how right-wing media has been so successful at working the refs and outlines how the liberal majority can fight back and win.
Yes!! Years ago, I responded to my local Democratic party chair that I haven't had one returned vm that I've left in over 2 yrs, but I get occasional long boring newsletters that must be re-hashed from the 80s. Reaching them by phone was the only option offered, btw. Where's the energy? Who are our candidates? She wrote back a snarky response that they haven't decided on candidates and that the Democratic party is very active. Huh? End of rant. I loved this podcast! It's what I want to hear about and hear more of. Thanks for bringing us Kurt Bardella, and thank goodness he left the Republican party.
Thank you for this, Waj. Very very informative and have been feeling the loss of MSM for quite some time. We have been getting most of our news from independent journalists, content creators and have been enjoying Substack as well as YouTube. I learned of you from Mary Trump :Media and the Nerd Avengers…love you all there. We have been turning away from cable news and appalled by CNN with Scott Jennings. We had thought he was a decent guy, a republican but a decent guy. He is all in now with MAGA and is despicable. We are seniors and have surprised our son and daughter in law that we are now getting our news this way. Thank you again, Waj and thank you to Kurt.
Brian Tyler Cohen comes to mind as a rising Democratic influencer. He has quite a following and lots of great energy. Crooked Media also tows the Democratic line. Although I think Cohen and Crooked might enjoy their independence. Perhaps it's too counter-intuitive for liberal-minded influencers to want to spew talking points blindly the way right-wing influencers do. ?
I would like to see you talk to Mr. Bardella about why he left the Republican party. I totally agree with Kurt when he says that the Left needs to flood the infosphere with support for influencers and others to spread the word/message. However, what is the message? What was the message that Kurt received in 2016 that made him come over to the Left? What was the message that Kurt received that made him go to the Right? What is MSNBC to say, that they don't already say, to encourage people to Vote, Jump Ship, or combat the Hate on Right? Or, is the message simply--flood the airwaves with talk? That may work on the Right--spread lies and slander 24/7 to get votes and donations--but it won't work for the Left. If Kamala Harris started to sell sneakers, bibles and bitcoin she would lose my support quick, fast and in a hurry.
Talking to the Right vs. talking to the Left is an information paradox--one that Bart Simpson had to learn quickly before he lost his "neighborhood Army" forever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd3tw_dqWTA
Bernie Goldberg who departed CBS under murky circumstances has made a career of media bias (although he has since relegated himself to oblivion when he put himself behind a paywall). Moonves is correct that the $$$ on the spreadsheet more than anything else is why the media calibrates its behavior to accommodate the bad actors. And if they are not catered to they will go elsewhere (and no doubt bitch about it) leaving the network with a bunch of boring Democrats and low ratings. The fundamental audiophile principle that louder invariably "sounds better" applies. As does the logical fallacy that failure to prove a bare assertion false proves it true. Democrats more than the media are to blame for encouraging that logical fallacy with their conditioned response that Republicans will throw shit at the wall because that is what they do and it falls to Democrats to clean it up. Self censorship certainly applies to Democrats and it is even worse now that Insane Clown has made threats that Democrats had better tone down their rhetoric. I blame Walz more than the CBS moderators for allowing Vance to run roughshod over the truth. Who won the election? A damnable non answer? Is that the best you can do? Don't ask him. Tell him. Insane Clown lost the election and attempted to overthrow that result by various treasonous criminal acts up to and including brute force on "J6". I can't expect the moderators to be confrontational when the opposing candidate is himself sheepish and submissive. And a moderator fact checking better make damn sure their facts will themselves stand up to fact checking. Recall CNN's Candy Crowley fact checking Romney on Benghazi.
What can the left learn from the right? Or WWE? Nothing. They tried to counter Limbaugh with Air America Network with the likes of Al Franken and Rachel Maddow. WWE would be nothing with just "baby faces". They didn't take off until Vince McMahon leveraged a bit part in a Rocky movie and made Hulk Hogan a household name. Fuck the right. Learn from Bernie Sanders. No smiley faces. No stupid jokes. No stupid sports metaphors. The only thing Bernie never talks about is Bernie. Just problems and solutions and match them punch for punch and decibel for decibel. Bernie would have kicked Insane Clown's ass into oblivion in 2016. Insane Clown's own pollster Fabrizio acknowledges that. Unfortunately the Democrat establishment would prefer Insane Clown to Bernie.
Yes!! Years ago, I responded to my local Democratic party chair that I haven't had one returned vm that I've left in over 2 yrs, but I get occasional long boring newsletters that must be re-hashed from the 80s. Reaching them by phone was the only option offered, btw. Where's the energy? Who are our candidates? She wrote back a snarky response that they haven't decided on candidates and that the Democratic party is very active. Huh? End of rant. I loved this podcast! It's what I want to hear about and hear more of. Thanks for bringing us Kurt Bardella, and thank goodness he left the Republican party.
Very informative conversation. It should be seen by everyone. Thank you, I'm a fan!
Thank you for this, Waj. Very very informative and have been feeling the loss of MSM for quite some time. We have been getting most of our news from independent journalists, content creators and have been enjoying Substack as well as YouTube. I learned of you from Mary Trump :Media and the Nerd Avengers…love you all there. We have been turning away from cable news and appalled by CNN with Scott Jennings. We had thought he was a decent guy, a republican but a decent guy. He is all in now with MAGA and is despicable. We are seniors and have surprised our son and daughter in law that we are now getting our news this way. Thank you again, Waj and thank you to Kurt.
Super interesting . . And you are both so cutting edge! Here’s to you bringing the left out of the dark ages.
Brian Tyler Cohen comes to mind as a rising Democratic influencer. He has quite a following and lots of great energy. Crooked Media also tows the Democratic line. Although I think Cohen and Crooked might enjoy their independence. Perhaps it's too counter-intuitive for liberal-minded influencers to want to spew talking points blindly the way right-wing influencers do. ?
"Complete garbage"; sooo right, Kurt.
Loved the interview.
I would like to see you talk to Mr. Bardella about why he left the Republican party. I totally agree with Kurt when he says that the Left needs to flood the infosphere with support for influencers and others to spread the word/message. However, what is the message? What was the message that Kurt received in 2016 that made him come over to the Left? What was the message that Kurt received that made him go to the Right? What is MSNBC to say, that they don't already say, to encourage people to Vote, Jump Ship, or combat the Hate on Right? Or, is the message simply--flood the airwaves with talk? That may work on the Right--spread lies and slander 24/7 to get votes and donations--but it won't work for the Left. If Kamala Harris started to sell sneakers, bibles and bitcoin she would lose my support quick, fast and in a hurry.
Talking to the Right vs. talking to the Left is an information paradox--one that Bart Simpson had to learn quickly before he lost his "neighborhood Army" forever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd3tw_dqWTA
Bernie Goldberg who departed CBS under murky circumstances has made a career of media bias (although he has since relegated himself to oblivion when he put himself behind a paywall). Moonves is correct that the $$$ on the spreadsheet more than anything else is why the media calibrates its behavior to accommodate the bad actors. And if they are not catered to they will go elsewhere (and no doubt bitch about it) leaving the network with a bunch of boring Democrats and low ratings. The fundamental audiophile principle that louder invariably "sounds better" applies. As does the logical fallacy that failure to prove a bare assertion false proves it true. Democrats more than the media are to blame for encouraging that logical fallacy with their conditioned response that Republicans will throw shit at the wall because that is what they do and it falls to Democrats to clean it up. Self censorship certainly applies to Democrats and it is even worse now that Insane Clown has made threats that Democrats had better tone down their rhetoric. I blame Walz more than the CBS moderators for allowing Vance to run roughshod over the truth. Who won the election? A damnable non answer? Is that the best you can do? Don't ask him. Tell him. Insane Clown lost the election and attempted to overthrow that result by various treasonous criminal acts up to and including brute force on "J6". I can't expect the moderators to be confrontational when the opposing candidate is himself sheepish and submissive. And a moderator fact checking better make damn sure their facts will themselves stand up to fact checking. Recall CNN's Candy Crowley fact checking Romney on Benghazi.
What can the left learn from the right? Or WWE? Nothing. They tried to counter Limbaugh with Air America Network with the likes of Al Franken and Rachel Maddow. WWE would be nothing with just "baby faces". They didn't take off until Vince McMahon leveraged a bit part in a Rocky movie and made Hulk Hogan a household name. Fuck the right. Learn from Bernie Sanders. No smiley faces. No stupid jokes. No stupid sports metaphors. The only thing Bernie never talks about is Bernie. Just problems and solutions and match them punch for punch and decibel for decibel. Bernie would have kicked Insane Clown's ass into oblivion in 2016. Insane Clown's own pollster Fabrizio acknowledges that. Unfortunately the Democrat establishment would prefer Insane Clown to Bernie.
Sending you some paragraph breaks for Christmas…