Ken Martin

Well, first, you need to figure out what that brand is. And I think that should be a working class, focusing on a working class agenda, right? So, but even We need to spend a lot of time and energy thinking about specifically what that looks like as it relates to the policy prescription. But let me tell you why I don't think it's an abandonment of our message or our policy agenda, right?

Think about Missouri. They passed a minimum wage increase, paid family leave, and abortion protections all by wide margins, yet those same voters went down the ballot and voted for Trump and the Republicans. It seems to me that we see these issues, they're very popular throughout the country, passing in ballot initiative and referenda by wide margins. They're very popular, right?

Think about Missouri. They passed a minimum wage increase, paid family leave, and abortion protections all by wide margins, yet those same voters went down the ballot and voted for Trump and the Republicans. It seems to me that we see these issues, they're very popular throughout the country, passing in ballot initiative and referenda by wide margins. They're very popular, right?

Yet those same voters aren't necessarily connecting the dots between the issues that they support that will actually make a difference in their lives and are Democratic candidates. So that's not a message problem. It's a messaging problem. We're clearly not connecting the dots for voters.

Yet those same voters aren't necessarily connecting the dots between the issues that they support that will actually make a difference in their lives and are Democratic candidates. So that's not a message problem. It's a messaging problem. We're clearly not connecting the dots for voters.

And so let me back up to one of the other lessons we've learned in this election is that the Republicans have done a much better job than Democrats on competing in this new information environment. right? And this is the other challenge we have. We allowed the Republican Party to define us before we ever started to define ourselves. Think about this.

And so let me back up to one of the other lessons we've learned in this election is that the Republicans have done a much better job than Democrats on competing in this new information environment. right? And this is the other challenge we have. We allowed the Republican Party to define us before we ever started to define ourselves. Think about this.

They started right after the 20 election, John, as you know. The Republican Party started beating the hell out of Joe Biden and the Democratic Party in all of these non-traditional information spaces, right? And you've heard a lot of folks talk about it, gaming platforms, podcasts, streaming services, right? even online dating apps, for God's sake.

They started right after the 20 election, John, as you know. The Republican Party started beating the hell out of Joe Biden and the Democratic Party in all of these non-traditional information spaces, right? And you've heard a lot of folks talk about it, gaming platforms, podcasts, streaming services, right? even online dating apps, for God's sake.

Anywhere there's an online community, the Republicans were paying micro-influencers to essentially spew out their misinformation and disinformation. And we didn't start in any real way our communications infrastructure until the election year.

Anywhere there's an online community, the Republicans were paying micro-influencers to essentially spew out their misinformation and disinformation. And we didn't start in any real way our communications infrastructure until the election year.

We have to realize we need a permanent campaign, not only a permanent organizing campaign that's talking to voters year round, but also a permanent communications infrastructure that is not waiting until we get to an election cycle to start communicating with voters. We got beat to the punch by the Republicans who realized that we live in a new information environment where it's 24-7, 365.

We have to realize we need a permanent campaign, not only a permanent organizing campaign that's talking to voters year round, but also a permanent communications infrastructure that is not waiting until we get to an election cycle to start communicating with voters. We got beat to the punch by the Republicans who realized that we live in a new information environment where it's 24-7, 365.

And that's where we got our Buds kit. So for us, part of this is, of course, the brand. The other part is how we're messaging. The other part of it is making sure we realize 40% of Americans say they avoid the news at all costs, right? Yet they're getting barraged by information. And you know this better than probably anyone, John.

And that's where we got our Buds kit. So for us, part of this is, of course, the brand. The other part is how we're messaging. The other part of it is making sure we realize 40% of Americans say they avoid the news at all costs, right? Yet they're getting barraged by information. And you know this better than probably anyone, John.

They're getting barraged by information all the time on their phones. So we have to be more sophisticated in how we message and when we stand up all of our operations.

They're getting barraged by information all the time on their phones. So we have to be more sophisticated in how we message and when we stand up all of our operations.

What I would say is I agree with you that we should be in all those spaces, right? And we shouldn't be afraid to go on Joe Rogan's show or on Fox. We should be confident enough in both our values and, of course, our message that we go wherever we need to. You know, people ask me, I'm a hunter. They ask me where I'm going to go hunt, right?

What I would say is I agree with you that we should be in all those spaces, right? And we shouldn't be afraid to go on Joe Rogan's show or on Fox. We should be confident enough in both our values and, of course, our message that we go wherever we need to. You know, people ask me, I'm a hunter. They ask me where I'm going to go hunt, right?

And they think I'm going to give them my favorite hunting spot or, you know, say I'm going to the woods. No, I go where the deer are, right? And you know this. We need to go where voters are. And, you know, this idea that, you know, we have consultants in D.C. still spending or steering so much of our ad spend to broadcast TV. I mean, shoot, I'm 51 years old, John, right? I'm an old man.