The Message Box

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If you are someone that obsesses over the polls, mainlines political Twitter and follows every twist and turn of the campaign, Message Box is for you. Every post provides analysis and insight for political junkies and strategic guidance for people on the frontlines of politics whether they are working on a race, running for office, or just fighting with their MAGA family on Facebook. Message Box will look at the most recent polls, the biggest events, and the latest trends and pull back from the day to day punditry to explore how they are impacting American politics from the perspective of someone who has spent years working on campaigns and in Barack Obama’s White House. Source

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Scope National
Language English
Country United States of America
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The New NYT Poll Is Devastating News for Republicans

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By Dan Pfeiffer 
| The Message Box
Ever since the Supreme Court decision allowing the GOP to eliminate Democratic districts across the South, Republicans have been feeling newly confident about the midterms. James Blair, Trump’s political honcho, even did an interview with Politico patting himself on the back for how Republicans had rigged the maps and laying out a “strategy” for keeping the House in the fall. Many Democrats have reverted to our natural state — panic. You can feel the political narrative changing in real time.
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How Worried Should You Be About the DNC?

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By Dan Pfeiffer 
| The Message Box
In my overly long political career, the Democratic National Committee has always been a bit of a mess. Running an umbrella organization with too many responsibilities and not enough power is never easy. Its leadership serves at the pleasure of the more than 400 DNC members, including state and local chairs, activists, and the people in big hats and buttons you see dancing at the convention every four years.
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A Speech Every Democrat Should Watch

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By Dan Pfeiffer 
| The Message Box
Most Democratic speeches suck. I am, admittedly, an unfairly harsh critic of Democratic speeches. The vast majority of them have no soul. They sound like a poorly stitched patchwork of phrases, focus-grouped and message-tested within an inch of their lives. They tell rather than show. They lack authenticity and passion. I am, of course, spoiled by having worked for Barack Obama, a great writer who also happened to be the greatest orator in recent American political history.
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Trump Is a Pathetic Loser. Democrats Should Say It More Often

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By Dan Pfeiffer 
| The Message Box
My background is in communications and messaging. I spend most of my days thinking about the story Democrats should be selling. What’s the right combination of words? How can we weave affordability, ICE, Greenland, corruption, and everything else into a single narrative? I read polling. I talk to politicians and their consultants. I write newsletter after newsletter on the topic. And on some days, I think I may be overthinking the whole thing.
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Are Democrats About to Blow It in Maine?

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By Dan Pfeiffer 
| The Message Box
Maine is the most important Senate race in the country. Democrats have a narrow path to a majority, but they have no path if they cannot defeat Susan Collins in a state Kamala Harris won by seven points last year. Collins is the last Republican representing a truly blue state. Losing Maine wouldn’t just hurt Democrats in the near term; it would make it much less likely that a new Democratic president would have a Senate majority in 2029.
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With Kimmel and TikTok, Trump Takes Control of the Media

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By Dan Pfeiffer 
| The Message Box
One of the necessary conditions for an authoritarian takeover is control of the media. It’s a critical step to quash dissent—turning a free press designed to hold power accountable into a propaganda organ that amplifies the state’s message. That could never happen here, right? Not with our long tradition of a vibrant, free media? Well, the MAGA Right is on the verge of controlling the vast majority of the American media ecosystem.
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Friday Q&A Thread

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By Dan Pfeiffer 
| The Message Box
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Stuff You Should Consume - May 18, 2022

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By Holly Otterbein , Dan Pfeiffer 
| The Message Box
Welcome to this week’s edition of “Stuff You Should Consume,”— a weekly compilation of interesting political content for Message Box readers.
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The Fatal Flaw in DeSantis's Anti-Trump Message

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By Dan Pfeiffer 
| The Message Box
After months of getting his ass kicked by Donald Trump and repelling everyone he met, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis finally had a good week(end). Per theNew York Times: Congrats to Team DeSantis for accomplishing the absolute bare minimum level of competence. Republicans love their participation trophies. But I digress. For the last few months, there was rare agreement among political operatives of both parties on two things. One, DeSantis is squandering his best chance to beat Trump.
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Is Joe Manchin Trump's Secret Weapon?

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By Dan Pfeiffer 
| The Message Box
Everyone holds strong (and understandable) feelings about CNN’s decision to host a town hall with Donald Trump. I’ve laid out my thoughts here regarding CNN’s decision on the most recent episode ofPod Save America (TL;DR: No one should be surprised that a ratings/revenue-starved corporation tried to get ratings/revenue, but we all deserve better).
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Pfeiffer, Dan

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