By Lynn Norwood
February, 2006
It was early and the coffee had yet to kick in as three hundred plus precinct committee officers (PCO) filed into the auditorium on a damp Saturday morning at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Washington. We were all there, pens in hand, for the annual PCO training seminar. Judging from the experienced look of most in the crowd, this was not a group gathered for basic training; this was a group looking for updates, new tools and techniques, and inspiration—that essential fuel—for the election battle ahead.
And David Domke provided just that. Domke is an Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Washington, former journalist, and author of God Willing: Political fundamentalism in the White House, the “War on Terror” and the Echoing Press. Despite his touch of laryngitis he spoke for hours, skipping lunch to continue answering questions. The six-hour seminar was titled: Talking American: Reclaiming Democracy and Taking Back Congress. He addressed the issues of the Democrats’ disconnect with the public and ways to improve communication without presuming to alter our message or dilute our principles. We worked in groups to evaluate a Democratic ad versus a Republican ad and we learned to read the subtext as an ordinary citizen would. We could see instantly why the Republican message resonated and ours did not, even though the majority of the people, statistics show, agree with our principles.
We also performed an enlightening exercise designed to teach us, again, not what to say, but how to communicate our values, not just the issues, and so resonate with the American people. Some of his advice: claim the moral high ground, tap into National myths, confront your opponents calmly, and use a personal story to enhance your point.
He observed that Democrats are afraid to confront and strongly criticize. The first rule, he said, was to punch first, then punch back. Let’s be the first to strike, he encouraged, and make them respond to us. For example, in the third 2004 presidential debate, the moderator brought up the Bush-proposed constitutional amendment to disallow same-sex marriage. He asked the candidates if homosexuality is a choice or if people are born this way. Bush went first, and the first three words out of his mouth were “I don’t know.” When it was Kerry’s turn he talked a lot, and got himself into subsequent trouble by bringing up Dick Cheney’s daughter Mary. What Kerry didn’t say was simply, “You see before you a President who doesn’t know whether some are born to love others of the same gender, but who goes ahead and proposes a constitutional amendment as if he did know. Is this someone you want to continue making Presidential decisions?”
David Domke spoke of modern media and busy lives and the best way to deliver the message. We need to be consistent. The public associates consistency with core convictions. We need to associate the issues with our world view, letting people know what we stand for, because America votes its values, not issues. We need to get the message right, then stick with it.
And perhaps most importantly, he spoke of finding core values on which we as Democrats can agree; argue the details among ourselves but agree to stand and fight for the core principles in unity.
After lunch and towards the end of the seminar Howard Dean took the podium and summed up very rapidly and without hesitation the party message. Honesty and integrity in government, a strong national defense is dependent on being truthful to the American people, keep jobs in America by developing new industry that has the dual purpose of creating jobs and relinquishing our dependence on oil, universal health care, and the importance of education. He very firmly stated that we should not let the media, or anyone else, tell us we don’t have a strong message. 
Then it was on to the Crab Feed after a long day, to enjoy good food and Democratic company in record numbers. Upwards of 1200 people were there, the record turn-out bringing in $70,000 in donations. (The previous record was $43,000 in 2004.)
Howard Dean was the featured speaker and was joined onstage by Gov. Chris Gregoire, State Auditor Brian Sonntag, State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, all six Democratic congressmen and, from the state Legislature, Speaker of the House Frank Chopp, Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, and former Gov. Booth Gardner. Our own Darcy Burner was mentioned enthusiastically by Howard Dean and spoke to a cheering crowd. The band played as a buoyant and well fed crowd, encouraged by the day’s events, slowly and somewhat reluctantly, headed home.