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13 tweets,
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1. Frustration among activists is reaching a fever pitch - understandably after such a shocking and unrelenting week. There are people I respect very much adding their voices to the fervor. I respect them enough to listen and to push back with my concerns.
2. We all want to see DT, his campaign and administration held to account. We all want to see a forceful repudiation of our country's flirtation with authoritarianism. We are, indeed, fighting for the soul of this country and it is a battle that will extend beyond this crisis.
3. I see many on social media turning their frustration toward our own leadership - both demanding and deriding. Digital activists and political influencers do have power, but I fear they're channeling it in the wrong direction and at no small risk.
4. Let's start with one reality. Political Twitter is not representative of the electorate. Polling doesn't actually reflect that a majority want to see Dems call for impeachment. The truth is most people "in real life" just don't know that much about how bad things are.
5. This could change, but it depends on educating the larger electorate. Public oversight hearings offer that opportunity. So would impeachment hearings, as many have pointed out. Yes, but a failed impeachment carries its own toxicity.
6. I should not need to express the critical importance of winning 2020 elections up and down the ticket. Nor should I need to point out how critically important it is that our messaging is clear and our House majority productive.
7. The battle ahead will not be easy and the Right will hit us from every angle. Trump has a strong hold on his base. Barr is controlling the narrative. "Collusion delusion", "presidential harassment", "investigate the investigators" - muddying and obscuring our message.
8. In 2016 Trump controlled the narrative. Constant refrains that Democrats had no message other than being anti-Trump. It was absurd, but it sticks to this day. The House pursuing impeachment with no clear path through the Senate would create a similar narrative.
9. Division was another culprit in 2016, yet here we are, criticizing Dem leaders, strengthening divisive rhetoric on the far-Left - a pool already targeted and tainted by Russia's manipulation. Discord and demonization of Pelosi and the "establishment" only weakens us.
10. It only serves the GOP for us to be fighting amongst ourselves as well as against them. Our leadership is paying attention to the tenor of the electorate for good reason. 2020 candidates would be smart to do that as well.
11. Twitter, digital activists and political influencers are useful, but only in conjunction with boots-on-the-ground activism. Elected leaders represent the wider public, not just activists. Our job is to educate that wider public - reach out and change minds.
12. This is a great place for sharing ideas, information, tools, calls to action...but it IS an echo-chamber and it can work itself into a fervor that has little chance of breaking through to those who are actually persuadable. And that is the task before us.
13. Push out to educate the electorate, channel the frustration into persuading citizens to step-up. Demanding leaders call for impeachment without support will not only fail, but could help him get re-elected.
