MoveOn Offers Training On How To Spin The News

Fri, January 11, 2008 - 2:26 PM

When you watch the news, are you frustrated that progressive viewpoints are often left out?

Have you ever attended a rally or vigil—and been ignored by your local paper?

Have you gone to a beach to push your progressive agenda, only to have sand kicked in your face?

Well, now there's a way to bulk up on your skills at spinning the news, in a Charles Atlas-like offer sent out today by MoveOn.org.

“To win the White House this year, to win 60 seats in the senate, to turn the tide on Iraq—we can only do this if we all work together to combat right-wing spin and get our message out,” explains the group in an e-mail.

So, the group says, “we've organized an exciting event—a national media training for MoveOn members” on Jan. 17.

And who would argue with MoveOn’s expertise in this area?

The attention-getting on-line dynamo has been the liberal movement's unofficial pitbull since the Monica Lewinksy affair; it now claims to have 3.3 million grassroots members nationwide, including 147,080 members in Florida.

Its ability to attract attention to itself is undisputed, most recently with a newspaper ad characterizing the U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, as “General Betray Us?"

The thing is, MoveOn is looking for people to host this training in their homes.

“Folks will get together in living rooms around the country for a live, interactive, national training on how to get our message out,” states the e-mail today.

“The training itself is a lot of fun,” insists the e-mail.

“With a video, conference call and live practice session, you and your neighbors will learn how to talk to reporters, pitch a news story, and get local media to attend events,” the groups states. “And because it's a house party, it's a fun, social setting to launch an exciting year for progressive politics.”

You certainly don't have to be an expert to be a host for this training.

“You don't need to ever have talked to a reporter or organized an event. You just need to be interested in learning—and have a space for folks to gather,” states the e-mail.

“We'll send you everything you need, including a training DVD, materials, information for the conference call, and more,” the e-mail promises.

-- Billy House