Many of us made much of Karen Hughes' blunders in Saudi Arabia and Turkey.  Her unstated theme was, "If you just really knew us you would like us so much.  We have all the answers, and so you should try to be more like us.  We know what is best for you, (and the rest of the world, too).

I have no doubt that Ms. Hughes really believes her talking points.  I think that the administration has complete faith in themselves, and that they truly do believe that the globe would be better off if everyone would just do as they said -- trust them to do the right thing. 

Is anyone starting to see him/herself in the mirror here?  Much of what I see here and on other sites is poll discussions followed by more discussions about how we have to get a message out!  After that, more discussions about how to explain that message in a way that everyone can understand it and believe in it.  I've been guilty of the same thing myself.

Karen Hughes' deaf ear should give us all pause.  My previous blog about her looked at what she should have been doing:  listening!  She was clearly not there to learn; she was there to teach, and because of her insular thinking failed TOTALLY at communicating her message. 

She spoke to rich Saudi women with personal drivers and made the case for their right to drive.  These people were educated and she spoke to them as though they wanted to hear My Pet Goat book II. 

I could go on, but my point is that we really must get a better understanding of the concerns of those who gave their votes to Bush (often to their own disadvantage.)  Abortion is a wedge issue that Republicans have co-opted.  I think we need to understand what the non-hard core really fear about abortion. 

"Tax and spend liberals" is a moniker that we have done little to dispel.  How about if we asked more about how people want their taxes spent -- if they are worried about how they will cope in old age, or if they are laid off. 

The biggest issue, which clouds all the rest is the four-letter word, FEAR.  Unless we listen to, and address the fears that Bush et al have carefully stoked we may win some seats, but not the hearts and minds of Americans.

Fear of terrorism, fear of ungodliness, fear of high taxes, fear that universal health coverage will mean socialism (and bad medical care), and the list goes on.  Fight the urge to address these one by one, and first of all, make an effort to REALLY listen; to take the pulse of those who got sick of us and voted for a commander-in-chief that they thought would be more competent than two others, both of whom had actually served in the military.  I don't get it myself -- I can't understand how anyone could vote for him.

Unless our party makes the effort to understand and empathize with those who might be on the fence, we will not know how to make a case for what we believe in. 

It is not enough to think that if they only really knew us they would like us.

Jan Knaus