In Last Days of Trump Administration, How Did They Scheme with Tennessee Republicans to Outflank Obamacare?

While this story was reported in mainstream media, it may have gotten lost in the shuffle of the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. It's also a bit nuanced. What the heck is a "block grant for Medicaid," anyway? Future901 progressive political PAC wanted the public to have a deeper understanding of what was at stake for Tennesseans who are disabled or who otherwise depend on TennCare for their medical needs and for their very lives.

We lay it out for Tennessee citizens, produced for Future901 PAC, including Future901's interview with Gordon Bonnyman, co-founder of Tennessee Justice Center.

https://vimeo.com/506669417

Tommy Chong takes a trip to The Farm

Comedian, actor and renowned marijuana aficionado Tommy Chong sets up a quick trip to Dune Valley Farms, which is exclusive grower of Chong's products. Moore Media Strategies produced this video, using footage provided by Dune Valley Farms and Tommy Chong. Apologies to Jim Stafford who sang "Wildwood Weed," a hit in 1974, as we cannot resist thinking of the song's hook line: "Take a trip and never leave the farm!" Click photo to see 66-second video. 

Tommy Chong: Where the high-end stuff comes from!

Our video storytelling: Rob Cody Rides Again!

President Obama is 'Fired Up...Ready to Go' for Our Candidate

How we got President Obama to endorse a first-time Memphis City Council candidate...

with a little attention-getting, editing magic! 

When your candidate debates an empty chair...

John Marek is left to debate an empty chair after incumbent Worth Morgan no-showed again --Photo by Liza Bump

When attorney and criminal justice reformer John Marek belatedly jumped in the Memphis City Council race, he was up against a well-funded incumbent in Worth Morgan. Morgan had spent more than $300 thousand getting elected in 2015 and was spending large on commercials this time around. Morgan's "worth" we can easily imagine was inherited from his father, Allen Morgan, who founded successful regional brokerage Morgan-Keegan.

But a question for voters: Who is worth more representing the people of Memphis and District 5? Someone who has been involved for years in community efforts, such as advocating body-worn cameras for police, serving on the Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB), supporting reasonable cannibus laws? Fighting against blight and a gerrymandered City Council structure?

Who is worth less? A candidate who supports out-of-state developers in the face of neighborhood opposition in his own district? Who is appointed CLERB liaison from City Council but who skips the last year and a half of meetings when he didn't get his way on a vote? Who funds extreme-right out-of-state Congressmen such as House Republican whip Steve Scalise?

The choice could not be more clear in 2019. But, with getting a late start and little other than self-funding -- "I ran up my credit card" -- Marek needed to do something to make up ground.

We don't know how the election will turn out, but Marek got busy and, on the subject of not showing up, Marek attended the NAACP-sponsored forum for District 5.  However, Morgan snubbed the NAACP, telling them he had something else to do that night -- maybe re-balance his stock portfolio.  It was logical to put out a commercial spot demonstrating Morgan's "no-show" habit when faced with actual, regular people and working families from the community. Was he afraid he might catch something from  us? Below are the "no-show" spot and two other 30-second spots we produced for John Marek.


A No-Show Again: Morgan not Worth It

Our candidate John Marek called this "the best commercial I have ever seen in local politics." 

Marek for Memphis: Build Bridges not Walls

Marek for Memphis: Our Neighbors are Worth More!

Like a Country Song -- a Candidate Needs a Hook Line

Click to view our video for TN Senate candidate David Weatherspoon

With a first-time candidate, second-tier visibility office (meaning limited media coverage), and the prospect of a low voter turnout, what to do to get him or her elected?

Turnout is always key in this scenario, and getting out in the streets, door-to-door, in the grueling Memphis summer heat seems to be the conventional if painstaking answer.

Besides time and shoe leather, candidates seek to leverage their message through social media, online outlets, and favorable print and TV press when it comes their way.

Like a country song, a candidate needs a hook line -- a way to stand out. With David Weatherspoon, it's pretty obvious: Weatherspoon is the "Chaplain Candidate" who seeks to knock off ALEC darling and health care denier Brian Kelsey in the general election. First, there is a primary to get through.

Weatherspoon's messaging takes this head on and pivots on the chaplain-politician juxtaposition.

A SECOND 'HOOK LINE'
There's a second "hook line" in this video, and it comes from a friend who had encouraged Weatherspoon to run for office. Dr. Carissa Cascio is a neuroscientist at Vanderbilt University, and we spoke with her on-camera to flesh out Weatherspoon's story.

Nashville-based Derek Moore of Moore Media & Entertainment helped me talk with Carissa -- frankly, we sought to elicit short ways for Carissa to describe her friend the candidate, not explanations that don't quite fit in tight media time and capture limited attention spans.  I figure it is necessary to catch someone's interest in the first five to 10 seconds. Derek is more hard-core than that:

"You have four seconds to get them. After that, if they are not interested in your Facebook ad, they will move on."

Carissa was patient as we criss-crossed over different ways to ask the same question; then our "other hook line" popped out:

'THINGS WOULD BE BETTER IF...'
"My friends and I sometimes talk about, Things would be better if. Things would be better if: We had someone in office who had these values. Things would be better if: We had someone who could stand up to special interests..."

This was a perfect set-up to end the spot and segue to the candidate's call to action. Delightfully, this was an unscripted moment -- but we used the authenticity and passion of David's friend to seize on this theme.

The message is unmistakable about the Chaplain-Candidate: "Things would be better if: David Weatherspoon TN Senate 31."

We engaged Ward Archer's Music + Arts Studio to assist with sound engineering in the production of this commercial...and LensRentals for equipment we wanted to enhance the production.

Take two minutes to check out this video -- and see if you come to know this father, husband, chaplain, mediator and first-time candidate a little better -- well enough to determine this is a candidate who can give Brian Kelsey his wish as Kelsey expressed in accepting a recent recognition from ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council), the body that sets up international special interests to write laws for states, using politicians like Kelsey to carry their water. The recently married Kelsey told ALEC:

"I am looking forward to spending more time at home with my wife."

"Things would be better if..." Kelsey's wish came true, and we had this compassionate chaplain in Nashville.

Put Moore Media Strategies on Your Side

Shouldn't you have a Video Story of your business, organization, school, project, etc.?

Shouldn't you have B-roll and hi-res photos available online for easy use by the media?   

Shouldn't you regularly post to social media, and do you have a content strategy?

We can tell your story across various media and handle it from concept to production!

Do you want:

*To get more media attention for your business or non-profit?

*To establish your brand -- your unique selling proposition -- in the public's mind and in front of more customers?

*To get better at talking to the media?

*To approach public policy makers with concerns or initiatives?

*To strategize and structure the messaging of your campaign, whether business, non-profit or political?

*To influence public opinion on policy matters which affect you or which you advocate?

*Completely personal attention?

We will leave no stone unturned in enabling you to reach your goals.   Call Gary Moore 615-579-8658 or email MooreMedia@att.net to put us on your side.