And over time, we've allowed the Republicans to co-op the branding that should be ours

and sloganear us into corners that we can't get out of.

And now we're at the point where American democracy is on the brink.

And I want to make sure that we are giving people a reason to vote for us

and not just a reason to vote against the other guy.

What are your thoughts on that?

How much time do you have?

I have a lot of time. It's my show!

Hello and welcome to the Politics Girl podcast. I'm your host, Lee McGowan. Let's get into it.

Today's pod is a candid conversation with Oscar-nominated screenwriter and director

and accidental political guru, Billy Ray. A prolific screenwriter, you might know his work

from the Hunger Games or Captain Phillips, for which he was nominated for an Oscar and won

a writer's guild award, but Billy also wrote and directed the Komi Rule, the Showtime Mini series

based on James Komi's book, A Higher Loyalty. So while Billy might make his living in Hollywood,

he's transferred those skills to Washington to consult and speech write for many of the Democrats

you know who are making a splash. Billy is also a board member for Common Defense,

the largest grassroots organization for progressive veterans, and Big Sunday, a non-profit organization

to help people find volunteer positions so they can give back to their various communities.

I'm having Billy on today because we share the mission of trying to reimagine

how Democrats message. We want to see those who believe in democracy and liberal values

fired up and successful. This isn't just about beating a terrifying alternative,

but truly attempting to make this country what it could be. We can talk as much as we want about

...