I agree.  All politicans since the beginning of time have sought to control the message.  That is what they do.  It's not their job to defeat their own narrative.  The press is supposed to make their job harder, but in this environment of a compliant and reactionary media, that just doesn't happen.  

Yep.

What makes the GOP messaging effective is how short the message really is. In your example, each GOP meme is either two or three words. The longest meme is "Strong on Defense." but of course Republicans usually just say "Strong Defense."

I would also add other GOP memes and themes: "Ownership Society," "Tough Love," "Nine-Eleven," "War on Terror," "Tax Burden," and "Tax Relief." Notice that each meme but one is only two words long.

In contrast, each of the meme you suggest is at least four words. We need to get back to the drawing board.

I'm not sure who created the term "Tough Love," but it is a very effective conservative meme that everyone now embraces. Even liberals don't realize that when they use the term they are advancing the cause of conservatism. Tough love means you show love to a more immature person by using strict discipline on that person. As Lakoff has said, strict discipline applied by a fatherly figure is the heart of conservatism.

The Democrats have some good memes, too: "The New Deal," "The Great Society," "The New Frontier," "Universal Health Care," and "Global Warming." But of course Democrats were best at picking out memes and themes over a generation ago.

Some suggestions: Correct Republicans when the say "Death Taxes," with "Estate Taxes." Other good memes are "common good," "Fair Trade," and simply not being afraid to use terms such as peace, progressive, liberal etc.... Republicans not only know how to create effective conservative memes, but how to destroy progressive and liberal memes.

I think it really depends on how the message is being controlled.  I can understand saying let's hold off on the press conferences until we're out of a war zone as long as the press do get to question him within a reasonable amount of time.

It is not OK to control the message by trying to control how the traditional media report on what is happening in a war (no pictures of coffins etc.).

As far as using language to get our message out- hell yes the Democrats should be competing with the Republicans on the frames we use.

My short answer: I'm a Democrat because government should work FOR the people.

today on NPR.  The contention was that Obama is not attempting to "control te message" any more than any other presidential candidate.  The difference is Senator Straight Talk Express doesn't give a damn.  He is constantly talking off the cuff to the press and they are slathering for Obama to do the same and he won't.
We see the results (not that the media is reporting it!) -- McCain stumbling over himself right and left, making crude horrible jokes and flip-flopping like a sea bass.  
Obama is a hot commodity, the mysterious rock star, and reporters would give their left whatever to be there for the quote that makes the world stop turning.  And it's making them all peevish that he's not making that easy for them.

but the real difference is in McCain.  Presidential candidates have been practicing tight press control since forever -- McCain is a "maverick" in that regard and, God willing, it wil help to cause him the election.