|
Liberal hippies are sorry Bush won. ...I wonder if he even remembered to vote??? 
|
Thoughts on this weekend...
I tried not to think about work or politics at all this weekend. So I did what any good Marylanders would do: I went to Jimmy Cantler's in Annapolis and ate crabs. Then, I watched the O's game. For some reason, it really wets my appetite and creativity to have a self-imposed hiatus. It worked so well that last night I had to email myself about 10 thoughts from my blackberry so that I wouldn't forget them. But before getting into that, I'd like to recap some thoughts on Memorial Day... - I am reminded of a dear family friend named Edgar Winfield who passed away this year. Edgar was my parents' neighbor for about forty years. (Today, I joke that they are still neighbors because he is burred next to my dad.) Growing up, Edgar was one of the nicest people I've ever met. And sixty years ago, Edgar was one of the brave men who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. Edgar was in my thoughts this weekend. - One of my best friends got married on Saturday. I got to meet his brother who just finished serving in Guantanamo Bay as a prison guard. Talking to him underscored what a tough job our men and women have today. Particularly the ones who are currently guarding prisoners. Not only do they have to deal with terrorists who would love nothing more than to kill a guard, but they have to be on their best behavior because of the microscope we have now placed on them. I am glad this young man is back in the states. But I feel for others who are still serving this great country. - Trace Adkins has a very good new song out called " Arlington." If you haven't heard it yet, be prepared: It is a very emotional song. I am very thankful that country music is still putting out patriotic songs. You can listen to a snippet of Arlington here: here.
|
Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!!
|
Activity, skills, beliefs
I had breakfast with a friend of mine this morning who is a professional business trainer. He trains world-class professional consultative salesmen (these are people who multiple million dollar deals to corporations) how to be more effective. During the conversation, he told me that any good salesman needs these three attributes: 1. Activity (Making the calls, setting up meetings, etc.) 2. Skills 3. And BeliefsThe first two are obvious. Whatever business you are in, if you don't do the work, you won't reap the benefits -- so activity is a given. Likewise, you must have the skills to succeed -- and the good news is that you and I can improve our skills. But he surprised me with the third attribute: Beliefs. I queried him, and it comes down to this: You and I have been conditioned to have certain values or beliefs. Sometimes they help us, and sometimes they hurt us. The salesman who doesn't believe in talking to strangers:Suppose your mom told you for twenty years not to talk to strangers. Then, I sent you to a two-day course and told you that to be good at sales, you'd have to go out and start meeting strangers. Who would win out? In reality, you would logically agree that to be a good salesman you must meet people. So you would force yourself to mingle. But you know what? It never would feel right. You'd always have this anxiety about it. You probably would never really excel at it. And it's no wonder: You'd be doing something that you had been taught to believe was wrong. The political candidate who doesn't believe in asking for money. Let's take a political candidate who started out poor (I mean he ate government cheese and had to beg, borrow, and steal to put food on the table) and then, thru hard work, became successful. Upon becoming successful, he swore: "I'll never ask anybody for money again." ...And then ten years later, he decides to run for political office. At first, he tells his staff he will not ask people for money. But eventually, his campaign manager says he must ask for money in order to run a good campaign. The manager explains that candidates aren't asking for money to line their pockets, but rather to help the cause. In fact, the manager says that by asking for money, the candidate is giving folks a chance to invest in your campaign and make a difference. Now the candidate gets it. He agrees logically that a successful political candidate must ask for money in order to win. And he even develops a good attitude about it. So why doesn't he ever get around to making the calls??? Because he doesn't believe it's right to ask for money. In order to be successful, you must believe in what you are doing. Activity, skills, beliefs. It turns out, it's not just for salesmen any more.
|
I just found this site, and it looks pretty cool... Need a logo for your campaign or website? Check out GotLogos.com. You can get a logo for $25. Then, if you want to make changes, the cost is $10 per change.
|
5 Websites for Political Job Seekers!
 It's graduation time, and I've been receiving a lot of emails from folks who want to know how to find a job in politics. Obviously, networking is key, but the internet can get you started. If you want a job in politics, I recommend checking out the following sites...ConservativeJobs.com - The Leadership Institute's Employment Placement Service helps conservatives find jobs in public policy.
The Heritage Foundation's Job Bank - Assists conservatives in finding employment with conservative Congressional Offices, faith-based organizations, other public policy organizations, lobbying groups and trade associations.
CampaignJobs.com - A free service that enables Republican campaigns of all sizes and at all levels to easily find the people they need to win.
RcJobs.com - Roll Call, your trusted resource for Capitol Hill news, also has an interactive employment site.
Hillzoo - Looking for a new job? HillZoo can help! This job bank features jobs both in government AND on K Street ...
|
 Newsweek: To remain viable as a party, Democrats need to win Latinos back. At stake is nothing less than control of the presidency and Congress. If the GOP maintains its current share of the Latino vote, says Simon Rosenberg of the New Democrat Network, "then the Democrats will never be the majority party again in our lifetimes." For more info on winning the Hispanic vote, read my article about this very subject.
|
GOP Hones GOTV
May 23, 2005
By Chris Cillizza, Roll Call Staff
...According to a memo composed by RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman, a copy of which was obtained by Roll Call. "Local races and, in particular, special elections, give the RNC the opportunity to test new and improved targeting and tactics that we have been working on to improve since the 2004 election," Mehlman wrote.
...Republicans have credited their recent gains in the House and Senate, as well as Bush's successful re-election bid, to the "72-Hour Program" -- the party's turnout plan, which was created during the 2002 cycle.
...Prior to the 72-Hour Program, Democrats were usually credited with better get-out-the-vote campaigns, primarily due to the efforts of organized labor. Historically, Democratic candidates frequently outperformed polls conducted in the days leading up to national elections.
|
Corpus Christi
I was in Corpus Christi, TX for a business trip this weekend. The town is quite beautiful. When I think of Texas, I don't normally think of palm trees, but this is what it looks like... 
|
Don't Call it a Comeback!
Is it just me, or has this filibuster thing created a " Lott-a'" publicity for him? 
|
Redstate has posted the new Free Enterprise Fund ad defending Tom DeLay (Titled: The Sharks are Circling). Click here to watch it. (2.3mb, .wmv) Let me know if you think this ad is effective...
|
Howard Dean has been in the news a lot lately. If I were advising him, I would tell him to shut up. From a political perspective, he would benefit from having people wake up a year from now asking, " Why haven't we heard Howard Dean say something crazy lately?" But that's not going to happen. It will be interesting to see what he says on Meet the Press this Sunday! Speaking of the dark side, I'm looking forward to seeing Revenge of the Sith next week (I want to let all the fanatics get it out of their system, first). I have mixed emotions, you see. Part of me is very excited about this, and the other part is afraid it will be like Episode I and II. My friend Rich (who saw it at Midnight Wednesday) says it is "awesome." ...But he said that about Episode I and II, as well. Lastly, I hope you like our new (and temporary) tag line. I think it is timely...
|
New York Mayor Bloomberg is being criticized because he doesn't speak Spanish well. "He hasn't improved a bit," said Juan Carlos Ayarza, who traveled around the world teaching Bloomberg Spanish for a year preceding the mayor's 2001 election. "I don't think he's been taking classes." I don't know about you, but I'm glad none of my former teachers talk to the press...
|
Tech Tip from a Reader
Dear Matt, I saw on your blog that you were looking for ancedotes/stories for the new book. I thought this was a great idea: A good friend of mine worked on now Congressman Patrick McHenry's (NC-10) race this past summer as a field rep. going door-to-door. McHenry is a big believer in grassroots politics. Each field rep. would have a handheld DVD player with a small screen and offer to show them a message from the candidate after an initial introduction. The campaign was able to target specifically each county with a personal message like ... "I sent my friend Jonathan out to talk to you about my campaign. I understand the needs of Mitchell County", and go into specifics about jobs or other issues affecting their home county. It was effective in electing a single, 28 year old, one-term NC House member to Congress. I don't have the number of doors knocked on throughout the summer and fall but it was substantial. If you would like me to hook you up with my friend Jonathan for more specific info, let me know. Hope this helps a little. Looking forward to reading this book when it comes out. Jason Walters Kernersville, NC
|
The Washington Post has an excellent article today about how important language is in framing the filibuster issue. Republicans have tried to rechristen "nuclear option" as the "constitutional option," a less radioactive alternative. According to an "expert," Republicans are usually pretty good at using language... ..."In general, Republicans have perfected the art of associative naming," says Deborah Tannen, a Georgetown University linguistics professor who has studied word choices in public discourse. Associative naming refers to linking products or ideas to pleasant or virtuous-sounding words, or unpleasant ones if you are against them. The term "partial-birth abortion," for example, constitutes a masterstroke in this regard, she says. As soon as opponents of this late-term abortion procedure injected the word "birth" into the debate, they won, Tannen says. ...So we're usually good at this stuff. But Sen. Trent Lott messed up and gave the Dems a gift by coining the prase "nuclear option." And here's the funny thing: People literally advocating for nuclear energy don't even use the word nuclear (they call it "sustainable energy.")"The implication of 'nuclear option' is way too hot and extreme," says GOP pollster Frank Luntz, an expert on political phraseology. Words define the debate in politics, he says. "Someone comes up with a cute phrase, like 'nuclear option,' and all of a sudden the debate is named.
"This is an example of how cute phrases can kill." He means this figuratively.
|
NYC Conference
 Yesterday I attended The Personal Democracy Forum's conference in NYC. I had mixed feelings about the conference: Good quality speakers (Craig from Craig's list, Daily Kos guy, Moveon guy, etc). But it was a lot of bloggers talking to bloggers about blogging. Now, I don't posture myself as a "blogger." That's not how I define myself. I am a guy who does politics, who happens to have a blog (that's very different). Frankly, instead of the blog talk, I was hoping for more info on micro-targeting, email lists, databases like Voter Vault, in short, more of this.On another note, it's always fun to be in NYC.
|
Another Training Success!
I LOVE hearing from conservatives who have attended a campaign school -- and used the techniques to be successful! This is from a young lady who attended a training seminar I spoke at a few weeks ago in PA: Dear Matt,
I loved the class you taught at the Leadership Conference in Harrisburg, PA. My co-worker, Debbie, and I had a lot of fun during the class, which was filled with helpful information. Even though I didn't have any upcoming media events to prepare for, I took good notes, and bought your book (Teaching Elephants to Talk) to read at home-I read it immediately.
Thank goodness I did, because the very next week, out of the blue, I was asked to appear on television to discuss Internet use by kids (I am a researcher and writer, and have researched this topic extensively). I had never been on television before, so I was a bit unsettled at first and almost cancelled because the interviewer seemed to have a liberal bias--I was concerned that he was going to twist my words. But then I remembered what you taught me-- your class helped me realize that I am in charge of what comes out of my mouth, and so I was able to prepare exactly what I wanted to say so that I could stay on message, and the words couldn't be twisted. The interview went very well, and I feel it was very effective because of the preparation techniques I learned from you.
I realized that I may not get another chance to warn other parents about this problem. Thank you for giving me the tools to do the best job I could do. Your class gave me the confidence and ability to prepare myself correctly for the interview.
Whenever I am in a position to recommend your classes to others, I will do so.
Thanks again!
Beth Racine
Richboro, PA
|
In the Big Apple Today...
I'm in NYC today, attending the Personal Democracy Forum's conference. As you may know, the PDF's subtitle is: Technology is Changing Politics. The irony is that there have been major technical problems with the PowerPoint presentations... The good news is that the speakers have been pretty good. I'll be posting my notes tomorrow. One weird statistic of note that I learned: "only children" are much more likely to be bloggers...
|
 Several of you have emailed me with thoughts concerning recent news and blogs. Here are three of the most interesting... G. in California disagrees with my support of Tom DeLay:I just read an article about Tom Delay in the Times. The truth is too many on both sides of the aisle continue in the practices of taking money and gifts from lobbyists in creative ways. (i.e. Through non-profits with for profits donating to cover expenses of trips, etc.)
I do not support this practice as I feel it is very, very harmful to the democratic process. This is how congressman and senators start getting to powerful for their own good and start taking their jobs and positions out of context.
They are elected to represent the American people, not rally for the highest bidder. Although Tom Delay is not the only one engaged in this practice, the practice MUST BE stopped. G, The Times article also mentions a Jewish lady who immigrated from the former Soviet Union (she also introduced Rep. DeLay at the dinner the other night). Because she was Jewish, her family was persecuted. One of the trips Tom DeLay took to the Soviet Union was to meet with her. As a result, she was able to immigrate to America. The truth is that these trips aren't all glamorous (as they are portrayed to be). The vast majority of them fulfill an important function (and I believe that to be true for Democrats and Republicans).Regarding our blog titled: "Where do you fit" which featured a Pew Research political test , Bill in Illinois writes:Your little test does not distinguish the real separation in the GOP and in our coalition. Half of pro-private enterprise (poorly labeled pro-business) are MERCANTILISTS and half are CAPITALISTS. The current debate over base closings illustrates that. The mercantilists who have had a "subsidy" of their local economy now demand that the "subsidy" continue even after the base closes by putting some other taxpayer financed program in that location.... or keep the military there and give it a domestic mission like "remedial public education for adults to compensate for the failure of public education when those adults were kids." You're right, Bill. I didn't invent the test, but I did find it interesting to take. The truth is that each of us is unique. There is no "cookie-cutter" conservative.And our good friend Rich Coolidge from Colorado sounds off on the Social Security issue:As the Social Security debate continues to intensify, it's time for the "youth-vote" to get involved. AARP has controlled the debate thus far by claiming that benefits will go down drastically and citizens 55 and older will be forced back into the workplace or out on the streets. If this is such a huge concern, why isn't AARP going after public employees who don't pay social security? That's right, public employees pay a portion of their income to a protected retirement account with greater returns than Social Security. Once that employee leaves the public payroll, she has the option on how to invest her retirement accumulation by rolling it into a 401k or other account. No other employees in the private sector have that option from Social Security.
As a twenty-something myself, part of my paycheck goes to social security that may be bankrupt by the time I retire, so I need to also save in a 401k and an IRA. My employer can only contribute in profitable years. In my mind, this is a double retirement tax. In a smaller paycheck because of my age, a higher percentage is going to my retirement.
Now, when AARP says there isn't a crisis, its solution only involves a couple of tweaks. By tweaks, it means raising the retirement age for us twenty-somethings and lowering benefits because we should be saving in other accounts as well. Thanks, a lot. Rich, I couldn't agree with you more. Keep fighting for the conservative cause!Thanks for your emails. Keep them coming!
|
WARNING: Liberals are learning from us. They have started a new organization called the New Policy Institute (NPI)... Washington Post: ...the new group will study what the rise of the conservative movement, anticipated demographic changes in the country and the "post-broadcasting" world of new media mean for Democrats' hopes of winning elections.
"Until we can really get our act together and win elections, all the policy white papers aren't going to do us a lot of good," said Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, whose Daily Kos is one of the most popular political blogs on the Internet and who is an adviser to the institute. Before you laugh at this, keep in mind that in the 1960s, conservatives were big time losers. Then, leaders like Morton Blackwell and Paul Weyrich started studying how to win. They studied what liberals had done, and formed organizations like Heritage and The Leadership Institute to teach conservatives how to organize and how to communicate. And it has worked! Look at how far we've come in thirty years... Now I know there isn't a direct analogy between what conservatives did in the 60s and what the liberals are trying to do right now. But my point is that we should not take groups like this too lightly. We can't afford to relax. To paraphrase Satchel Page, "Don't look back...somebody might be gaining on you."
|
Conservatives Salute Tom DeLay!
First of all, I have to thank Gary Marx from the Judicial Confirmation Network for giving me and my good friend Alex Lawhon (of the NRSC) some excellent seats last night. Thank you, Gary for the hookup! Where to begin??? First of all, this was one of the best events I've been to. My mentor, Morton Blackwell, had even better seats (next to Bob Livingston and Mrs. DeLay):  This was a who's who of the conservative movement. Got to chat North Dakota politics with fiscal conservative leader Steve Moore...  Among the folks I saw were Bill Kristol, RNC Chair Ken Mehlman, Paul Weyrich, Tony Blankley, Richard Viguerie, Gov. Gilmore, Haley Barbour, Ed Gillespie, Jack Kemp, R. Emmett Tyrell, Rep. Tancredo, Rep. Roy Blunt, John Fund...  
John Fund (left) and Jack Kemp (right).And thanks to Gary Marx, I sat at the table with Rep. Doolittle and a great man -- Rep. Sam Johnson (pictured here):  When Majority Leader DeLay entered, he was greeted with "rock-star" like treatment: A standing ovation!  The speeches were mostly light-hearted and humorous. Morton Blackwell, Phyllis Schlafly, and Brent Bozell all brought down the house. David Keating wasn't bad, either. When it came time for conservative icon Paul Weyrich to speak, he shifted directions. I'm not sure there was a dry eye in the house after his moving speech about Tom DeLay's leadership: "The leadership of the conservative movement all of my life has prayed for a leader like Tom DeLay, and I'm here today to publicly thank God for answering my prayers." Tony Perkins said it best last night: "The message of tonight is, if they pick a fight with Tom DeLay, they pick a fight with all of us." In short, it was a great night to be a conservative!
|
I'm an Enterpriser. Where do you fit? Take the test.
|
Nothing good can come from Pat Buchanan addressing any issue remotely tied to WWII. Pat was once a relevant and respected conservative voice. Today, he is an irrelevant iconoclast. Lucky for us, he left the Republican Party.
|
Two great resources to share with you today: 1. New Article: Just posted my article which appears in May's edition of Campaigns & Elections Magazine: Seven Questions to Ask Before You Attack. Click here to read it. If you are a political candidate, this is a must. (Note: I highly recommend picking up the hard copy of the magazine because this edition is the "Rising Star" edition. You will get an up close profile on some future political leaders.)  2. New Interview: With Judicial Nominations starting to heat up, premium members can now hear our exclusive interview with Gary Marx, President of The Judicial Confirmation Network.
|
Washington Post: Poll Cites GOP Gains Since 9/11"...Both parties enjoy strong support among their core voters, but the Pew study concluded that Republicans have done a more effective job in attracting support among voters with less allegiance to either party." "...In effect, Republicans have succeeded in attracting two types of swing voters who could not be more different," the study reports."
|
Beginning Work on New Book
I've just started writing a new book. This one will focus on grassroots politics, technology, and the future. Please let me know if you have any thoughts, stories, or ideas about the subject.
|
You may not recognize his name. But Phil Burress is a hero. He's one of the nations most effective pro-family leaders. And he led the effort to place the marriage ammendment on the ballot in Ohio! If you live in Illinois, I'd make plans to hear him speak this June.
|
It's time for conservatives to say "thanks" to Tom DeLay for all he's done for us over the years. Personally, I can tell you that there is no better friend to the conservative movement. Please join me in honoring him this Thursday...
|
Reagan Road
I just read that Indiana is naming a highway after President Reagan. One of the things I love about visiting San Diego is things like this...  (I don't know about you...but I'm "turning right").
|
a personal note...
Happy Mother's Day. Mom, Love ya'!
|
I'm briefly mentioned (defending President Bush's plan to fix social security) in the current edition of the Falls Church News-Press.
|
  I had a chance to interview Ron Nehring -- Vice Chair of the CA Republican Party -- and Chairman of the Republican Party of San Diego County -- yesterday. Ron is truly one of the most effective Republican leaders in the nation today. His rise can only be described as meteoric. Stay tuned for the interview...
|
Craig Shirley Interview Posted
For those of you who are premium members (and have a passcode for campaignleadership.com) -- I strongly encourage you to listen to our interview with Craig Shirley, author of Reagan's Revolution. ...As for me, I'm in San Diego. Went down to La Jolla beach today and saw some seals and their baby's (called pups). Things are laid back here. I think I'm the only guy walking around with a Blackberry...
|
According The Washington Post, American Democrat political consultants are helping Tony Blair win re-election -- and in the process -- testing and perfecting their political technology. They have advised Labor officials on techniques for targeting and mobilizing voters, drawn from the intensive ground war in last year's presidential campaign. They have applied expertise gained from the presidential campaigns of Sen. John F. Kerry and former Vermont governor Howard Dean, and from the activities of MoveOn.org, on how to turn the Internet into a potent weapon in political campaigns. Should we be exporting our campaign technology across the pond?
Isn't this giving the Dems an unfair chance to catch up to us and "test" their technology for future use against us??? What do you think???
|
 I'll be speaking in San Diego this Saturday. To attend, click here.
|
Check out my new article in the May issue of Campaigns & Elections Magazine. 
|
 Kate Kaye of Personal Democracy Forum writes: Could Google's ad screeners be biased? The world of search engine marketing is fraught with stories of Google rejecting ads submitted to its system for all sorts of reasons, including trademark-infringement. Now RightMarch.com claims that the stringent Google censors were politically partisan in rejecting a text ad that featured the same exact copy as one placed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
|
 I don't mean to be a Cold Hearted Snake, Corey. But is she really gonna' be Forever Your Girl? ...I mean, keep in mind that Opposites Attract.
|
Here's a great idea for the activist in you. But there's no way I'm paying $25 bucks for it...  ...And did you hear that it's now gonna cost you to use Meetup.com???  At least this blog is free... Every thing else will cost ya.' Speaking of which, stay tuned for our new offer to "Premium Members," (hey, I gotta' pay the bills, too).
|
Do We Like Her Roasting Bush???
 Laura Bush's recent roast of her husband at Saturday night's White House Correspondents' Association Dinner is winning laughs -- and praise. But should it? Here is my question for you: 1. Should we applaud her for using whit and self-deprecating humor to get good PR? After all, Reagan was a master at this. Politicians should have the confidence to make fun of themselves. And heck, she did change the subject from Bush's poor approval ratings... 2. ...Or, should we feel bad for our country? I mean, why is it that when you criticize the President, the press all of a sudden praises you? And what about the remarks about her watching Desperate Housewives, milking a "male horse," and Lynn Cheney's new code name, "dollar bill?" Is this type of talk becomming of a First Lady? ANd what kind of a message does this send to those of us trying to win the culture war? You make the call!
|
| |
|
Digg This
Facebook
Technorati
