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Conservative Bootcamp...
At the Reagan Ranch, courtesey of YAF--in today's NTY. These kids read good books.
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people are talking back ...
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Unforgettable
This is one of my favorite (and indeed, one of the most quoted) passages in our conservative heritage. It's really hard to condense Burke's idea into a "quote" of reasonable length...but I think that this captures the essence, at least, of the conservative's instinct that society is intergenerational: "Society is indeed a contract...It is to be looked on with other reverence, because it is not a partnership in things subservient only to the gross animal existence of a temporary and perishable nature. It is a partnership in all science; a partnership in all art; a partnership in every virtue and in all perfection. As the ends of such a partnership cannot be obtained in many generations, it becomes a partnership not only between those who are living, but between those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are to be born. Each contract of each particular state is but a clause in the great primeval contract of eternal society..." Edmund Burke Reflections on the Revolution in France
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 37
Back from NYC, less one credit-card but equipped with a better appreciation English after falling down a "malfunctioning" staircase in Chinatown and having to jesticulate the incident the non-English speaking owners of the building. Anywho, back to politics: G-heat n. pressure or trouble from federal law enforcement agencies (also) federal law enforcement agents. 1937 Hoover's Persons in Hiding 114: You're hot. It's G heat! We don't want to lay eyes on you! 1949 in Harper's (Feb. 1950) 74: The G-heat may assume it has been stolen and enter the case on that basis.
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Words to Avoid ...
I was in a meeting last week, in which a very intelligent woman used a word which means, "grudging and petty in giving or spending." While this word is proper and found in dictionaries -- and is in no way relating to race -- the trouble is, this word sounds very much like " the 'N' Word." My take was that she was unwise to use this word, even though it was technically grammatically correct. Why couldn't she just say "stingy," instead? In using the term, she may have impressed some with her vocabulary, but she distressed me with her judgment. Recently, Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney found himself in a similar situation. According to the Boston Globe, he was quoted as saying: "The best thing for me to do politically is stay away from the Big Dig -- just get as far away from that tar baby as I possibly can," he said in answer to a question from the audience.
The best thing he could do politically is stay away from using that term ... In fairness, though, according to the Globe: The expression "tar baby" has had different meanings over the years.
A definition from Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary traces the expression to the tar baby that trapped Br'er Rabbit in an Uncle Remus story by Joel Chandler Harris, which became popular in the 19th century. The dictionary now defines the expression as "something from which it is nearly impossible to extricate oneself."
(Hey, didn't Tony Snow use this same term in his first press conference???) Here's my take on the controversy: It is unwise for a leader or a communicator to use terms which will offend his or her audience. This doesn't mean that we should go overboard with the politically correct stuff (I will not use the term: "Personkind," for example). I truly believe Gov. Romney didn't know the term was sometimes used in a derisive manner. In short, I believe it was an honest gaffe. But the fact that he didn't know that implies he may be out-of-touch. Communicators and leaders should do their best to be sensitive to how language effects people. In a sense, that what "Teaching Elephants to Talk" is all about.
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Voter Registration for Techies ...
For you techies, this is pretty cool ... You want painless voter registration, you got it. If you're here to register, it's easiest to do it online, or you can text the word "voter" to 75444 and do it via text-message if you'd rather.
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The Big "D"
I'm headin' down to Dallas to do some training tomorrow for the TX GOP. I'll do my best to stick to politics, but I just know my Washington Redskins' rhetoric is likely to offend someone (hey, pre-season is right around the corner) ...
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An interesting encounter
So last night I was over by the Leadership Institute to deliver one of Matt's books (if you don't have it, seriously click here) to a nice guy from Ghana that's heading back today. Aside from telling me how awesome Ghana is ('it's the most free, the most democratic country in Africa, it's where it's at' to paraphrase him), and how much he'd like to bring Matt to Ghana to help out his party (I might just tag along for that trip), his reverence for the Republican Party was inspiring. He told me excitedly: "My party, the NPP, we even picked our symbol as the elephant -- and our colors are red, white, and blue."  Sweet.
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Unforgettable
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke Letter to William Smith, January, 1795
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 36
heeler n. a hanger-on or adherent of a politician or political party who usually carries out the orders of political bosses in the hope of personal aggrandizemnet --used contemptuously. Now rare except as ward-heeler. 1886 T. Roosevelt, in Century Mag (Nov.) 78: The "heelers" stand at the polls. from the oxford dictionary of american political slang
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And The News ...
Steele's Response - How To Turn a Political Gaffe Into a CatastrophePeter Beinart in the Wa Post: The Democratic Party's single biggest foreign policy liability is not that Americans think Democrats are soft. It is that Americans think Democrats stand for nothing, that they have no principles beyond political expedience. And given the party's behavior over the past several months, it is not hard to understand why.
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Unforgettable
God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right even though I think it is hopeless.
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 35
Red-Diaper-Doper-Baby [RDDB] n. derivation from Red-Diaper Baby, a term used to describe children raised in the 40s and 50s by Communist parents; see quote: Michael Savage: "I tried to figure out what took an ordinary communist and turned him into this psychotic type of mad-dog leftist we have today. I believe that when you take the red-diaper baby, and realize he came of age in the '60s, and you put the drug into the mind of the red-diaper baby, presto, you have the RDDB, who is the current anti-American fanatic."
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The Club Combines Traditional Politics & Technology
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Religious Left ... Oxymoron?
The Washington Post says the "Religious Left" is gearing up ... While the religious right is still more powerful, the left is setting its sights on this year's congressional elections and the 2008 White House contest.
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Take that, Patton ...
BTW, did you know that Thomas Jefferson invented the swivel chair?
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Newt
This article by Rich Lowry of National Review appears in today's Washington Times. The most important thing that Lowry says is that a Newt run in '08 would "raise the bar" of debate for Republicans in the primary. We've all seen Newt make very intelligent and coherent arguments on nearly every topic under the sun, and certainly his presence in primary debates would force any conservative candidate to better articulate practical applications of conservatism and the challenges we're facing, and would force the moderates and RINOs in the pack to reconcile RINOism or their more progressive ideas with the tour de force conservative arguments and witty charm of Newt. Lowry ends his piece by saying of a Newt candidacy: "There are worse places for the party to look for a renewed agenda." The question of Newt's efficacy as a candidate will ultimately be broader, can he find and sell a message reminiscent of the title of his great book from back in the day, "To Renew America."
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Unforgettable
No good decision was ever made in a swivel chair
General George S. Patton
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 34
gut-fighter n. a candidate or political operative who wages an unusually aggressive, uncompromising campaign, especially against a politically stronger opponent. 1984 Univ. Tenn instructor: I guess the classic example of a political gutfighter would be Richard Nixon.  1962 Time (Feb. 23) 62: Brusque, sly and opportunistic, Standton...was the special blend of gut-gighter and idealist that LIncoln wanted and needed. from the oxford dictionary of american political slang
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Location, Location, Location
Wow. This is an interesting idea. Stanford Graduate School of Business researchers say that a polling location could influence your vote ... "Voting at a school could increase support for school spending or voting at a church could decrease support for stem cell initiatives..."
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Fixed???
Hmmm. Sounds like the Fix read the Time article Boz did ... In all seriousness, the importance of timing cannot be over-estimated as a factor in politics.
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More Political Timing
Matt's post reminded me of this piece from Time Magazine from the begining of the summer. (Yes, I read Time pretty often, for the same reason all of us read the NYT or the WPost). This is the best part: The argument against an Obama candidacy is obvious: he is as green as Kermit the Frog. He is a mere 44 years old and has been a member of the U.S. Senate for less than two years. He sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but he has zero military and national-security experience. He's a very smart guy, a quick learner, but no one is that quick. If he runs and makes a fool of himself, a very promising political career could be suffocated in the crib. But somehow you get the feeling that Obama would not make a fool of himself--indeed, it is far more likely that he would bring a freshness, eloquence and thoughtfulness to Democratic Party politics that have been absent since Bill Clinton was in the hunt. Freshness doesn't last forever. If Obama waits and hangs around the Senate for six to 10 more years, he may wind up sounding like a Senator--which is to say he will no longer have command of the English language--and, worse, he may start thinking like a Washington politician, wizened by the accepted limits of the possible.
Actually, the best reason for Obama to run is precisely that he is young and everybody else seems so old. (bold emphasis added)
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The Importance of Political Timing ...
The Fix has some good thougths about the importance of timing -- and why Barak Obama should consider running for president in '08 ... In politics, timing is everything. If you pass on an opportunity, it might not come around again. Just ask former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo.
In the run-up to the 1992 election, Cuomo was widely seen as the frontunner for the Democratic nomination against President George H.W. Bush. After two months of publicly hemming and hawing, Cuomo announced in December 1991 that he would not run, saying he could not simultaneously address economic problems in the Empire State and run for president. (Cuomo had also walked away from a presidential candidacy four years earlier.)
The rest, as they say, is history.
... For those who say Obama needs more seasoning before making a national bid, take a look at history. No senator has been directly elected president since John F. Kennedy in 1960, although scads have made the attempt. National polling shows the American public has soured considerably on Washington, and many Democratic insiders are coming to believe that the longer someone stays in Washington the less chance he or she has of being elected president.
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Matt in Hotline
Hotline picked up on this post by Matt this morning. "Matt Lewis at Human Events Online also made HRC/Bill distinctions: "Still, give Clinton credit for having another Sister Souljah moment, and standing up to an important constituency in his party. He is taking on the liberal bloggers. And ironically, this is the kind of maneuver that inspires his admirers to love Bill Clinton. Hillary, for example, would never have thought to make this move. She would have hung old Joe out to dry. Not Bill. Not when there's a chance to work his magic."
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Candidate in Focus: Sharron Angle
Rep. Jim Gibbons is giving up his seat to run for governor...so Nevada's 2nd Congressional District is up for grabs in the GOP primary on August 15th. The victor will win the general (it's our seat; though the Rothenberg Political Report implies that the Dems may have an opporunity to pick it up; unlikely.). Let's take a brief look at the race, and a brief look at the real conservative candidate. Assemblywoman Sharron Angle, who's characterized by the media as "anti-tax,"and by Rothenberg as having "cool confidence and determination," is opposed by Assemblywoman Dawn Gibbons and NV Secretary of State Dean Heller...(click full post)
Rothenberg (in Roll Call) said that Angle "has built her reputation as an opponent of taxes, and she is going to ride that horse are far as it will take her. It may well take her to Capitol Hill."
While Gibbons did successfully pass Nevada's constitutional Tax Retraint Initiative, Angle is the only of the three that didn't budge in 2003 and fought against the ridiculous tax increase passed that year in Nevada ($788 million! -- which Gibbons voted for; Gibbons also opposes school choice by the way).
Angle has a very solid tax record and supports reductions in personal income tax, a cap on capital gains, abolition of the estate tax and alternative minimum tax, and a freeze on non-defense domestic spending. Her Angle Property Tax Restraint Initiative is like a property tax TABOR, aiming to cap property taxes. (The Club for Growth has endorsed her).
On other issues, Angle supports expanding refining in Nevada; having not built a new refinery in this country for 30+ years, Congress needs more vocal advocates in this regard. She's proved herself as anti-amnesty, and made a prudent and responsible vote against the Millennium Scholarship for doling out taxpayer dollars to foot the bill of non-citizens' college in Nevada.
Angle is the only satisfactorily pro-life candidate. (Explaining endorsements by National Right to Life, the Republican National Coalition for Life and Concerned Women for America).
Angle is in a in a close fund-race. Heller has raised a good deal of money, but because the campaign is not premited to use money from donations exceeding $2,100 in the primary, he can't use a lot of it in the primary; about $380,000 of his on-hand cash is discretionary in the primary. Gibbons is at around $261,000. Angle has $340,000 of cash on hand for the primary.
Angle is going to have a real tough race; Gibbons took an early lead. It's going to boil down to how well she can get her message out.
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Unforgettable
"We can breathe the air of liberty only to the extent that we are ready to bear the burden of moral responsibility associated with it."--Wilhelm Roepke"Education in Economic Liberty" in What is Conservatism, 1964
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 33
doubledome n. a scholar or intellectual, esp. a highly educated person who holds impractical or unrealistic views. 1953 Michener Sayonara 11: Then the doubledomes in Washington set a deadline.
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Sticking': Clinton's 2nd Sister Souljah Moment
Bill Clinton deserves credit for coming to the aide of his old friend, Sen. Joe Lieberman. Some would call it cronyism, but if you can't stick up for a friend of 36 years -- when he's down -- then you aren't much of a friend. ... Of course, the skeptic in me says Bill Clinton knows Lieberman will remain a Senator (whether he is as an "I" or a "D", is the real question), so this wasn't as much of a gamble as it might seem. Still, give Clinton credit for having another Sister Souljah moment, and standing up to an important constituency in his party (the liberal bloggers). This is the kind of counter-intuitive political maneuver that endears regular folks to Bill. Hillary would never have thought to make this move. She would have hung old Joe out to dry. Not Bill. Not when there's a chance to work his magic. A few years ago, former Clinton advisor James Carville wrote a book titled Sticking': The Case for Loyalty. When I look at the way Bill is sticking with Joe, and compare it to what happened Trent Lott and Tom DeLay, I wonder if the GOP is more willing to throw people under the bus than the Dems are. I guess sometimes this instinct isn't always a bad thing; most Republicans wisely abandoned Nixon (not that I would compare him to these more recent examples). Still, Americans admire political courage, and Bill Clinton has once again proven that -- despite his flaws -- he has it.
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Always Wanted to Publish a Book?
If you've ever thougth of publishing your own book, the liberal DailyKos actually has some good advice ...
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Hotline, Hugh, and ML&TN
Hotline today picked up on Matt's recent post about the NRSC, Senator Dole, and LibLinc: In a post called "Blame Chaffee," the Hotline notes: "Conservative bloggers had a uniform reaction to a New York Times 7/23 article cataloguing NRSC financial woes. Matt Lewis at Human Events Online: "But, if there is any room for criticism of the NRSC -- and Senator Dole's leadership -- it lies in their unwavering support of liberal Republicans, such as Lincoln Chafee. Granted, it may be part of the NRSC's charter to support all Republicans, but to what degree they support these candidates is a matter of discretion." Hugh Hewitt agrees: "The New York Times wants you to believe that its Senator Dole's fault that the NRSC is far below its fund-raising goals. Two words: Lincoln Chafee."(emph. added) Matt and Hugh seem to be on the same page.
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Unforgettable
You gotta love that a legendary Greek fabulist writing over 2,500 years ago scribbled some pretty politically applicable wisdom... All from Aesop (629-560 B.C.) Please all, and you will please none.The Man, the Boy, and the DonkeyThe haft of the arrow had been feathered with one of the eagle's own plumes. We often give our enemies the means of our own destruction.The Eagle and the ArrowYou have put your head inside a wolf's mouth and taken it out again in safety. That ought to be reward enough for you.The Wolf and the Crane
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 32
FOB n. [ friend of Bill] a supporter or acquaintance of President Bill Clinton. 1992 Wall Street Journal (Mar. 12) 1A: Nobody collects friends like Bill Clinton--And nobody puts them to better use. Inside the Clinton campaign, they are known as FOBs--Friends of Bill's--and they make up a remarkable network.
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... And The News
... This NY Times article is my Reason 103 to always under-promise and over-achive -- and book a small room for fundraisers and events: The tables were loaded with untouched platters of food as Senator Elizabeth Dole rose this week to introduce her party's Senate candidate from Nebraska. Sixty people were supposed to be at the fund-raiser, but Mrs. Dole, the host and leader of the Republican effort to hold the Senate this fall, found just 18 people scattered across an expanse of empty carpet. ... I know, I know, I keep harping about the dangers of MySpace, Face Book, etc. Here is yet another article about the dangers of being over-exposed on the net. ... And lastly, I found this line from the Washington Post interesting: ... "Israel now says it is willing to accept the organization (Hezbollah) if it sheds its military wing and abandons extremism ..." My take: Asking Hezbollah to give up violence and extremism is sort of like asking the Democrats to give up tax-hikes and being pro-abortion -- it's kind of their "brand" ...
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Same Dem Mistake ... Different Day
The Dayton Daily News writes that: National Democrats have once again set their sights on Republican J. Kenneth Blackwell, questioning his dual roles as Ohio's Secretary of State and a candidate for governor. ... The attack came from Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. In a letter Thursday, they ask Blackwell to "take immediate action" to assure voters this year's Ohio elections will be "fair, efficient and transparent."They also say Blackwell's two roles -- as a candidate and the state's chief elections overseer --"presents the most acute danger of conflict of interest."
I'm told both the DSCC and the DCCC were planning on attacking Blackwell in a press conference yesterday. They ended up pulling the plug on it, though. Apparently, someone told them about this ... or this.
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Unforgettable
A man's feet must be planted in his country, but his eyes should survey the world. George Santayana The Life of Reason, 1936
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 31
Christmas tree n. a bill or piece of legislation which includes many (unrelated or excessive) special provisions. often attrib. Also Christmas tree bill.  2004 St. Paul Pioneer Press (Feb 1) 1A: They are more likely to turn appropriations measures into "Christmas tree bills" by adding unrelated projects into giant spending bills.
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Drag on Rudy ...
 National Review's August cover story asks if Rudy Giuliani will "play in Peoria?". What do you think? If only Lee Atwater were alive to use this picture in South Carolina ...
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In the Office ...
My talk at the Leadership Institute went very well this morning. Lots of good students. That explains the lack of posts today. While we get settled in, check out this article about Bush's speech to the NAACP: "I think this was a good day," Gordon said of the president's visit. "He said exactly what he should say."
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Lieberman v Lamont: microcosm of America?
Mort Kondracke at Roll Call wrote a quite interesting piece in today's edition ( here, if you subscribe). His main point is that while 47% of the country describe themselves as moderate, the politics of this election cycle are being driven by Bush- hatred among a minority of voters, like we've said at ML&TN before. The Lieberman case is the perfect example: while Lieberman has voted with the Democratic Party 80% of the time, his support for the liberation of Iraq is tied to Bush and thus he's hated by default (not to mention "the kiss," President Bush and Lieberman's whisper at the State of the Union that kind of looked like a peck on the check and provoked lefties to whine). Click full-post for some good excerpts:
"If former Greenwich Selectman Ned Lamont beats Lieberman in the Democratic primary, it will represent a signal victory for the MoveOn.org-Michael Moore-DailyKos left wing of the Democratic Party and for vicious name-calling as a political tactic...
...The Democratic Party already is handicapped by the fact that its liberal base amounts to just 20 percent of the electorate, while the Republicans' conservative base is 33 percent, according to decades of polling....
...[Sen. Harry] Reid and [Rep. Nancy] Pelosi press conferences are dominated by Bush-bashing and virtually empty of positive proposals. Even so, mainstream Democrats are under constant Web log pressure to "take on" Bush and routinely get attacked for being too accommodating....
...Even before the current Middle East conflict, Lieberman was subjected to anti-Semitic attacks on liberal blogs DailyKos and Huffington Post. One commentary declared, "Ned Lamont needs to beat Lieberman to a pulp in the debate and define what it means to be an American who is NOT beholden to the Israeli lobby...
...Lieberman is a rare remaining vestige of the assertive Democratic foreign policy typified by Presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and John Kennedy. Though he's accused of being Bush's cheerleader on Iraq, Lieberman first called for toppling Saddam Hussein in 1993, before Bush was even governor of Texas...
...And it's now up to Connecticut voters to decide whether hatred-politics will prevail."
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(Bad) Teamwork & Leadership Lesson
Frequent readers of ML&TN know that I sometimes use sports examples to talk about leadership. For example, during football season, I talked alot about Joe Gibbs (good leadership) -- and Terrell Owens (bad leadership). Now, from my fantasy baseball league's website (The Roto Times), comes this story (which I found sadly humourous) ... 07.19 The Blue Jays designated Shea Hillenbrand for assignment on Wednesday, according to the AP. Hillenbrand was apparently chastised during a team meeting before the game and refused to sit in the dugout with his teammates. He was upset because he wasn't in the starting lineup for the second straight game and nobody in Toronto's front office congratulated him on adopting a baby girl last weekend. The Blue Jays have 10 days to trade, release or send him outright to the minors.
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Leesburg Grid in Action
From the Campaign Leadership Company mail-bag: Matt, I really have to thank you for my enlightenment. Before I took your training course a couple of weeks ago I was just going to try to skate by with a couple of road signs and possibly a mailer. I've realized that campaigns are so much more. After taking your suggestion of using the Leesburg Grid to build a campaign message, a beautiful opportunity presented itself for me to take some more of your advice and send out a press release. I cannot tell you how easy it was to write this (what family and friends keep telling me is a great release) using that message. I also borrowed a couple of your tips for young candidates (like saying you'll bring change and new energy to the office - hope you don't mind). It hasn't been released yet, but I am still proud that my campaign has gone from willy-nilly decision making to one with a grand strategy. ...I really can't say thank you enough.
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The Left's Repetition on Israel ...
Rush Limbaugh is currently pointing out that the anti-Isreal talking points consistently accuse Israel of "collective punishment." According to Wikipedia, " Collective Punishment" means: In recent history, supporters of the Palestinians use the term to refer to certain Israeli actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They use the term most often to describe the declared former policy of Israel to destroy the homes of terrorists as a means of deterrence [1], as terrorists' family members were also affected by such actions. [2] [3]. Likewise, Israel tightening of borders to prevent terrorist attacks is viewed by Palestinians, who depend on the free flow of labor and capital[citation needed], as a form of economic collective punishment.
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Unforgettable
 The conscience of the Conservative is pricked by anyone who would debase the dignity of the individual human being. Today, therefore, he is at odds with dictators who rule by terror, and equally with those gentler collectivists who ask our premission to play God with the human race.Barry GoldwaterThe Conscience of a Conservative, 1960.
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 30
water's edge n. the boundary (geographical and figurative) between domestic policy (esp. elections) and foreign policy. 2003 Wall Street Journal (Aug. 20) A10: Mr. Reagan's conservatism didn't end at the water's edge. Despite enormous opposition from congressional Democrats, he pushed back the Soviet Union on all fronts. oxford dictionary of american political slang
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Blackwell Flier Draws Controversy
 The gubernatorial race in Ohio is heating up. This new flier has created controversy in Cleveland ...
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Bush Sells Veto Well
 President Bush's veto was the right thing to do -- and as this excerpt from the Washington Post's coverage points out -- he did a pretty good job of selling it, too: Bush addressed the issue in the White House's East Room surrounded by two dozen families -- including one from Alexandria, another from Ellicott City -- who adopted frozen embryos not wanted by other couples and used the embryos to have children."These boys and girls are not spare parts," Bush said. "They remind us
of what is lost when embryos are lost in the name of research." This issue is hard for social conservatives because we often end up using logic to make our point, while the other side uses emotion to talk about how this research could help people with diseases (this is problematic because in politics, emotion trumps logic.) By addressing this issue with real-life examples of how important this veto is, Bush is doing his part to win the PR war behind the culture war.
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GOTV a Major Factor in '06 Elections ...
The latest edition of Chuck Todd's always informative " On the Trail" column for National Journal has some interesting insights regarding the '06 cycle. In fact, he lists the 10 things about '06 that "keep him from getting a good night's sleep." Interestingly, 2 of the 10 things that keep him up at night involve get-out-the-vote: 1. Democratic GOTV
This is at the top because it's probably the biggest mystery of the cycle. It's not clear who is funding get-out-the-vote efforts for the Democrats this year, or more important, who is running them. Is it a coordinated state-based campaign with a loose connection to the Democratic National Committee? Is it labor, and if so, which part -- John Sweeney's the AFL-CIO or Andy Stern's SEIU? And where did all the money from America Coming Together go? Will even half of it make it back into Democratic coffers in some capacity? There are still lots of unanswered questions, and Election Day is less than five months away.
4. Overestimating The 72-Hour Program
After the GOP's victory in Calif.-50, we sensed not just relief among Republican strategists, but borderline cockiness. The conceit is due to the incredible confidence the party has in the 72-hour program. Clearly, the Republicans have come up with both a formula and a strategy for GOTV that has allowed the Republicans to not only catch up to Democrats and labor, but perhaps surpass them.
That said, a turnout program is only as successful as its worst election night. So, until the 72-hour program proves it can turn losses into wins (like it may have done in Calif.-50), then the jury's still out. The 72-hour program needs a fired up activist base to work. What if the base is depressed? Will as many phone calls be made? Will as many volunteers show up?
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Newt's Stragety: Stand to the Right of Bush?
 After attending yesterday's briefing with Speaker Gingrich, it is clear to me that he is exploring the option of positioning himself to the right of Bush. Strategically, this makes sense. Think of it this way; let's say you are running for president in the Republican primary, and ... 1. You are philosophically and strategically committed to being a hawk on terror. 2. From a marketing perspective, you realize you must distinguish yourself from both the current president and the other potential Republican candidates. You need to carve out a niche or a unique selling proposition. You must be different than the rest of the pack. You also realize that you cannot win by sitting on your hands and "playing it safe." To win, you must take chances. This will have to be an exciting insurgent campaign. 3. You realize that President Bush is extremely unpopular. You also know that the media loves to quote you any time a Republican is critical of another Republican. Lastly, you know that your campaign will have to rely more heavily on earned media than other traditional campaigns (with more money). Here's an example of the strategy being manifested. According to today's Washington Post: Former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who is considering a bid for president, called the administration's latest moves abroad a form of appeasement. "We have accepted the lawyer-diplomatic fantasy that talking while North Korea builds bombs and missiles and talking while the Iranians build bombs and missiles is progress," he said in an interview. "Is the next stage for Condi to go dancing with Kim Jong Il?" he asked, referring to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the North Korean leader. But I'm not solely relying on the mainstream media for my insight on this. During yesterday's conservative briefing at HEO, he frequently quoted Thatcher's maxim that, "first you win the argument, then you win the war." Of course, the implication is that Bush isn't winning the argument. He said of Reagan, Roosevelt and Lincoln: "They're not great communicators -- they're great educators." Bush was conspicuously missing from list.
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Matt's Mailbag
I suppose that makes me the mail-man. Here's I think a very informative Q&A email exchange with Matt and a very involved Illinois GOP volunteer. If you're a volunteer, or if you have volunteers, it's worth your two minutes. If you didn't recieve the "Advice to Ignore" email from Matt with the secret secrets about the secrets of advice give-and-take, then you're clearly out of the loop. Cure found here. (fullpost)
The readers email reads as follows:
Matt,
Your "Advice to Ignore" could be directed at me. Few give more free advice to conservatives in Illinois than I do.
It is very difficult for a volunteer who is down in the trenches knocking on thousands of doors to stay motivated when he sees his candidate getting and following bad advice. The more highly paid the professional consultant, the harder it is for the volunteer to take.
So how about some advice for us volunteers? It is easier to sell something about which one is enthusiastic. We see our friends making both strategic and tactical successes and mistakes. We praise them for their brilliance when the do well. We carp at them when they don't.
A related topic is "How do we frame the advice so the candidatae cantruly understand it and appreciate it."
Keyes for IL Senator is the extreme example. Keyes was told to "STAY ON MESSAGE." So that is what he did. The loyal Republican lady on the WJBC-ABC Bloomington has Keyes live, in person, in the studio. She says.
"So, ambassador Keyes, you have extensive experience in the UN and international affairs. What do you think about terrorism and the current international situation?"
Within 2 seconds Keyes is responding "ON MESSAGE" with his pro-life position.
My co-workers in downstate Illinois are all pro-life. But most feel more strongly about the 2d amendment and their gun than they do about abortion, which does not touch them directly. They were upset that Keyes did not give equal attention to their issue.
Keyes is the extreme example. But repeatedly a candidate seems to befaced with the challenge to "STAY ON MESSAGE" while not sounding like a single issue,one-note-johnny. Much of the advice fromvolunteers surrounds this balancing act...
And Matt's Reponse
My thoughts are that the candidate ultimately needs to surround themselves with both "pros" who know the national game -- as well as locals who know the lay of the land. Of course, "turf wars" between the two factions seem inevitable (such as Meese and Nofziger vs. Sears in the Reagan campaigns). I recommend picking up Politics Lost by Joe Klein. I think it is very appropriate to this debate.
My email tip was written with candidates in mind. While I understand that there is a frequent problem of having a candidate follow a Svengali -- the more frequent problem is that candidates want to listen to EVERYBODY. In a perfect world, they could discern which volunteers, activists, and consultants to listen to. Thanks for your email. Hope this helps!
Best,
Matt
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Wishful Thinking on the Left
Writing in The Hill, Dem pollster Mark Mellman sees the stem-cell debate as the turning point in which public opinion will swing to the Dems on cultural issues. ... Wishful thinking on his part.
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Unforgettable
I see that the old flagpole still stands. Have your troops hoist the colors to its peak, and let no enemy ever haul them down.-General Douglas MacArthur to Colonel George M. Jones, upon the recapture of Corregidor, 1945.
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 29
buzzard n. a representation of the American eagle, as on the US coat of arms, coins, etc.; ( hence) a gold or silver dollar.  1943 Meyer in Stars and Stripes Story of WWII 81: Somebody called "Jo-Jo" a sad sack the other day and he came right back with the nifty counterblow, "well, you're a disgrace to the buzzard," he told the ribber, with the gravity of a Supreme Court Justince.
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Reed Concedes in GA ...
Here's the AP story about Cagle's victory. And here's the WaPost. I am also happy to see that Ralph Reed has vowed to support Cagle in the General Election. That's the classy thing to do -- and kudos to him for doing it. This was a tough race between two conservatives.
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Facebook shortcomings
Just a taste of political scuttlebutt for you night-owls and third-shifters out there... I just recieved an invitation to join "Sam Brooks for DC Council" on the FaceBook.com: "Sam Brooks, who is attempting to become the youngest member ever of the DC Council, is a lifelong Washingtonian and veteran of Democratic politics -- having worked for John Edwards, Bill Bradley and Howard Dean. Sam is running to bring new energy and fresh ideas to the council. Join the group to keep up to date with the campaign, show support for Sam Brooks, and join the most exciting campaign in Washington, DC." Well, I'm comforted and intrigued by this message. While the group only has 44 members right now, it's clearly a good move for Brooks to play to his most sympathetic electorate, young people. Not only is it advantageous for the candidate, but also surprisingly enough, while college students like knowing the candidate they work for, few actually work on local campaigns. It seems to me that local colleges are a largely untapped resource for local candidates. Perhaps my perception is narrow given the political atmosphere of DC and our colleges here, but kudos to the Mr. Brooks for giving it a shot.
However, I should note that FaceBook has "filters" for the political ideology of students (my profile lists me as "very conservative"), so it's funny that Sam Brooks is inviting everyone and not just "liberal" or "very liberal" students. DC colleges, while liberal for certain, are not the 92% Democrat composition like the city. He's just convinced me to look up his Republican challenger. I hope my peers that chuckle at this invitation do the same.
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Reviews From The West Coast
Allan Bartlett over at the Powder Blue Report posted some nice comments about our recent campaign training workshop in Orange County, CA ...
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Lunch with Newt ...
I just came from a briefing with Newt Gingrich for conservatives. Of course, there was lots of talk about his WW III comments and the current state of the world. I also got the feeling he believes the president needs to be doing a better job of rallying the nation. He frequently quoted Thatcher's maxim that, "first you win the argument, then you win the war." He said of Reagan, Roosevelt and Lincoln: They're not great communicators -- they're great educators." He is reading several books on Lincoln right now (he believes studying Lincoln might shine some light onto the times in which we now live) and recommended several, including: The Eloquent President, A Portrait of Lincoln through His Words.For more info on the briefing, Mary Katherine Ham has a good post up about it and so does Ivy Sellers of HEO.
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Unforgettable
 "There comes a special moment in everyone's life, a moment for which that person was born. That special opportunity, when he seizes it, will fulfill his mission--a mission for which he is uniquely qualified. In that moment he finds greatness. It is his finest hour."- Winston Churchill
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Home School Kids Hit Trail
Home schooled kids hit campaign trail for GOP - "Unions kind of invented this," he said. "But our kids can't drive vans to pick people up."
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Georgia on my Mind
Today is Election Day in Georgia. As everyone knows, the contest to watch is between former Christian Coalition executive director Ralph Reed versus state Sen. Casey Cagle. So what is at stake? What are the implications if Reed loses? According to Hotline's " On-Call" blog: Thanks to a certain disgraced lobbyist, this race has received much attention both in and out of the state. Beyond the obvious "rise-and-fall" narrative, a Reed loss would provide Dems (and the media) with the first loss or departure that can be directly tied to a scandal that so many had such high hopes for. According to the AP, the GA Secretary of State is expecting very low voter turnout. Will this be good for Reed or Cagle? Hard to tell. As an outsider, my suspicion is that the lower the turnout, the better it is for Reed. Any thoughts?
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"Hi. I'm a Politician!"
 I saw this on Roll Call and just had to laugh. One of the few times Reagan ever over-ruled his staff was when Mike Deaver tried to get him to drape his jacket over his shoulder for a photo-op. Why wouldn't Reagan do it? Well, because doing it makes you look like a fashion model or a "politician" -- and neither are good for your rep in middle-America. Simply put, normal people don't do this (and neither should you).
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Frist Plays Doctor
Sen. Frist has launched a new blog called medical matters. I like the idea of him playing up his "doctor" credentials. First, it distinguishes him from the rest of the presidential pack. Second (unlike politicians), doctors are routinely listed as one of the most admired and respected professions (nurses are actually ranked even higher!). With his background, he should "own" any issue regarding health and healthcare. Perhaps this blog foreshadows his upcoming presidential message?
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Con-Blogger DOMINATION
In the current "most divisive" era in American politics (seriously don't buy that, any first-past-the-post system with only one winner will always be two party, will always be divided, and will never yield any prolonged "Era of Good Feeling" coalition building panacea--pardon me for the ramble) the StarTribune reports that bloggers "are begining to dominate the battles." The article claims that liberal bloggers are ascendant even though conservative sites are gaining substantial readership. They make one real good point: "There are far more small conservative blogs with readerships of less than a few thousand than there are progressive blogs. Plus, these smaller blogs are good at tapping into local concern, and perhaps local political races." (And Matt Lewis and the News is the blog for those that local and state blogs. If you are familiar with a great local or state blog, we'd like to see it, and perhaps link to you, so email boz@campaignleadership.com.) Fraters Libertas takes issue with the bolded fragment below: "Today, progressive bloggers appear to be the frontrunners. While conservative bloggers focused their strategy on developing uniform messaging and targeted a demographic they understood well for many years, most of the progressive sites coalesced from various activist and interest groups that had been looking for similar communities. Also, the progressive bloggers greatly benefited from the demand for information to counter Bush's reelection campaign in 2004." To this Fraters' says: "So that's what we've been doing? Developing uniform messaging and targeting a demographic? I must have not gotten that memo. One would also think that with all the power and influence that these progressive blogs supposedly now have, they would have an impressive string of electoral victories under their belts. Last time I checked, they had yet to get off the schneid." Personally, I think it's interesting to point out the larger picture. Conservatives actually have a movement with a unified vision and solid philosophical and political foundation (of course we have our nuances). So natually, conservative bloggers will be pretty much on message with each other on the basics. However, liberalism, what is that? I'm seriously serious. There is no "progressive vision," or "liberal movement" in this country. So the blogs will reflect this. The Democratic electorate, and the liberal bloggers are united by one thing: hating President Bush. That's it. Their "movement," or their "New Direction for America" is simply a cornucopia of special interests that has no foundation outside opposing President Bush. Local blogs are tough to imagine working for liberal candidates because of this fact. Which is great for us, so long as we stay true to the foundation of conservatism.
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New CFG Blog
The Club for Growth's blog is getting a face lift. Their site is already very good, so I'm looking forward to seeing the updated version ...
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And the News ...
From the " know thy enemy" category, our crack research department here at MattLewis.org, brings you today's edition of " And The News" ... ... Dems SPIN... Libs Network for cash ... DEMS RISING An Interesting Phenomenon (from the liberal Daily Kos)
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Monday morning mail
In Matt's recent Teaching Elephant's to Talk Tip titled "Advice to Ignore," he writes about the shortcomings of listening to everyone and their mother for campaign advice. Rather, Matt argues for selecting one or two qualified advisors to listen to from start to finish. If you don't recieve Matt's regular tips, you should, so click here. They're like soul-food for the political junkie, and doubly delicious if you're running for office. Now, in response to the lastest tip, we recieved some mail that's worth repeating (and responding to).... full post for more...
One reader writes:
Matt, local candidates have usually run on a shoestring. SE Texas is a Democratically-dominated area for local elected offices. Following your logic, maybe if we had some wealthy Republicans here who had the "want to" and "fire in the belly" to run, who could afford to hire "professional political advisors," we might have a chance for a winners. Otherwise, are you saying "It's hopeless."
Are you saying "Forget it" if your local candidates either cannot afford or either do not want to invest the money in hiring a "professional political advisor"?? I think there may just be a little more to it (winning a local election), in the smaller towns and backwoods counties, than just "hire a professional political consultant." You do a disservice to the small fish in the smaller ponds--when it sounds like you are saying "Sit on your butts and wait another 20 years for someone with enough money to come along who is able to hire a professional." Is that what you are saying? No offense intended.
Matt's response:
I never said you had to hire a professional consultant. I'm not sure why people assume that. Here is exactly what I said: "Find one or two qualified advisors -- and listen to them from start to finish. Note: Just winning one or two races does not qualify someone to be an "expert" (sometimes people get elected by luck.) Instead, find someone who won a race they weren't supposed to win and make that person your advisor." In my estimation, a JP (justice of the peace) who won an election he wasn't supposed to win is qualified to give you advice. That said, when I use the word "pro" I do not literally mean someone who is a professional. It is more of an expression. However, I can see that it was misleading. I'm going to fix it so that when I use this tip in the future, it is clearer.
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Unforgettable
"The conservative is typically moderate, skeptical, critical. He forms a permanent opposition to that permanent new theory or new regime that promises escape from the hard human realities." -Gary Wills in "The Convenient State," What is Conservatism, Holy, Rinehart & Winston, 1964.
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 28
rusticate v. [Standard English, 'to go or stay in the country' and British English, 'to be expelled (from university)'] to get out or be put out of (office, politics, a campaign, etc.). 1901 Democratic Standard (Coshocton, Ohio) (Jan. 18)8: Now he returns to the senate as the champion of the same principles for the advocation of which he was rusticated by his constituents. 1999 Boston Globe (Dec. 5) D4: Maybe it's because Hussein is still in power, and Bush's father is rusticated, defeated the year after winning the Gulf War.
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... And The News
MySpace Gone WrongMySpace is filled with profanity, dangerously personal information, sexually explicit pictures, drug references and, in some cases, even pornographic videos. GOP Fears Fallout Of Immigration Split"If we lose a generation of Hispanic immigrants, the Republican Party will be a minority party for a long time," said Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), a chief sponsor of the Senate bill. Visual Reminders of 9-11 Make Voters More Pro-Bush"The best way of summarizing this pattern of results is that it appears as though President Bush has a 9/11 halo," Iyengar said. "When people see 9/11, they immediately respond more positively to the president. In this context, given that his evaluations are fairly low, what we're saying is, it makes them less negative." ... And some interesting stuff from my home state of Maryland: Ehrlich Courts Disabled Voters"This provides him a progressive social agenda that doesn't run in conflict with being conservative on fiscal matters," Haller said. "It's a smart move." On Race Issue, Cardin's Caution Won't Play Well: Go to hear Mfume and you get a stirring tale of redemption and achievement, an emotional odyssey in which a poor son of an elevator operator emerges from the gang life to become a congressman and president of the NAACP.
When Ben Cardin steps up, the talk is about the agencies and acronyms that have made up his daily diet during his 19 years in Congress. Look around the room, and people are staring longingly in the direction of the shrimp on the buffet table. The congressman leaves it to his wife, Myrna, to speak with full heart and moist eyes about her husband's integrity and principles.
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Please Put Me On Your Car!
 ... Depending on whom you ask, a bumper sticker is worth about $250 in advertising ... if it makes it onto a car. The trouble is, most people don't actually put them on their car. So how can you encourage supporters to actually put them on a car? One suggestion is to have your volunteers simply write, " Please Put Me On Your Car!" on the back of every bumper sticker. It's quick. It's easy. And it keeps them busy (the worst thing to do is have someone volunteer without keeping them busy)! Here's how you convince your volunteers this isn't just "busy work": Me: "This may seem like a small thing, but every bumper sticker that gets put on a car is worth about $300 in advertising. If you do this for an hour and -- because of your work -- three extra people put a sticker on their car -- that is essentially the same thing as making a $900 contribution to the campaign!"One humorous note of warning: Once on a campaign, we had a girl who accidentally forgot to include the word the word " put." LUCKILY, we caught it before her bumper sticker was distributed ...
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Why Ralph Reed is in Trouble
Roll Call reports: Georgia's Congressional Republicans are largely staying out of the hotly contested primary for lieutenant governor that features ex-Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed, who has been tarnished by his link to the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal. While this story is certainly a hot topic right now, it begs the larger question: Are conservatives held to a higher ethical standard than everyone else? And of course, a look at history reveals the answer is a resounding YES. The Ralph Reed example is just the latest example. Other examples include Bill Bennett and Newt Gingrich. One big reason for this is that, as conservatives, our credibility is often based on our ethics. Does this sound familiar to you ... Even after Bill Clinton was impeached, he still held on to power -- and actually left office with a very high approval rating. Yet, while survived his scandal, Newt Gingrich was booted out of office. Why? Unlike Newt, Bill Clinton's credibility was never based on his ethics.In fact, Bill Clinton never told us he was ethical. We knew -- from the beginning -- what we were getting. His credibility was based on the fact that "he cared." So, when the Lewinsky scandal was revealed, nobody was terribly surprised. Conversely, Newt Gingrich, a conservative, was held to a much higher standard because his credibility (as a conservative) was partly based on his ethics. Americans are a forgiving people, but we the one unpardonable sin seems to be hypocrisy. Note to conservative candidates: Credibility is the most important element every political candidate must have. That's because without credibility, nothing you say or do matters. You can be the best orator in the world, but if you're discredited, it means very little. The first response of the Clinton team was always to destroy the credibility of any attacker. Clinton knew that if he could destroy their credibility then nothing they said would stick to him. Remember what James Carville said about Paula Jones? "Drag a hundred-dollar bill through a trailer park, you never know what you'll find." The point was that if they could say she's "that kind of woman," then you really couldn't trust anything she said. They also tried to destroy Ken Starr's credibility, in much the same way. Defense attorneys do the same thing. In the O.J. Simpson trial, the defense knew that if they could portray Mark Fuhrman a a racist, it really didn't matter what the evidence was (they were right). In the case of Kobe Bryant, if his attorney could prove that his accuser had led a "questionable" personal life, then her testimony was worthless (note: I have no idea if Kobe was innocent or guilty). By the way,a candidate's credibility comes from two factors: Competence and character. And if the liberals cannot get you on character, they will then go after your competence. President Reagan's character could not be questioned, so they tried to say he was "dumb," "lazy," etc. They are forced to do the same thing with President Bush. The trouble is that conservatives are much more likely to have their character attacked because 1. Republicans have generally scored well on competence, and 2. Unlike Europe, the American culture does not demand and intellectual president, but it does generally put a premium on a moral president). Obviously, there is a double-standard we must live up to. Part of this is structural. If we want to reap the benefits of counting people of faith as part of our base, then this double-standard with the territory. Of course, you could make the argument that it's tougher to keep our base happy than it is for the liberals because social conservatives are probably less pragmatic than liberals, but that's another conversation.The bottom line is that there is a double-standard and any conservative who doesn't accept it as fact is hurting themselves. I have no idea if Ralph Reed is guilty of the things he is being accused of. But I do know that (because of his background with the Christian Coalition), he is held to a higher standard than someone else would be. As such, a man who is almost a household name is fighting for his life to be elected Lt. Gov of Georgia ...
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Unforgettable
[A little "did you know?" about James Russell Lowell, pehaps the greatest American Romantic poet and ardent abolitionist. Did you know...Lowell spent almost no time doing anything in politics, but was still appointed an elector in the election of 1876 (which was certainly the most controversial election in the American history; the fireworks in 2000 were humdrum in comparison)? I didn't.] Stay with us! Yes, thou shalt stay,
Softener and strengthener of men,
Freedom, not won by the vain,
Not to be courted in play,
Not to be kept without pain.
Stay with us! James Russell LowellConcord Bridge
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 27
highbinder n. an unscrupulous politican or political intriguer. 1903 A.H. Lewis Boss 136: Them high-binders at the top o' Tammany. 1920 Safire in New Lang. Politics 415: A lot of old high-binder standpatters who haven't had an idea since the fall of Babylon.
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With Hands Wide Open
 I've long contended that political candidates -- particularly Republican men -- should never point. Pointing implies you are "lecturing." Instead, I recommend open-hand gestures (which are more inclusive). Well, based on this picture from The Hill, it seems Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) has taken this to heart ... (Photo by Susan Etheridge)
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Making Sausage in New Jersey
Of all the things that go on during tough political campaigns, the one that may be the easiest to demagogue is "opposition research."Of course, it makes perfect sense that a candidate should research his opponent. Sun Tzu said to "Know thy enemy as thy self." Patton read Rommel's book during World War II. Heck, even athletes "scout" their opponents to find out their weaknesses. But for whatever reason, the public tends to view this research as "skullduggery." For this reason, many candidates refuse to dirty their hands by paying an opposition researcher directly. Instead, they "funnel" the money through a general consultant (who then pays the oppo guy as a sub-contractor). Why do they do that? Case in point: New Jersey's Thomas H. Kean is currently coming under attack for something his oppo guy supposedly did on a past campaign. When Teddy Roosevelt said politics was like making sausage, he wasn't kidding ...
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Unforgettable
"The destiny of mankind is not decided by material computation. When great causes are on the move in the world...we learn that we are spirits, not animals, and that something is going on in space and time, beyond space and time, which, whether we like it or not, spells duty." -Sir Winston Churchill, Radio Broadcast, June 16, 1941
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 26
bomfog n. [ brotherhood of man under fatherhood of God, closing line of a radio speech by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., on July 8, 1941; later used as a slogan b Nelson Rockefeller] platitudinous political rhetoric or obfuscation. 1965 Lompoc Record (Cal.) (May 19) 10B: A good recent candidate, howevere, is BOMFOG...It describes platitudinous political piety. 1987 Safire in New York Times (Feb. 2) 21: Admiral Poindexter...pumped out some bomfog about having to check his files, never admitting...authorship. oxford dictionary of american political slang
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Defending The Club
I'm quoted on the Club for Growth blog today as one of several conservatives who came to the defense of The Club. Check it out.
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How Sticky is HotSoup?
Good post, Boz. I found the following quote (about HotSoup) to be consistent with Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point.: Citing public opinion research, Fournier said, "At least one out of 10 Americans tell the other nine what to buy, how to vote, where to eat, and that literally is the group of people we're going after." ... Why does Fournier's quote remind me of The Tipping Point? Author Malcolm Gladwell says "epidemics" are spread by a few special people that he identifies as "mavens," "salesmen," and "connectors.") It seems that the folks at HotSoup agree. Of course, for an idea to spread, Gladwell says it also has to be "sticky." We shall see just how sticky HotSoup is.
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HotSoup
A MySpace-type social network for adult political nerds? That's what Mark McKinnon (who directed President Bush's campaign), Carter Eskew (chief strategist for Al Gore's campaign), Ron Fournier (former chief political writer for The AP), Matthew Dowd (chief strategist for the Bush campaign in 2004), and Joe Lockhart (former Clinton press secretary) will unveil in October. Hotsoup.com "would connect...local opinion leaders with high-profile newsmakers who influence national opinion. Newsmakers would post essays, respond to reader questions and debate the issues. Participants could rate the arguments, much like readers post book reviews on Amazon.com." "Despite their political backgrounds and distinct party affiliations, Hotsoup founders said the site will provide a nonpartisan forum not just for politics, but for topics ranging from science to popular culture, from business to current affairs."
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Michael Steele Keeps It Real
It continues to be noted (by the media) that Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele is using pop-culture rhetoric as he campaigns for the U.S. Senate. For example, according to today's Washington Times:"The 'hood is going to show up on the Hill," said Mr. Steele, a black Republican. "That is what this campaign is all about, and that scares some people when I say stuff like that -- on both sides of the aisle, God bless them." You can't imagine JFK referring to, "the hood" -- but then again, modern communications (for all candidates) has become more colloquial. Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush all adopted informal speaking styles to attract an audience (Reagan wooed "Reagan Democrats," Clinton wanted to win back the South, etc.) -- and they used inclusive and informal language to do it. Before you throw your hands up and lament the loss of civility in modern rhetoric, consider this: Reagan used improper grammar, such as, "You ain't seen nothin' yet." Say what you will about Bush's malapropisms, he has won two elections, defeating "intellectuals" like Gore and Kerry. And when it comes to pop-culture references, modern political campaigns have, for example, asked, "Where's the Beef?" -- borrowing from a Wendy's commercial. While it might be a long way from FDR and JFK, it connected with the audience. (click full post for more...)While what you say is important -- the way you say it matters, too. Sometimes the medium is a message. Every culture has buzz words that let folks know, "you're one of us." For example, in the world of religion, talking about a "culture of life," is an outreach to Catholics. Talking about "fellowship" may imply that you understand Evangelicals, etc. But just as important as using the right words, is using the right inflection. When Bush talks to Evangelicals, for example, they know he's not "fronting." He's the real deal. Likewise, Steele sends a message that he is willing to walk the walk and talk the talk. Perhaps the reason the media (as is evidenced by countless articles) is paying attention to Steele's rhetorical style is that many African-American Republicans have previously eschewed this rhetorical style. Of course, the ultimate test is in November. I'll be watching this one closely.
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Unforgettable
Picking just one is painful, so here are three unforgettable morsels from James Burnham in Suicide of the West (John Day Co., 1964) "Except for mercenaries, saints and neurotics, no one is willing to sacrifice and die for progressive education, medicare, humanity in the abstract, the United Nations and a ten percent rise in Social Security payments." "Nearly all liberals...invoke the name of Freedom the way a drill sergeant invokes his favorite obsenity." "For Western civilization in the present condition of the world, the most important practical consequence of the guilt encysted in the liberal ideology and psyche is this: that the liberal, and the group, nation or civilization infected by liberal doctrince and values, are morally disarmed before those whom the liberal regards as less well off than himself. "
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 25
I know this word is pretty much self-explainatory, but it's worth posting because 1) I feel like President Bush is one of the few people that could pull off saying it, and 2) because the 'in context' quotes are humorous. thugocracy n. rule by thugs. 1982 New York Times (June 20) 7-10: The cruise ship is another Pequod, or ship of fools: one of those large symbols with strings attached, by means of which the writer snarls at socialist thugocracy, the class warfare of crooks versus fools, third-world liberation movement, the United Nations and just about everything else. 1988 Washington Post (Aug. 14) B7: If Dukakis had been president in 1983, Grenada today would be a Cuban-run thugocracy. 1993 R. Kaplan Arabists 279: Some Arabists argue that the closed and totalitarian nature of the Saddam thugocracy made assessments of it problematic. oxford dictionary of american political slang
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Goodbye to the Bush Doctrine?
 Some in the media are speculating that Bush has changed his foreign policy doctrine. As evidence, they compare his response to North Korea's missile test, versus his response to Iraq's WMD's. As Time writes: "Bush's response to the North Korean missile test was revealing: Under the old Bush Doctrine, defiance by a dictator like Kim Jong Il would have merited threats of punitive U.S. action. Instead, the administration has mainly been talking up multilateralism and downplaying Pyongyang's provocation." But it occurs to me that there is an even more obvious reason why any American president would treat North Korea differently than it would treat Iraq -- and it has nothing to do with his "changed doctrine" (and everything to do with recent history)Prior to going into Iraq, we fought Desert Storm -- a hugely successful (and popular) war. No doubt, our success in the early 90's served to embolden all of us that we could win a conventional war against Iraq. Conversely, our history in North Korea is quite different. Korea (and Vietnam, for that matter) left a bad taste in our mouth when it comes to involvement in Asia. In short, it is understandable that a country's actions toward a country may be partly influenced -- even if it is subconsciously -- by history. (This may not be the right criteria for which to base policy decisions, but it is an entirely understandable one -- if for no other reason that the fact that going to war requires public support). On a side note, I find it interesting that the media criticizes Bush for being a "unilateralist," and then -- when it appears he may be taking a more "nuanced" approach to foreign affairs -- they accuse him of inconsistency. Clearly, they are looking for any reason to criticize him.
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I'm friends with Mark Green
At least we're friends on the FaceBook.com.  Green, the conservative Republican Congressman from Green Bay, Wisconsin and the GOP nominee for Governor in 2006, created an account on the FaceBook using his alumni status at the Univeristy of Wisconsin-Madison. He has 236 friends at UW and hundreds more across the state. Here's the kicker and cool part...they're all students and they'll all be easy to contact when Green needs some door-knockers and youth rallies. Bottom line: Green is wisely using the internet to organize lots of energetic supporters. And I'm one of them.
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The Importance of Pictures ...
 Here is some good advice from the liberal Daily Kos: "Suggestion for campaigns -- see that picture of Jon Tester ... Those sorts of pictures really allow bloggers to spice up posts. Yet most campaigns don't have them. They may have pictures of the candidate campaigning, but those are usually poorly lit, poorly staged, and simply not very attractive. So take a couple of professional pictures. Not just a headshot, but also a couple between 200 and 400 pixels wide. Some vertical, some horizontal. And label them "for bloggers" so we know it's okay to grab and use them." ... I concur. It's been my experience that candidates never have enough GOOD pictures of themselves. Good pictures are an investment that can pay huge dividends.
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The Bully Pulpit
Boz asks if the prez is "out there" enough... As TR said, the president has the bully pulpit. No other American leader can command attention the way a president can. Why a president would surrender (or even under-utilize) this one unmatched weapon is beyond me. Lincoln, FDR and Ronald Reagan all used their speaking ability to inspire confidence in America. Clinton, another gifted orator, used it to show his empathy. President Bush has been spotty as a communicator (which may be why he hasn't been "out there" enough. He's less effective than Reagan and Clinton, but more effective than some others (like Ford and Carter). Rhetorically, he has shown signs of greatness (remember the bullhorn?), but has not been able (so far) to endure. Perhaps his greatest sin has been not getting "out there" enough. As Lyn Nofziger told me, there are a lot of good reasons for a president to hold frequent press conferences. As they say in baseball, as long as you're swinging, you're dangerous. You've gotta' swing if you want to get a hit!
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Turns 60, Hits 40
The latest Gallup Poll shows President Bush hitting 40% job approval for the first time since February. Rich Lowry at National Review opines that it'll hit 45 if Bush "gets right on immigration." Personally, I was convinced by the President's remarks on Larry King Live that he really believes in principles over polls (which itself is an entirely Edmund Burke-style principle!), though the best news about rising polls is the immediate implication for the efficacy in President Bush "going public" or wielding public opinion to influence Congress. This is what Karl Rove thinks about, because President Bush's ability to "go public," will be directly tied to his legacy. This is the best book I've ever read on "going public" and I'd certainly recommend it to anyone wishing to understand presidential leadership. I'm sure Matt has some interesting thoughts on this...
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Chafee & Monkies
A major hat-tip to John Miller at The Corner, who instigated some humorous jabbing regarding the junior senator from Rhode Island's opposition to "not only tax cuts and Justice Alito" but also "the 'national epidemic' of monkey-biting, which is apparantly a 'public health time-bomb.'" Here is the funny story that the Corner picked up.
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Unforgettable
A personally unforgettable paragraph from Whittaker Chambers' movement-shaking book Witness (Random House, Inc., 1952): Every move against the Communists was felt by the liberals as a move against themselves. If only for the sake of their public health record, the liberals, to protect their power, must seek as long as possible to conceal from themselves and everybody else the fact that the Government had been Communist-penetrated. Unlike the liberals, the Communists were fully aware of their superior tactical position, and knew that they had only to shout their innocence and cry "Witch hunt!" for the liberals to rally in all innocence to their defence. I felt, too, that a persistent effort by any man to expose the Communists in Government was much less likely to lead to their exposure than to reprisals against them.
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 24
flak-catcher n. a public-relations specialist or spokesperson hired to reply to criticism of his r her employer. Hence flak-catching, n. 1970 T. Wolfe Radical Chic 110: This man is the flak catcher. His job is to catch the flak for the No. 1 man.
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The Halo Effect
There is a psychologoical phenomenon known as the " halo effect." It means that someone else's "halo" will rub off on you (if you get close enough to them). ... For this reason, most folks in DC have pictures of themselves with famous people, etc. The average person does this to impress his friends. But political candidates also use this trick. For example, in the 80s (and sometimes even today they pop up), a picture with Ronald Reagan sent a message that your campaign was credible. Pictures can lend credibility -- but sometimes pictures can send other messages. A picture with a farmer sends one message, a picture with a local mayor sends another, and a picture with someone of a different political party sends yet a different message. Campaigning in Maryland, Lt. Gov. Michael Steele has chosen to post pictures of himself with Democrats on his website (because Maryland is a Dem state, it stands to reason that Steele will need to get some Democrat support in order to win). The point is to show that he can work across party lines -- and that he is not some extremist. Steele's strategy must be working -- as is evidenced by the fact that the Dems are striking back ...
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Campaigns Wikia
Most internet users are familiar with Wikipedia. It's toward the top of google searches on pretty much everything. That's a pretty powerful tool, and so Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, has launched other sites, like Wikihow (need to know how to tie a toga?) or Wikiquote (want to double check today's Unforgettable?). Most recently, Wales has launched (last week) Campaigns Wikia. This according to The Hill: "I don't know how to make politics healthier. But I believe that you do," Wales wrote. "I believe that together we can work, this very election season, to force campaigns to use wikis and blogs to organize, discuss, manage, lead and be led by their volunteers."
Wales described Campaigns Wikia as a means of bringing together people from many different political perspectives "who share the idea that they would rather see democratic politics be about engaging with the serious ideas of intelligent opponents" and motivating people to get involved in politics.
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McCain/Bush '08?
A few weeks ago, I speculated about a McCain/Brownback ticket. Today, I hypothesize a different mix.There has been a lot of talk about the possibility of John McCain picking Florida Governor Jeb Bush as his VP. Here is just the latest fuel to add to the fire.Is there anything to this story??? Who knows.... Conspiracy theorists speculate this could be some sort of payback for the president's support. They also worry about a Bush dynasty.... The other way of looking at it is that -- if his last name weren't "Bush" -- Florida's popular governor would be the obvious choice for president, himself.Of course, it is a bit premature to speculate so much about Sen. McCain's VP pick, when not a single vote has been cast. This will be a long race -- and there will be lots of speculation (and I will continue speculatin'!)
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Conservative Student Toolbox: Awl
We have pulling grease (a subscription to National Review), a receptacle analyzer (C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters), a hammer (Krauthammer's paper on Democratic Realism), and a Leatherman (Father Schall's Students' Guide to Liberal Learning) in our toolbox as of now. Today, I want to take a step back from these tangible intellectual tools, and add an awl to our toolbox. An awl is a sharp pointed tool (it kind of looks like a mini ice pick) that is used to drive a hole in a wood surface for a nail or a screw. Our awl isn't something you can buy at a store, it's a conservative parent or confidant phone-buddy....more...
Almost every day in college, you'll be exposed to some dangerously left-wing idea espoused by a professor or some apparently really smart hippy. Now, sometimes their attacks on the sanctity of life, the free-market, or ad homs against conservatives in general glisten with so much academic mumbo-jumbo that you, a curious college student, will accidentally take them seriously and start to believe what they're saying. This happened to me many times. But I've grown up talking politics with my dad, so when I talk to him almost every day from school, we still debate and hash out our (usually small) differences. (For example, I'm more traditionalist and he's more libertarian) He'd catch me every time I started to sound like a liberal on some issue, and we'd figure out together where that liberal idea went wrong. From right off the bat, get used to calling the most politically erudite and principled conservative you knew growing up-there are no checks and balances in college so you have to find your own phone-buddy to keep you in check. If you're a parent or an adult friend of a college-bound student, do him/her and the movement a huge favor by talking politics regularly with the student during the college years. You'll probably learn something too!
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Political NetWorking 101
I was recently interviewed by Matthew Best of the National Networker for an article titled: Political NetWorking 101. Check it out and let me know what you think ... BTW, you can check out Matthew Best's personal blog, here.
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Back in DC
I'm back in the Capital of the Free World. Had a great week in CA, though. Special thanks to the Lincoln Club of Orange County for hosting me on Saturday. We had a tremendous turnout of conservatives. Thanks for your hospitality. Any time you're looking for a speaker, you won't have to twist my arm to come out there!
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Unforgettable
Here are some unforgettable morsels from The Education of Henry Adams, by Henry Adams of course. A couple years ago, it was ranked by Modern Library as the #1 best non-fiction book in their list of the best 100. "Seneca closed the vast circle of his knowledge by learning that a friend in power was a friend lost." "All experience is an arch, to build upon." "Only on the edge of the grave can man conclude anything." "Knowledge of human nature is the begining and end of political education." "Practical politics consists in ignoring facts." "No one means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous."
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 23
 brass collar n. extreme party loyalty, either through force or choice. often attrib. 1964 New York Times (Jan. 5) 51: Mr. Clark...argues that Republican voters now "wear the brass collar." Texas slang for blindly voting a straight party ticket.
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YouTube Revolution
Howard Kurtz has a column today about YouTube -- a Web site where anyone can post videos. While bloggers played a role in the last presidential election, most advertising and message delivery still comes from campaigns, political parties and interest groups with enough money to bankroll a television blitz. But the YouTube revolution -- which includes dozens of sites such as Google Video, Revver.com and Metacafe.com -- could turn that on its head.
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Another "Single" for Republicans
"The supply-siders were absolutely right. All the major sources of revenue have grown, especially in areas where we said they would" says Pat Toomey in the New York Times.
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Polish
Matt recieved this email is response to his recent campaign tip about being "too polished." If you don't recieve Matt's regular "Teaching Elephants to Talk Tips," click here. Full post, for the pretty interesting mail-bag...
Matt, More specifics on "too polished" would be nice. It's hard to connect Hollywood actors who never ran for office with our candidates. Of course, we could talk about Reagan, Sonny Bono, the senator from TN, etc.
What has mystified IL is the large number of multi-millionaire candidates, both R and D, who have hired the best consultants money can buy and still lose, and often don't even come close.
What was it about Al Hofeld, John Schmidt, Gen Borling, John Cox, Jim Oberweis, Pat O'Malley and many others in the way they wore their clothes, or their hair, or their close or not so close shave that cost them 1% or 5% with a certain demographic group, eg with pro-life women who voted for the pro-abort candidate because they "didn't feel comfortable" with the candidate that they agreed with on the issues.
What was it about the winners that gained them a 1% or 5% bump among a certain demographic group?
In IL the beard of Steve Rauschenberger is the most obvious. He had a "college prof's beard" for most of his career in the State Senate as the voice of fiscal restraint. Then he ran statewide. Some believed he should shave as voters would not vote for a candidate with facial hair. Others believed his beard was his identity and to shave would communicate lack of principle and core values. He shaved for his first statewide race and grew it back for his second statewide race. I'm not sure it made a difference of even 1% in his vote total. He still had a tendency to wear clothing one would expect of a college prof. He still acted like he was smarter than the rest of us... which he is when talking state budget, but apparently not when talking "I want your vote". Of course, he had other problems. He was too principled to sell his control of the State Senate budget process for campaign contributions and was openly opposing the exchange of taxpayer money for campaign contributions by others, including his fellow Republicans. But even with all of that, one might have expected him to do better than he did.... if he had the right "polish".
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"What Agenda?" Democrats Inquire
 Apparantly, some members of the Pelosi Posse aren't exactly sure what the "New Direction for America" is, over three weeks since the "watershed" unveiling of the Democrats' new slogan. It's kind of reminiscent of the outcome of the annual Roll Call Congressional baseball game earlier this week (12-1 GOP on top), after which Rep. William Jefferson philosophized, "We started out great and fizzled from there." Roll Call: '"The Congressional baseball games are a lot like the elections. Democrats usually start off ahead, they end up losing big and the [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee] chairman always tries to spin it into a 'moral victory,'" said National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Reynolds (NY). "I want to congratulate [Rep.] Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) on another moral victory." It'll be hard for Dems to spin off even a moral victory until they bring order to their rat's nest of a Party.
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Unforgettable
1) Is the proposed operation likely to succeed?2) What might be the consequences of failure? 3) Is it in the realm of practicability in terms of material and supplies?are the "Three favorite rules of thumb" that Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz printed on a card he kept on his desk, as quoted in LIFE magazine on July 10th 1944.
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 22
 clothespin vote n. [sugg. by the cartoon-inspired idea that voters must use a closthespin to protect their noses from the supposed stench of such candidates] a vote or votes made unenthusiastically for a choice which is regarded as the least objectionable. 1995 Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) (Nov. 9) A15 Are they now to look askance at a field of their second choices cynical about Clinton, dissatisfied with Dole, gagging on Gingrich, bored with all the rest, in the end forced to cast a "clothespin vote." oxford dictionary of american political slang
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Conservative Students' Survival Toolbox: Leatherman
Our toolbox is gaining starting to shape up. But you, or your college bound student, won't be able to lug all of the tools everywhere the liberals spew indoctrinating rhetoric on campus. So, I'd like to add a Leatherman to our toolbox. If you're on a camping and fishing trip, and forget everything else, you can cut a line, clean or unhook a fish, tweak a motor, open a bottle, or quick-fix pretty much anything with a Leatherman. Similarly, I'm not going to use-up two or three weeks worth of toolbox additions to arm you with all the literature and philosophy you could possibly need to survive college (not to say that wouldn't be useful, it's just not prudent), but rather I'll direct you to the very best guide to conservative students I've ever encountered. James V. Schall S.J.'s "A Student's Guide to Liberal Learning." It's published by ISI, but here's a free pdf version...more...
In this short but essential book, Father Schall directs the college student to a treasure trove of important literature and explains in an easy-to-understand manner, how to approach a college education, as well as what tools you'll have to bring for youself because they aren't provided at school. I'm so sure you'll find this guide useful, that I'd really advise purchasing Father Schall's book Another Sort of Learning.
You may also want to pick up Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book, before actually trying to wrestle with all the material Schall directs you to.
Upon arriving at college, you will probably feel a lot like the famous economist E. F. Schumacher felt when he started his education at Oxford. There is little discussion of 'truth' at college, so you'll have to look elsewhere -- Schall shows you where to look.
Schall aptly quotes the distinguished Straussian Allan Bloom, in his work The Closing of the American Mind: "There is one thing a professor can be absolutely certain of: almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative." As conservatives, we cannot enter college believing as such, otherwise our core values become malleable -- and you can be sure that professors wield an ever-ready sledgehammer to shape your mind.
Pay close attention to the people and works Father Schall discusses, but also keep in mind when he references Plato or Aristotle, that Plato himself warned in The Republic that we are not ready to grapple with philosophy until our foundation is properly laid with experience. Plato said we'd probably be in our early 20s, but start when you're ready. Think of Father Schall's book, and some of the guides he references, as your Letherman. They'll get you far, but eventually our toolbox will require the real, much larger tools.
I know Father Schall, and would venture to guess that he would stress John Henry Newman's The Education of Henry Adams, as the most important book on education. However, I would direct you to Dinesh D'Souza's Illiberal Education as your first stop before arriving at college.
On a seperate but related note, all college students should actually have a Leatherman handy. It will prove very useful as your University owned dorm or apartment starts to fall apart.
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Unforgettable
"Has it been found that bodies of men act with more rectitude or greater disinterestedness than individuals? The contrary of this has been inferred by all accurate observers of the conduct of mankind; and the inference is founded upon obvious reasons. Regard to reputation has a less active influence, when the infamy of a bad action is to be divided among a number than when it is to fall singly upon one. A spirit of faction, which is apt to mingle its poison in the deliberations of all bodies of men, will often hurry the persons of whom they are composed into improprieties and excesses, for which they would blush in a private capacity." -Alexander Hamilton, in The Federalist #15, December 1st 1787
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 21 + review
Hope everyone's Independence Day was rockin' and healthy. Matt's still in CA, getting ready to impart some valuable campaign wisdom to Republican operatives. But, I'm back--so let's get back to it. stemwinder n. any event, person, or thing of exceptional character; ( hence) an impassioned public speech or one who gives such speeches. 2004 St. Petersburg Times (Fla.) (Feb. 28) Kerry's early campaign speeches were more filibuster than stemwinder. Click on full post for a review of our now pretty impressive lexicon...Most are pulled from the Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang, but others are cited in the actual posting.
Duverger's law n. the apparantly 'iron law' of politics, one of the few, attributed to French sociologist Maurice Duverger that states that plurality electoral systems will always yield two-party systems and never multi-party systems.
NASCAR dad n. a white, working class father, seen as an ideal campaign target.
horse-shed v. to attempt to influence individual voters, witnesses, or jurors, esp. while feigning impartiality.
BOGSAT n. [bunch of guys sitting around a table] policy or decision making by a small group of associates.
Farley's Law n. a theory postulated by former Democratic National Chariman James A. Farley holding that voters are unlikely to change their mind on which Presidential candidate to vote for after Labor Day.
Big Mo n. beneficial momentum, as in a political campaign. --opp. Little Mo.
granfalloon n. [coined by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (a true-blue lib)]
any large, amorphous organization without real identity.
front porcher n. [Cf. S.E. front-porch campaign, in Safire New Lang. Pol., p. 156] a political candidate who is reluctant to campaign widely.
shift and shaft n. having a tendency to increase taxes at a more local level by decreasing them at a regional, state, or federal level.--often attrib.
banana superpower n. a dominant nation which behaves like a weaker country with a fraction of its resources.
AstroTurf n. an orchestrated grass-roots movement intended to appear spontaneous.
lay pipe v. to engage in any of various forms of political intrigue.
blinkmanship n. the art of diplomatic negotiations which cedes no ground until the other side backs down from a position.
belligerati (buh.LIJ.uh.rat.eye) n. Writers and other members of the intelligentsia who advocate war or imperialism.
Jawbone adj. persuasive or cajoling but noncompulsory.
King-of-the-Hill, n. refers to a special rule for sequencing, debating and voting on competing amendments. If more than one version receives a majority of votes, the one with the largest margin prevails.
boondoggle n. [claimed to have been coined as a name for an ornamental leather cord] an extravagant and useless project. Now colloq.
wheel-horse n. an instrumental or hard-working party member
boodler n. a person, esp. a politician, who seeks or accepts bribes; grafter.
red-headed Eskimo n. a precisely targeted bill, law, or piece of legislation.
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If I were Eddie Vedder would you like me any better?
... So we're staying at this hotel in La Jolla -- and believe it or not -- so is Eddie Vedder and a few of the Pearl Jam guys. Eddie has a beard now, as you'll see here. Mike McCready, the lead guitar player is also here. They are totally just hanging out. And the best part is: Nobody at the hotel knows who they are! Most of the folks staying at this hotel are over 45 or under 16 (it was reaffirming to see that the band was here). They have been very cool (I don't plan on talking politics) ...
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Lessons from La Jolla
Even in La Jolla Beach -- where I am today -- political truisms exist. Two examples to share: 1. Yesterday, we had lunch at a fabulous place called George's at the Cove. They have a tremendous outdoor restaurant with the most magnificent view. Because it was Noon, the sun was very bright. Yet , but our waiter wasn't wearing sunglasses. When I asked him if not wearing sunglasses got him better tips, he told me that waiters weren't allowed to wear sunglasses. In my book, Teaching Elephants to Talk I told you about how "the eyes are the windows to the soul," and that you should never let your candidate wear sunglasses to a parade or a campaign event. I reasoned that wearing sunglasses makes a political candidate look like a mobster or an out-of-touch movie star (not sure which is a worse image for an aspiring public servant) -- and that it means you aren't "connecting" with the public because you aren't making eye-contact. Just like political candidates, waiters are selling something (in this case, it's the restaurant). As such, is important for servers to be likeable. Though many optometrists may object, skipping the sunglasses is a good PR move for waiters and politicans, alike. Next time you're in San Diego, check out George's at the Cove for yourself (and I recommend the shrimp taco's, by the way). 2. ... So today is the 4th. My wife wants to "squat" at the pool by laying out some books and towels on chairs in "prime real-estate" at like 9 am. Of course, I view this as overly pushy. Deep down, I am worried that someone -- somewhere -- will object to this. However, I also realize that if we just "go with the flow," we will spend the afternoon in 2nd class real-estate (far away from the pool). Then it hits me: This is an entirely political argument that has already been settled by Morton Blackwell who said, "Nothing moves in politics or pools (okay, this is my insertion) unless it's pushed!"
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AmericaSupportsYou.mil
President Bush just gave out this website at his speech in North Carolina. Click here to show you support our troops!
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... And The News
... ML&TN don't stop just because we're on vacation.  The NY Post has an interesting article about these two new best-buds. (Hey, I give them credit for a mutually-beneficial relationship.) As they say, don't get mad, don't get even -- get ahead!
... And in other political news, I kind of like Joe Lieberman, so I'm happy he's decided to run ... no matter what! He may not be a conservative, but he's a decent man. Sometimes in politics (especially in some states), that's the best you can hope for. 
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From Ronald Reagan to John Wayne
I am in sunny San Diego, soaking up the sun and the fun. I flew from Reagan National to John Wayne airport. It don't get much better than that ...
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