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Mobile Technology & Politics
 If you like politics and technology, then I've just got chocolate in your peanut butter. The liberal New Politics Institute has just released a very cool study on the use of "mobile" technology. ( You can download their PDF here.) This is not just some techie-babble stuff that will never be used in real campaigns. It's coming to your city -- especially to the younger voters in your city. The world is changing. For example, pretty soon, old-fashioned polling won't work the same way (because nobody will have a "home phone"). Think about it; you probably use your mobile to store pictures, email, and to talk. Some people already use them for GPS, music, surfing the internet, and videos, too. Trust me, it's coming to a campaign near you ...
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Proof: Insincerity Doesn't Sell ...
According to a new poll, Democrats are actually losing ground with religious voters. Or, as this quote from Slate demonstrates, you can't be a religious poseur: "One cringe-inducing "Praise Jeeeeezus!" from Howard Dean spoils the quiet faith of Democrats ..."
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Unforgettable
Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind. Rudyard Kipling
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 59
 Washington read n. skimming a book index for one's own name in order to read about oneself, esp. when done wiht no intention of reading the entire book or of buying it. 1991 Boston Globe (June 24): Former Kevin White deputy mayor Micho Spring pleased not guilty the other day to doing a "Washington read" of the new book, Boston Politics: The Creativity of Power, that is making the rounds among political insiders. Spring swore she did not simply go to the index of Boston Politics to find her own name, the way everyone does in Washington when a new political book comes out. oxford dictionary of american political slangSpeaking of reading...make sure you consult this list for conservative books, and this list for leadership books.
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MYGOP vs. Party Builder
The DNC has launched Party Builder, an online social organizing and fundraising tool. Of course, the GOP already has MyGOP.com. According to Hotline's "On Call" blog: In the simplest of political theories, each party's tool is reflective of their respectivie philosophies. Talk about competitive market: RNC users compete to get points, dollars and yes, the elusive "official" GOP ipod. With what is most like an intentional emphasis on competition, MyGOP users how much money they've raised (up to $200), voters they've and volunteers they've recruited. The DNC's Party Builder is all about building and communicating within a community.
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Reason 101 to be Fastidious ...
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer blog ... The pace of politics is hectic, which can lead to mistakes, which can really get you dowm. Ooops, make that "down." The National Republican Senatorial Committee just did, after learning from a Plain Dealer reporter that there was a typo in the NRSC's new attack ad on Sherrod Brown. The 30-second commercial, blasting Brown on taxes, has an announcer saying, "Sherrod Brown let us down." And those words come on the screen. But when repeated a second time, "down" was misspelled as "dowm."The firm responsible, National Media, has quickly fixed it, says NRSC spokesman Dan Ronayne. "The new, corrected version is already on the air."
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Unforgettable
The enemy is so much better at communicating.Defense Sec. Donald Rumsfeld, on terrorists who "manipulate" the media, AP, 8/30 
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What about reply devices?
Question: Matt,
What is the effectiveness, in raising funds, for a mass mailing that contains an enclosed envelope for contributions?
What percentage of envelopes are returned?
My guess is one on one request is worth the extra personal time of the candidate. And personal request makes the majority of the funds received.
I honestly do not know yet since this is my first campaign.
Best Regards,
James Answer:James, I would always include a reply envelope. The real debate is over whether or not to use a stamped reply envelope. My advice is to include a stamped envelope when you are mailing your house file (people who have already donated to YOU in the past). Even the best mailings average around a 3 percent response rate - but including a self-addressed reply envelope will increase your response. Hope that helps! Matt
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Failure to Concede Can Backfire
It seems to me that once an election is over, it is impossible to change the outcome. But that doesn't seem to deter candidates from trying ...In Nevada, anti-tax Assemblywoman Sharron Angle is threatening to challenge the results of her narrow defeat in a Republican Congressional Primary. According to news reports, her goal is to get a revote (in fairness, there were reportedly plenty of irregularities). The AP quotes Angle as saying: "Out of respect for the will of the people and their right to vote, I am obligated to contest the outcome of this election and request a special election." But is she? Donors and supporters put their time, sweat, and tears into a political campaign, so a candidate owes it to them to campaign hard. But the problem is that elections are almost never overthrown, and "re-votes" almost never happen. Unfortunately, what does happen, is that the candidate who contests an election often comes out looking like a sore loser. That's what I'm afraid of ... In 1994, Maryland gubernatorial candidate Ellen Sauerbrey contested her bitter, narrow defeat until three days before her opponent was inaugurated. Do I believe the election was stolen from her? Yes. But did contesting the election help? Well, according to a Washington Post poll, many voters held it against her when she ran again in '98: "One-third of likely voters polled by The Washington Post recently said they thought Sauerbrey did not conduct herself well in the 1994 election, and even some of her supporters say her failure to concede earlier represented a lapse that has burdened this year's campaign." Of course, Sen. John Thune (R-SD) is the other example. In 2002, he lost a close election to Sen. Tim Johnson ( there were many improprieties). Thune didn't challenge the results, and went on to defeat Sen. Tom Daschle, just two years later (reputation intact). The problem is that elections are rarely retroactively overthrown. If voter fraud (or an irregularity) happens, the only way to stop it is to catch it while it is happening. You must immediately have your lawyer file an injunction -- go before a judge -- and have the authorities take over the administration of the election. But, as Washington State gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi (who clearly had an election stolen from him) found out, once an election is over ... it's over. I have no reason to doubt Angle's assertions -- that irregularities did occur. But I would rather see her live to fight another day, than go down tilting at windmills. Please note: I am not challenging the right to concede an election, but based on history, I am merely challenging the political wisdom of doing so. My worry is that by challenging the election results -- especially in a Primary -- Angle may be setting herself up to be labeled a sore loser, man.
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 58
barnstormer n. Orig. Theat. one who tours small rural towns to give performances; ( hence) a politician making a rapid tour delivering campaign speeches, typically in rural areas. Now S.E. 1990 Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minn.) (June 1) 1B: [Krushchev] proved to be a very good politician, the barnstormer type. Many people said then that if he had run for governor of Iowa, he could have been elected easily. He had that common touch. oxford dictionary of american political slang
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When in Doubt ... Get it Out!
There is a maxim in politics that if something bad is going to be said about you, anyway -- it's best if you "break" the story, yourself. The logic behind it is: 1. You get to frame the story in a way that favors you. 2. You can pick a friendly reporter to break the story to. 3. You earn some points with the public for "coming clean." As The Fix reports, the new trend (if this works), may be to come clean via your campaign blog ...
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Unforgettable
A good leader can't get too far ahead of his followers. FDR
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 57
 WM^2 n. [acronym for white, married, working mothers] White, married, working mothers, regarded as a desireable class of vote. Also WMX2, WM squared, WMWM. 2000 Orlando Sentinel (Fla.) (Oct. 20) G3: Women like me -- the "WM2" audience of white, working , married mothers -- are guess what, undecided.
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Unforgettable
The intelligent conservative combines a disposition to preserve with an ability to reform. Russell Kirk, The Intelligent Woman's Guide to Conservatism
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 56
twinkie adj. appealing but lacking substance. 1991 (AP) (June 17): Democratic presidential hopeful Paul Tsongas told the nation's mayors on Monday that leaders of his own party are advocating "Twinkie economics" by appealing to popular tastes without offering substance. 
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Three PR Lessons From Katrina
With the one-year anniversary of Katrina approaching, I thought it would be instructive to analyze how the disaster might have been handled better (from a PR perspective). First, a coupe of quick notes ... ... My purpose is not to criticize President Bush, but rather, for us to learn from the past. ... What follows are observations about the political implications of dealing with disaster. 1. Get in Front: In the immediate aftermath of Katrina, President Bush flew over New Orleans on Air Force One, but did not stop. This was a mistake. Great leaders understand the importance of getting in front. General George Patton constantly told his officers to "get in front." As depicted in the movie, Patton, he once summoned an officer to the map and said, "Cross the river at this point." The colonel responded: "We have no idea how deep the river is at that spot, so we'll probably have to build a bridge." Patton restated: "We will cross the river at the place where I made the mark, every tank and every man on foot will make it across. I am certain that the banks are solid. The river is wide, but shallow." The colonel asked, "How can you be so sure?" General Patton replied, "Take a look at my pants! That's how shallow the water is. I walked across the entire river without drawing any enemy fire." The point is that, in times of crisis, leaders must demonstrate the courage of putting themselves on the front-lines. Had President Bush simply gone to New Orleans immediately, that single act might have silenced many of his critics. He should have ignored his advisors and gone to the site. He should have waded in the rubble; he should have gotten dirty; he should have walked into the most impoverished areas and stood in the middle of a crowd and said "fellow Americans, we're in this together." 2. A Leader Must SHOW He Cares: Believe it or not, when rapper Kanye West famously said, "George Bush doesn't care about Black people," he actually reflected the perception of 72 percent of blacks (according to a Gallup poll). Although his statement certainly wasn't true, in politics, perception is reality. Throughout history, we've seen examples of leaders scoring political points by merely demonstrating they "care." We've also seen plenty of good leaders hurt politically, simply because they did not show that they care. FDR didn't "end" the Great Depression, but at a time when Americans needed hope, he provided hope. His predecessor, Herbert Hoover was a very good man, but he allowed the perception that he was out-of-touch to take hold. Today, most Americans have a distortedly negative view of him. Bill Clinton was a master at empathy. When he said, "I feel your pain," he may have been pandering, but he won over many undecided voters. In his terrific book, "A Whole New Mind," author Dan Pink says empathy is one of the six senses that will be vital for future leaders to possess. As the saying goes, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." 3. Avoid Negative Momentum: Leadership author John Maxwell says momentum is one of the most powerful forces in the world. To illustrate, he says that a moving train could easily smash through a brick wall, yet a small concrete block could keep a stopped train from ever getting started. This concept is also true in sports. When a football team starts losing momentum, the coach calls a time-out. In the real world, political leaders can't call a time-out, so the best thing to do is to avoid negative momentum, in the first place. Famed football coach Vince Lombardi said, "Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing." He was right. And the same principle works in politics; once negative momentum takes hold (as was the case with Katrina); it takes a long time to turn it around). In our modern media age, it's hard to change momentum. As was the case with Katrina, once the media decides what the storyline is, it's almost impossible to change it. Had President Bush gone to New Orleans immediately -- and expressed emotion -- he would have had momentum on his side. By hesitating, he was always fighting an uphill battle. ... Hopefully, you won't ever have to experience a tragedy like Katrina. But it's important to note that even local political leaders often have to confront disaster situations. If you're a public servant, the odds are that you may one day have to face some sort of disaster.
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Camp for Boring Politicians?
I've mentioned this before, but it was in Sunday's Post, so I thought I would mention it, again: Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) has started campaign training camps ... The camps trained 50 activists who have since been dispatched to help on local, state and federal campaigns. The distribution of these staffers -- 25 to Iowa, 15 to New Hampshire, six to Indiana, three to Nevada and one to South Carolina -- give Bayh eyes and ears in the four early presidential primary and caucus proving grounds, as well as in his home state. From a mechanics perspective, no candidate on the Democratic side has done a better job than Bayh. But as past campaigns have shown (Remember former Texas senator Phil Gramm's collapse in the early stages of the 1996 GOP nomination fight?), process without personality is meaningless.
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... And the News
Our conservative friends, John Gizzi, Chuck Muth, and Richard Viguerie, are all quoted in this FOX NEWS article about presidential hopefuls ...
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Unforgettable
I'm always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning. Every day I find something creative to do with my life. Miles Davis
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Know Thy Enemy File ...
Starting Monday, the liberal New Organizating Institute will host their August 2006 Internet Campaign Training: The Internet gurus from the Lamont, Kerry, Dean, Clark, and Edwards campaigns as well as MoveOn, the DNC, AFL-CIO, and top fundraising and direct marketing consultants will show you how to conduct a successful email fundraising campaign, organize volunteers online, outreach to bloggers, coordinate your field and online work, and make smart choices about political technology.
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 55
panda-hugger n. specialist in American-Chinese relations said to be too accommodating to Chinese perspectives. 2000 Political Transcripts (June 21): The China field...members don't like to disagree with each other in public. We like to all pretend like we all pretty much think the same way...This really cheats outsiders from a rigorous debate where people would say, "You're a panda hugger," and somebody else would say, "Well, you're a McCarthyite." oxford dictionary of american political slang 
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... And the News
 Spouses play key role in election campaigns"Wives have played important roles in their husbands' political careers dating back to the early days of the Republic. But their importance in a campaign-related context has ratcheted up significantly as attention on politics across the board has increased itself in the 24/7 cable and Internet news era."
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Campaign Casting Continues for McCain
Now that's a lot of alliteration. In a similarly repititious manner, John McCain is stacking his campaign cast like nobody's business... This from Mike Allen over at TIME: "Former Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick is planning to join the presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain next year, overseeing development of domestic and foreign policy, Republican officials tell TIME. Zoellick, who will be working in New York and around the world for Goldman Sachs starting Sept. 11, told TIME that McCain contacted him as he was leaving the State Department this summer, and said he is delighted to advise the prospective campaign. "I have great respect for John McCain's character, sense of honor and record and have worked with him on a host of foreign policy and economic issues, and think he would make a great President who would fit the times and challenges," Zoellick said... ...It's a big get," the GOP official said. Zoellick was Deputy Secretary of State under Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice from February 2005 until July. In September, he joins Goldman Sachs as a managing director and vice chairman. He left government after he was not selected to succeed John Snow as Treasury Secretary. During the administration of President George H.W. Bush, Zoellick was Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs and later White House Deputy Chief of Staff, and he held several Treasury Department positions under Reagan..."
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The "Perfect Storm" for Gaffes
 From Gerald Ford's assertion that Poland wasn't under the domination of the Soviet Union -- to Jesse Jackson's "hymies" reference -- to Howard Dean's "I have a scream" speech -- political gaffes have always been around.But the recent round of gaffes seem different to me. It seems we've entered a new generation of gaffes. So what accounts for the change? I think we've entered a "perfect storm." Here are three big possibilities: 1. New Media: This isn't an original concept, but it is important to note that we now have three cable news networks -- and the internet. We've got to feed the beast. Things that would have been previously ignored are now considered news. Things that would have been barely mentioned in the past, are now major news stories ... 2. Technology: The internet, digital cameras, blogs, and now, YouTube, have conspired to make it easy -- and affordable -- to catch (and promote) gaffes. Venues that were once thought to be "safe" are now more public. Politicians will have to adjust to this. 3. Culture Gap: There is a growing gap between the consumers of news and the news-makers. For people under 35, surfing the net has replaced the coffee (or smoke) break at work. Emailing and surfing websites is a regular part of most people's regular work day. Politicians, who may have never had a desk job like this (or, if they did, it was before the internet), don't really grasp the audience. In addition, they don't get the viral effect or "stickiness" of the internet, such as when a joke or video gets forwarded to thousands of friends. Sure, they understand it intellectually, but they don't "get it." Additionally, there may be an age gap. Whether you consider the new standards appropriate -- or merely political correctness run amok -- it's fair to say that the standards of appropriate discourse have evolved. When you consider that most politicians are older, it makes sense that there would be a sensitivity lag. There you have it. Sure, there are other reasons (some more sinister). But these are the three new things that have combined to create a new world of gaffes.
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 54
xerocracy n. any underground populist movement which spreads its message by photocopies. 2000 Sierra (Sept.-Oct.): Avoiding both confrontation and conventional PR, they publicize largely through "xerocracy" with individuals passing out their own plyers, applying whatever spin they want.
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... And the News
 AP: Political Advertisers Stymied By Digital Video Recorders:"Since the invention of the remote control, political campaigns have had a tough time persuading viewers to sit and watch their television ads rather than switching to another channel. Now, the growing popularity of fast-forward, ad-skipping digital video recorders, including the technology's pioneer TiVo Inc., is forcing campaigns to rethink where and when they advertise. Viewer habits on using these DVRs are a critical part of any election strategy. "
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 53
 rat-kissing n. sabatage; (hence) the act of distrupting the opposition. Also rat-[explicit], and rat-[explicit]. 1928 Nason Sgt. Eadie 110 [ref. to 1918] This time to-morrow, Jake, I'll be with my own outfit and that's the only ray of sun in my black sky at present. All other troubles fase when I think of that. No more of this rat-kissing. oxford dictionary of american political slang[so, all the other examples are explicit. But they've been uttered or written by the likes of Woodward, Bernstein, and Gordon Liddy. )
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Know Thy Enemy File ...
The liberal DailyKos has some very good thoughts on the psychology of voter behavior. The post is titled: Understanding voter turnout. It deals a lot with the importance of "brand image," for example: ... "Flip-flopping" ... blurs in voters' minds the image of what the candidate -- and by extension the candidate's party -- stands for. "Staying on message" is a way of policing candidates' and officials' pronouncements so that the party "brand image" is not blurred by messages that are spread out over the political spectrum.
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Snakes on a Campaign ...
I've been saying all along that the internet is a terrific tool for political campaigns -- but that the media has over-hyped it. Reporters love to talk about blogs, primarily because it's an interesting story. But the question remains: Do they deliver? The debate over the efficacy of blogging has now moved from Washington to Hollywood. The movie, Snakes on a Plane -- which received a ton of internet promotion -- has taken center-stage. Except, instead of asking if blogs deliver votes, the question is: Do they put bottoms in the seats? In terms of last weekend's ticket sales, SoaP came in first-place. It's hard to imagine a movie called Snakes on a Plane coming in first-place without the blogosphere, so how can they complain that it didn't do better? That's like saying your candidate won the election, but only got 51 percent of the vote ... The bottom line is that, without blogs, this movie would have never been made. Promotion is good, but at the end of the day, a movie has to be worthy of the hype. The same is true on a political campaign. If it weren't for blogs, nobody would have even heard of Howard Dean. Blogs got Dean in the race, but he couldn't live up to the hype. SoaP's problem isn't that they utilized blogs to promote it -- that was smart. Their problem was that they had "Ronald Reagan promotional effort," but are stuck with a "Howard Dean movie". That's not the fault of blogs. We've yet to see what happens when we marry a great candidate -- with a top-notch traditional campaign team -- and a cutting-edge internet eCampaign. When we do, watch out!At the end of the day, America needs to churn out more real leaders -- and Hollywood needs to put out more movies worth hyping. Now that would be a good story.
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Unforgettable
The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.
President Theodore Roosevelt
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 52
 lunch lid n. a meal-time moratorium on news from the White House. 1993 Washington Times (June 11) C1: Miss Myers issued a clarification during the so-called "lunch lid," when news conferences and statements are suspended so White House reporters can eat their sandwiches in peace.
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Online organizing best practices guides
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Campaign Tips Infiltrated ...
I got a note from the liberal Republican organization, GOPProgress. It seems, they took issue with my recent depiction of them as, well, "liberals." But this was the most interesting part of the note: "... After all, you did help Liz pull off a good result on her last campaign by emailing her lots of useful campaign tips--- even if you do now seem to think (misguidedly) that she's a godless pinko communist who should run off and join the donkeys. " So apparently, Liz receives my weekly campaign tips. One can only hope she used these tips to beat a Democrat -- not a conservative. ... If you're a conservative, sign up here!
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A familiar rolodex
 Matt beat me to this, but as he said, once again, John McCain is A-1 New York Times. The story: holy cow the favorite for the GOP nomination is building a team with a lot of Bushee vets. The McCain rolodex might not be as impressive as George H.W's famous two, but the diversity of his staff and advisers is impressive if not almost too diverse and impressive. Some of the people mentioned in the Times article are former deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage, chief NYSE executive John Thain and George H.W.'s ad director Sig Rogich, Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., NRA lobbyist James Jay Baker, harvard political economist Niall Ferguson (fantastic book, by the way), and Clinton's drug czar Barry McCaffery. The article lists his economic and foreign policy advisors. The FOPO advisers are especially interesting, drawing on George H.W.'s NSA Brent Scowcroft (realist) and prominent neoconservatives like William Kristol. "Among the more prominent members of the Bush team who said they expected to play a role in Mr. McCain's candidacy, if he chooses to run, are Mark McKinnon, a Texas political media consultant who has worked for Mr. Bush for years; Terry Nelson, political director of the Bush 2004 re-election campaign; Nicolle Wallace, that campaign's communications director; Wayne L. Berman, a Washington lobbyist, friend of Mr. Bush's and prolific fund-raiser; and F. Philip Handy, chairman of Jeb Bush'[s two races for governor in Florida and a major supporter of the president." Now, McCain's been in politics for around 24 years, plus two decades in the military. That's a lot of contacts to manage. Networking is key: "He has the most active cellphone known to the phone company," said John Weaver, his chief strategist.
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McCain Mines Top Talent
In 2000, this story would have been hard to imagine ...Today's New York Times details the amazing talent that John McCain has lined up for his presidential run.The sub-plot is that operatives with Bush/Cheney campaign experience are a hot-commodity for every GOP hopeful. And McCain has assiduously courted -- and won-over -- some of Bush's top talent. While this is certainly a major coup, there is always the famous lament that every operative always wants to run the last campaign. The point is that sometimes the outsiders are the ones who are the innovators, while the insiders paint-by-numbers. Still, it's hard to argue with experience and success. To put it in perspective, by wooing the best Bush operatives, McCain's team is the equivalent of the New York Yankees. Talent and experience do matter. The lesson of 2000 was that you need to get out in front early, line up the money and the talent, and never look back. It seems that McCain learned that lesson, well. Simply put, Senator McCain's early effort is nothing but impressive. Barring some sort of stumble, it becomes hard to imagine how anybody catches up. On the other hand, it's hard to be on top for two years. Being the under-dog has its benefits; when you're on top, everyone is gunning for you. And so, it seems, the strategy of the McCain camp can best be summarized in the immortal words of Satchel Paige, "Don't look back, something may be gaining on you."
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Unforgettable
When is the time for brave men to exert themselves in the cause of liberty and their country, if this is not? Should any difficulties that they may have to encounter at this important crisis, deter them? ... but we must bear up against them, and make the best of mankind as they are, since we cannot have them as we wish. George Washington To Major General Philip Schuyler, December, 1775
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 51
post office party n. a local branch of a national party with only a superficial presence. 2001 R. Perlstein Before the Storm (Mar.) 46: State Republican organizations survived as shells, "post office parties" that existed only to deliver their "black-and-tan" delegations at Republican conventions in exchange for federal patronage if the GOP won the White house. oxford dictionary of american political slang
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 50
Carterize v. [ref. to Pres. Jimmy Carter.] to cause (someone, esp. a president) to appear irresolute or manipulated. 1992 San Francisco Chronicle (Jan. 19) A1: Democrats are acutely aware of the pitfalls they face. "Cooperation" has become a mantra among congressional leaders, who vow that this time, they will not "Carterize" their new president. oxford dictionary of american political slang
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Unforgettable
Darwinism is still one of the few truisms in politics that transcends all ideologies and both parties. It's "survival of the fittest."
Chuck Todd
NationalJournal.com contributing editor and editor in chief of The Hotline pic from worldnetdaily.com
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Is the Technology Bandwagon a Gimmick?
I've long contended that, while bloggers are important, their impact has been exaggerated by the media. As Hotline's On-Call blog reports, other forms of campaign technology are being limned as mere press gimmickry: Zack Exley, who worked on John Kerry's '04 presidential campaign and managed Internet operations for the '05 re-election campaign of the British Labour Party, notes there is "a key distinction" between text messaging as a communications tool that individuals use in their daily lives and as a tool for campaigns and organizations to mobilize their members and supporters. Although he declined to disclose specific numbers, Exley contends text messaging played a role in the party's win, but not because of the actual technology. Exley labels the use of text messaging in campaigns as "press gimmicks" only designed "to get journalists writing that they are doing cool stuff with technology." In turn, it gets campaigns "in the news" and the attention of voters. Exley says that passing a clipboard around at an event to collect contact information would be just as effective, if not more so, and cost less money. Further, he proposes using text messaging "on a very micro level" within the campaign for purposes such as notifying volunteers of a meeting time change -- not for an initiative that requires expenditures. Exley: "Campaigns join the technological bandwagon only because they worry about being left behind."
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When NOT to give advice
It is smart for political candidates to receive training and advice on how to appear well on television. Typically, however, it is not wise to receive this advice while the cameras (and mics) are still rolling ... In fact, a CBS 5 camera caught Sen. Dianne Feinstein giving Angelides some candid advice right into an open microphone, right after Angelides finished announcing his tax plan on Wednesday.Feinstein told the candidate, "I have one suggestion: don't let yourself smirk in between thoughts."
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 49
permanent campaign n. a nonstop pursuit of funds and votes, esp. when not associated with a specific race for campaign; (hence) occupying oneself more with self-promotion than with executing the duties of an office. 1993 Los Angeles Times (Apr. 4) 2: Clinton is running a permanent campaign--town halls, speaking tours, call-in shows and meetings with children. All on television. oxford dictionary of american political slang Lee Atwater in his dissertation observed that Harry Truman was the first president to engage in the permanent campaign.
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Unforgettable
Never underestimate the intelligence of the American people nor overestimate how much information they have
Joseph Napolitan, Democratic consultant
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The First YouTube Election
Yesterday, I opined that " Web videos are changing politics." Today, Rolling Stone's National Affairs Daily provides some insight as to how they might change politics (for better or worse): One might hope that the omipresence of handicam reporters would mean that all of the artifice of advance teams and printed backdrops and hand-picked crowds of supporters only will be erroded. Unlike the professionals at CNN who play along and film the fakeness because it makes for pretty TV, the YouTubers out there are dedicated to exposing such artifice as an embarassment. And embarassing it is.
On the other hand, this YouTube threat could also hurtle the stage management of politics into hyperdrive, curtailing the kind retail politics and informal "Listening Tours" like the one Allen was on yesterday. Every candidate suffers from foot in mouth disease occasionally, if left alone without a script in front of a live audience. The consultants and advance men may stop deploying their candidates to the real world to every extent practicable.
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Unforgettable
 Ef you want peace, the thing you've / gut tu du / Is jes' to show you're up to fightin', tu. James Russell Lowell The Biglow Papers, Series II, 1866
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How Not to Answer A Question
Sometimes, "spinning" doesn't work. Sometimes, evasive answers look, well, evasive. Sometimes, it's smart politics to simply answer, "yes" or "no." This was one of those times ...
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 48
Gucci Gulch n. the corridors outside the Senate Finance Committee or the House Ways and Means Committee offices; ( hence) the K street district in Washington D.C., or all lobbyists in the city. 2001 New York Times Mag. (Oct. 14) 42: This is useful information for Washington pundits: when I see a lobbyist on K Street's "Gucci Gulch," I'll look down at his shoes and say, "Nice snaffle-bit buckle." oxford dic. of american political slang
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Welcome to America!
The first time I ever met George Allen was in Wakefield, VA in 2000. He was running for U.S. Senate. When I told him I was from Maryland, Senator Allen smiled and said, "well, welcome to America." Of course, he said it in jest. He was smiling and as gracious as could be, and, in truth, it struck me as simply being part of his usual shtick. It was something to say to a stranger when you had to make small talk -- when you had to say something -- anything -- to hundreds of strangers every day. I took it as good-natured ribbing -- like when a Dallas fan pokes fun at a Redskins' fan (or vice versa). But he was also making a valid point. Recently, a friend of mine was visiting from Paris. I told him that, to really understand America, he would have to spend sometime outside of cities like Washington, New York, and L.A. In other words, he would have to spend some time in, "America." Of course, my reason for writing this is that the Washington Post (and the establishment media) are doing there best to make this statement more than it really is. But, as we've witnessed from the ratings, as well as the Dan Rather debacle, ultimately, the media is out of touch with what most people think. Welcome to America.
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Web Videos are Changing Politics
It used to be that if you made a mistake on a campaign -- and a reporter didn't catch it -- you got lucky. The gaffe would basically die. In short, it used to be that "if a tree fell in the woods and no reporter heard it, it didn't fall." No longer. Now, most campaigns employ "trackers" who follow the opponent around with a video camera. And the really savvy campaigns also have techies (sometimes these are supporters who do this on their own, from home) capable of creating and/or editing satirical videos about your opponent. The really good stuff spreads virally. It gets emailed around and posted on blogs. This Slate article describes how the Lamont campaign used this tactic against Lieberman: Throughout the contest, the challenger's supporters produced and circulated a steady stream of videos that were witty, powerful, and in a way became the fulcrum of the campaign. ... What's more, the videos offered a regular dose of entertainment to supporters who were interested but not obsessed. Barring a major gaffe, it's hard to say if these web videos influence undecided voters. Regardless, they work in the sense that it is a form of psychological warfare against your opponent (if he's thinking about your camera, then he's not thinking about his message, etc.). And if nothing else, they serve to entertain your supporters.
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Know Thy Enemy File ...
Over at the liberal Daily Kos, Michael Connery's Funding the Next Generation of Progressive Leaders compares conservative funding and training programs (read The Leadership Institute) with that of liberals ... ______________________________________________ Update: A former fellow LI staffer writes me: "great Daily Kos article, but he doesn't take into account the money funding left-wing professors, campus newspapers, and administrations ..." Good point.
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On "Targeting"
Liberal writer E.J. Dionne has a very good column in the Washington Post, today. One of the issues touched on is the argument for (and against) targeting. In this case, the argument is whether or not the Democrats should target their resources (or spread them around). But this also touches on the bigger issue of whether or not "targeting" is wise (as you'll see, there's a good side to both arguments): (NRCC Chairman Rahm) Emanuel has expressed frustration over how much DNC money Dean has spent in his effort to create strong party organizations in all 50 states -- money that Congressional Democrats believe should be saved for this fall's key contests.
(RNC Chairman Howard) Dean argues, correctly, that Democrats will not be truly competitive if they are strong in only 18 or 20 "blue" states. Emanuel argues, also correctly, that this year offers Democrats their best chance in 12 at winning one or both houses of Congress. The party, he says, can't afford to fritter money away on long-term dreams.
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Lexicon of Politics: Remember?
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got Endorsements?
Endorsements equal votes, right? ... Not always. I've seen plenty of candidates lose because they spent all of their time garnering endorsements from the "important" people (while ignoring the little people -- the grassroots). The theory of endorsements is that leaders control followers. But in most cases, voters don't take their cues from elected officials (or from newspaper editors). Lessons learned: If your opponent is outpacing you with endorsements, don't let it get you down. And if you're the one getting all the endorsements -- don't assume you've won. Here's how Senator Joe Lieberman recently put it in the Greenwich Times: "If endorsements really influence voters, I would have won the primary yesterday." He was right. Endorsements are fine, but if you think lining up the support of all the "big shots" guarantees your victory ... think again!
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Turn Net-Roots into Grass-Roots (just add pizza)
The liberal Daily Kos has some simplistic (but good) advice for how to turn cyberspace activists into real-life "boots-on-the ground" grassroots volunteers. The advice includes maxims, such as, " Tell People About Lunch" and " Keep Telling People That They Are Needed And Welcome." This is good advice for conservatives, too ...
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 46
sing from the same hymn sheet v. When a party agrees on an issue or a platform publically. This is British slang.
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On NPR
I was briefly quoted on yesterday's " All Things Considered" on NPR. You can listen to it here (my part is toward the end). The interview was called: " Net Activists Helped Decide Connecticut's Primary." Here's a transcript: OVERBY: Several prominent bloggers have played down their own influence in the Lamont/Lieberman race. Conservative political consultant Matt Lewis agrees. He's an occasional blogger himself. Still, he says it's easy to exaggerate the impact of the Internet. He says Lamont won because he's a millionaire, not because progressive activists were tapping away on computer keyboards. Mr. MATT LEWIS (Political consultant): You know I don't want to take anything away from it. I think it does have an impact. I believe that Ned Lamont was definitely well served by having The Daily Kos and different liberal bloggers support him. But at the end of the day, he put in millions of his own dollars. And that had a much more dramatic impact. OVERBY: So the forecast may be this: politicians seeing their field of endeavor thrown open the same way journalism has been over the past few years. But some fundamental things still apply, most of all money. If candidates want to run TV ads or get phone banks to turn out the vote, they still need a lot of cash, at least so far. Peter Overby, NPR News, Washington. ... YOU CAN DO THIS TOO! If you'd also like to be quoted by the media as an expert, Stephen Colbert has some advice for you. Read this article.)
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Text Messaging on the campaign trail ...
 Rick Santorum is going high-tech. First, his website has a page to woo women (voters, that is). He's also posted instructions on how to use your cell phone (text messaging) to learn about the campaign ...
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How do you get your news?
I've often wondered how imminent the demise of traditional sources of media is as the information revolution evolves. The birth of the blogosphere, the advent of electronic versions of the world's biggest newspapers, and the ever-quickening pace of Americans' lifestyles all seem to portend the day when blackberries and RSS feeds, not mailmen and news anchors, deliver the news to the people. So I was a bit taken with some parts of this Pew Research Center report on how people use various news sources. The subtitle of the report highlights a very interesting finding: "Maturing Internet News Audience Broader than Deep." These are the 10 most interesting findings that I see in the report, a few of which may run a bit counter to the intuition of a blogger, or of a blog-reader (click full post):
1) Almost a third of people regularly get news online, though this growth has slowed since 2000 and varies demographically (see report).
2) Struggling newspapers "are now stemming further losses with the help of their online editions. However, the discrete online-only newspaper audience is quite modest in size."
3) "While nearly half of all Americans (48%) spend at least 30 minutes getting news on television, just 9% spend that long getting news online."
4) "Those who use the web for news still spend more time getting news from other sources than they do getting news online. In addition, web news consumers emphasize speed and convenience over detail."
5) "Currently, about as many people ages 50 to 64 regularly get news on the internet as do those in their late teens and early 20s."
6) "But one constant remains: Local and community news continues to be the biggest draw for newspapers."
7) "13% [of young people] say they get news via a cell phone, a personal digital assistant such as a PalmPilot or Blackberry, or an iPod or similar portable music player."
8) There "has been a notable decline in the percentage of Republicans following international news most of the time, and the percentage who say they track news about the situation in Iraq very closely. The fall off in interest has been less dramatic among Democrats and independents."
9) "The credibility ratings for most major news organizations are either flat or have slipped since 2004. These ratings are highly partisan, though the political differences for most sources have narrowed over the past year as Democrats take a more negative view in the believability of several leading news outlets."
10) Only 4% of Americans read blogs regularly, and that figure is pretty even over political orientations.
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Voters, not blogs, unseated Lieberman
This story is very consistent with what I've been saying for years, now ... "Analysts say 'netroots' campaign created buzz, but Lamont did the rest."
"I think one can make too much of blogs and MoveOn," said Professor Scott McLean, political science chairman at Connecticut's Quinnipiac University. "The blogs, I think, created a buzz in the media and certainly drew some money toward Lamont, but the rank-and-file voters who were the ones who put Lamont over the top are not really blog readers."
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Unforgettable
Winning is not a sometime thing: it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do the right thing once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing. Vince Lombardi
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 45
stature gap n. the perceived differences in electability, recognizability, or demeanor among candidates. 1987 Washington Post (May 34) D1: The good news for the Democrats is that their stature gap won't be permanent. Sometime between now and the party's convention in Atlanta in July of 1988, a candidate of more or less presidential size is certain to materialize. [ha ha] 1996 W. Strauss Fourth Turning 213: Back in the 1980s, pundits coined the term "stature gap" to distinguish silent contenders from aging G.I. statesmen like Reagan and Tip O'Neill to whom the pubic still looked for a confident hand on the tiller. oxford dictionary of american political slang
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Rewarding Volunteers is iSmart ...
 You've got to give Bill Frist credit for being creative on the web. Rewarding points is a great way to motivate your supporters (and inspire a little healthy competition). This is from Hotline's " On Call" blog: Sen. Bill Frist's VOLPAC launched the next phase of its web activist system this week: "iFrist Volunteers 3.0." The portal lets users obtain points by doing tasks online, such as commenting on the blog (one point), contributing (three points for every dollar) or singing up to be an iFrist volunteer (a whopping 100 points). Points will increase your rank, which in turn earns you benefits -- think T-shirts, a consult with the Web team or a pin denoting your rank (either "Organizer," "Captain," or "Leader"). Alright, so it's a little intense even for the blogosphere -- especially given the whole military (or perhaps even Star Trek?) motif. But you have to hand it to PAC that's already starting to train its volunteers -- all 1200 of whom have already signed up for the program according to their internet director -- years before an election.
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Lamont's Grassroots (and Net Roots)
The Washington Post has a pretty good article up that shows the tactics Lamont used to oust Lieberman: ... One early move was to launch a primitive Web page seeking 1,000 volunteers in all 169 of the state's municipalities, building on the strength of local Democratic organizations. They began a voter-history project to track down people who voted in every obscure local primary and referendum -- information that was not available in statewide rolls.
The campaign relied heavily on "house parties," or small neighborhood gatherings -- a tactic used in the 2004 presidential campaign, in particular by Dean. Organizers used the events to build their lists of likely voters and add to the volunteer ranks. Eventually, the campaign put the whole system online.
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Unforgettable
The press is equally capable of being made the instrument of elevating man to the highest point of which his faculties admit, or of depressing him to the lowest.
James Fenimore Cooper The American Democrat
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The Lieberman Lesson: All Politics is Local
 While most people will blame his support of President Bush and the Iraq War for Lieberman's loss, last night, there are other -- less incendiary -- reasons. For example, Chris Matthews seems to believe that about half of Lieberman's problems stemmed from the fact that he became a U.S. Senator (rather than a Connecticut Senator.) The point is that Lieberman quit attending local meetings and taking care of local problems. (He quit going to the the Elks Club and the Knights of Columbus meetings, etc. ) My experience is that being a good local politician will cover a multitude of sins. I can't help but believe there is some truth to this criticism of Lieberman. Of course, having a good staff is also vital to being a good public servant. They can sometimes cover for an absentee boss. But if constituent calls aren't returned -- and if local Mayor's don't get the attention they demand -- there will be repercussions. At the end of the day (as former Speaker Tip O'Neil liked to say), "All politics is local." He was right. In becoming a national star, Joe Lieberman forgot that lesson.
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 44
Corwin's Law n. [after Senator Thomas Corwin (Ohio); who also beat out an incument, in 1840 for Governor of Ohio, and then lost as an incumbent after his first term; then he went on to be a Senator] the precept that a candidate should maintain a serious demeanor. 1867 L.J. Bigelow Bench & Bar: digest of Wit (April 22) 175 [ref. to comment by Corwin in 1860]: Do you know, my young friend, that the world has contempt for the man who entertains it? One must be solemn--solemn as an ass--never say any thing that is not uttered with the greatest gravity, to win respect. The world looks up to the teachers and down upon the clown. Yet, in nine cases out of ten, the clown is the better fellow of the two. 1956 New York Times (Aprill 22) 221: Now it appears that once more Corwin's Law is being tested.
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Almost Over ...
Looks like Lamont is gonna' win. He's been up 52/48 for a long time, now. It's going to be very interesting because Lieberman will definitely run as an Independent ...
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Sean Smith Plays Hardball
Lieberman's campaign manager, Sean Smith, just gave a good interview on Hardball. If you want to know how to "stay on message," check out his interview.
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Unforgettable
Being able to vote is no more to have realized freedom than being able to read is to have realized wisdom. William F. Buckley, Jr.
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Lexicon-in-Action
I like how the last two postings sort of go together. ... So, to summarize, Pataki needs a "hatchet man."
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 43
hatchet job n. an instance of character assassination, malicious distortion, or excessively harsh criticism.  1980 Berlitz & Moore Roswell 47: A "most unscrupulous journalist from San Francisco" who may have been paid off to do "the hatchet job" on Scully. 1999 New York Times (Oct. 24) 77: After a long silence, he angrily declared it was a "hatchet job" on his book. Also, hatchet man n. a loyal supporter who engages in hatchet jobs or similar activities on behalf of a particular candidate or cause. oxford dictionary of american political slang
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Pataki Took the Bait ...
National Journal's On Call blog points out that George Pataki recently fell into a trap. You see, political candidates are supposed to always be the "good guy." They should delegate their "dirty work" to surrogates: As snappy as his comeback was, did Gov. George Pataki (R) fall into an age-old operative-candidate trap when he took the bait on HRC adviser/NY Dem quotemeister Howard Wolfson's jibe? Wolfson knocked the gov's '08 chances and Pataki came back blasting at Wolfson's most famous "client." But isn't the principal/member/candidate always supposed to staff out the dirty work, thus not lowering himself/herself. ... Good point. Richard Nixon used VP Spiro Agnew as his "attack dog." In fact, Nixon said, "If you own a dog, you don't have to bark." Pataki needs a good dog. Bottom line: If you're a candidate, you should try your best to stay above the fray. Delegate the attacks ...
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A New Brand of Power
From today's Washington Post: "The rising power of brands may even be changing the political equation."
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Unforgettable
According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that seem right? That means to the average person, if you have to go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy."  Jerry Seinfeld
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Pulling GOTV for TV Ads?
Pulling GOTV for more TV Ads? According to the AP, that's what the Lieberman campaign is doing: "... the campaign has scaled back its get-out-the-vote efforts for Tuesday's primary ''a little bit' to spend more money on ads." Doesn't sound like a good idea to me ...
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 42
black cat n. (see quotes.) 1961 Christian Science Monitor (Nov. 16) 6: With United States Secretary of Commerce Luther H. Hodges directing Gen. Park Chung-hee of South Korea pats a black cat memento in the Secretary's office. Mr. Hodges said the cat, given to him by the San Francisco Press and Union League Club, has extraordinary powers. "You pat it three times, and everything you say is off the record." he told the Korean leader. General Park then patted the little black cat. 1979 Tuchman Stilwell 213 [ref. to 1941]: In a "black cat" or off-the-record talk to the San Francisco Press Club...Stilwell said that war with the Japansese was certain. 
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New RedState Site
The new RedState site is going to be up on Monday. Check it out!
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For The Creative Minds ...
Here are some resources I highly recommend ... ... If you love great speeches and rhetoric, this site is for you. Not only do they have great political speeches, they have great movie speeches, too. Let's say you want to hear the opening speech from the movie Patton -- or Coach Gary Gaines: On 'Being Perfect' (Friday Night Lights) -- or Deniro in Scent of a Woman -- or even On Any Given Sunday -- It's in there! ... Check out this article titled, " The Top 10 Things They Never Taught Me in Design School." It's got nothing to do with politics, but it is some good advice for anyone who is creative (or aspires to be) ... ... Check out Dan Pink's new article for Wired, titled: What Kind of Genius Are You? (This theory suggests that creativity comes in two distinct types -- quick and dramatic, or careful and quiet.) Again, it's not about politics as much as it is about success and creativity. That should keep you going thru the weekend ...
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Door-to-Door in Rhode Island
 For you campaign junkies out there, The Providence Journal has a great "process" piece today about Steve Laffey's door-to-door campaign in Rhode Island. I especially like how they have organized their door-to-door effort to ensure that the candidate can meet voters who want to meet him: Each time a campaign door-knocker finds a voter who wants to meet the mayor, they holler for Laffey, who jogs down driveways and across front lawns. He shakes hands and makes his pitch, which goes like this ...
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Unforgettable
It is indeed a law of politics as well as of physics, that a body in action must overcome an equal body at rest. Fisher Aimes A Forgotten Founding Father.
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Darn Vandles
Matt's post reminds me of something that the conservatives at my college ran into last year. I'm not sure there is much a candidate can do to stop childish vandels, but other conservatives might be able to... We had printed about $1,500 worth of various posters and banners (of course, we got a good deal because of venerable conservative print-shops!). We hung them all around campus starting 10 days before a very large event we were hosting. Nothing that could be taken as offensive was on the posters. Of course, $300 worth went up; $300 worth were torn-down and ripped apart, left to pepper the red-brick of Georgetown's Red Square (David Horowitz once commented to me on red-square: "might as well call the administration building the Reichstag"). And again. Again. Again. All of our posters were torn down and ripped up. Something I learned from a conservative paper I used to edit is that anything that's priced, costs money. On our free paper, we'd have a box at the top that said "Two copies FREE, each copy thereafter $1." If someone got caught throwing a stack away, they could be charged for all extra copies. This year, on the posters we're putting "this poster costs $500" and positioning them as best we can under the school's survelience cameras. We'll have to see if it works.
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 41
sachem n. [Narragansett sachem, 'chief or supreme head'] one of a body of high officials in the Tammany Society of New York; ( hence) a leader. 1622 Relat. Plantation Plymouth, New Eng. 49 in Oxford English Dictionary: They brought vs to their Sachim or Gouernour. [sic] 2003 New York Times Mag. Dec 28 (38): He ushered in a class of political experts who came not from the ranks of ward-heelers and party sachems but from advertising, public relations and television. from the oxford dictionary of american political slang
So very Thomas Nast. Indeed, this cartoon is one of his famous
Harper's Weekly cartoons depicting Boss Tweed.
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Must Be Campaign Season ...
 Is it that time of year, again? Here is yet another story about vandalized yard signs (these come out every year). This one is from Frederick, MD, but it could have been from anywhere, USA. When you consider the cost of signs, you'll realize that this is a real problem for campaigns. Still, I'm not sure how it "sells" as a story. Here's an excerpt from the story: "Commissioner Mike Cady is offering $500 to anyone who can help authorities find the person responsible for stealing two of his campaign signs Monday." Again, I've worked on campaigns where we made an issue out of our signs being vandalized, and I'm not sure how much publicizing the fact that your signs were vandalized helps you. Do you want your big story to be a picture of your candidate next to vandalized signs? And with all the serious problems going on in the world, do you really think normal people are going to have sympathy for you? On the other hand, it's not easy to get press, these days. Maybe the gimmick of offering a "reward" for your yard signs is what it takes to get some press? What do you think? Is it worth it?
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Gas Pains?
Saw this in National Journal's House Race Hotline, and thought you'd enjoy it: "One of the most creative campaign events this cycle is taking place today in Biscoe, NC where teacher Larry Kissell (D) is paying for motorists to receive $1.22/gallon gas -- the same price it was when Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC 08) was elected. Over 500 cars have lined up for the promotion, effectively shutting down the town of 1,700. And the local radio and TV stations have been highlighting the event, giving the campaign free publicity. The Kissell campaign is subsidizing the promotion, even though it only had $79K CoH at the end of the 2ndQ."
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GOP Push for Jewish Vote
Will Republican support of Israel translate into votes? According to this Washington Post story, it may just take some time ... "The single most hostile [Jewish] community to Republicans is the 70-and-older community," said Matthew Brooks, of the Republican Jewish Coalition. "That segment will not be part of the electorate going forward much longer."
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Unforgettable
In the name of the constitution of Texas, which has been trampled upon, I refuse to take this oath. I love Texas too well to bring civil strife and bloodshed upon her. Sam Houston
(1793-1863)
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 40
veepstakes n. [veep + sweepstakes] the jockeying among politicians to be chosen as the vice presidential candidate on a party's ticket. 2004 Boston Herald (Apr. 4): Speaking of the veep-stakes, one person Kerry apparantly isn't going to consider is HBO comedian Larry David, co-creator of Seinfeld. 
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Know Thy Enemy File ...
"Sen. Evan Bayh's (D-IN) PAC will pay to train and station approx. 50 staffers in campaigns across the country, including 20 in IA." ( National Journal's Wake Up Call! sources).
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... And the News
 ... James Carville can't land a gig managing a highschool race. Or, to be more specific, he can't find a highschool that will let him ... ... From National Journal's Hotline, Grover Norquist on Mitt Romney and George Allen: ... [Grover} Norquist "cautioned" that Romney "could be impaired" by the fact that he grew up in western, conservative UT, and then moved to eastern, liberal MA, resulting in a possible disconnect with middle America voters. ... "I spent this weekend with an evangelical conservative Republican group and everyone said, 'Well it doesn't bother me, but my friends.' And it really makes you wonder." Norquist, on Allen: "His challenge is that he looks and sounds like George W. Bush." (Sammon, DC Examiner, 8/3). ... Human Events' John Gizzi reminds us of Reagan press secretary Jim Brady's history of working for conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly: Talking to Helen Thomas, I reminded her that Jim Brady had managed the campaign of Phyllis Schlafly when the Eagle Forum founder was the Republican nominee for Congress in Illinois in 1970. An astonished Thomas replied: "I don't believe it." At then point, I went up to shake hands with Jim Brady "You're with a fine rag, John", is how he greeted me) and told him about my exchange with Miss Thomas. Without missing a beat, Bardy turned and called to her: "It's true, Helen. It's true."
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You Can Quote Me: Frist v. Ford?
Today's Tennessee Primary between Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker and former Congressmen Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary will determine who gets the GOP nod for the open Congressional seat.But regardless of who wins (and Corker is favored), this race will also say a lot about two high-profile political players: Sen. Bill Frist and Rep. Harold Ford. Bill Frist is a relatively young man, and with Republicans holding the majority of both houses by the narrow margins (Democrats need a net gain of six seats to wrest control of the Senate), it's a shame that we have to expend resources to defend this seat. Facing this political environment, most Senators would've been begged, bullied, or cajoled (ostensibly by the Majority Leader) to serve "one more term." But I don't recall anyone ever suggesting Sen. Frist forgo his presidential ambitions, for the sake of the majority. Presumably, this is because when he announced his retirement, everyone assumed his seat would easily stay in the "R" column. And in the end, it might. Unfortunately, while the Republican candidates are beating each other up, Congressman Harold Ford (D-TN-9) is husbanding his resources for the General Election. While Ford's family has caused him embarrassment this year, Ford, himself, is nearly as likeable as Barak Obama. A favorite of Imus in the Morning (which probably dooms his candidacy), the young and charismatic Ford promises "a new generation of leadership." Eschewing some of the rhetoric of the old-school liberal Democrats, Ford even has a podcast titled: "winning in Iraq." This race may ultimately turn out to be a launching-pad for a brilliant career for Corker Bryant or Van Hilleary; that remains to be seen. But the immediate impact of November's outcome will most be to either Frist or Ford. In a sense, November is really Frist v. Ford -- and the winner advances to the next round ...Here's what I mean: How important do you think it is for Sen. Frist's ambitions that this seat remains Republican? I think this is yet another test he must pass. If this race remains in the GOP column, Sen. Frist's campaign for president goes on. If not, his aspirations are, at best, on the ropes. And if the charismatic Ford wins this uphill battle, does he immediately become a star for the Democrats? Yes! Can you say Obama?
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4 U Techies ...
Express your individuality! Use your own handwritting to create your very own computer font: www.fontifier.com.
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Know Thy Enemy File ...
A new " moderate" blog hopes to be the moderate's answer to RedState ... ... And here's a pretty good essay on why (according to the liberals) they can't get the youth all in a tizzy. (Of course, all this doesn't explain why the CR's continue to thrive) ...
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Unforgettable
Strategy is the art of making use of time and space. I am less concerned about the latter than the former. Space we can recover, lost time never. Napoleon Bonaparte
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 39
pack the rigging (see 1942 quote) 1942 American Thesaurus of Slang 504: packing the rigging, distributing propaganda literature 1946 Amer. Mercury (Apr.) 467: Yet Old War Horse Boose...is still packing the riggin, as they say of active IWW organizers.  from the oxford dictionary of american political slang
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Bush Speechwriter on Compassionate Conservatism
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4 U Techies ...
 Worried the Lefty NetRoots activists were getting too far head of us? Just in time: The RightRoots Strikes Back. ... Now conservatives can use the internet to help support the most important Senate and House races.
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Ed Meese Interview is Posted!
 It's official: Our recent interview with former Attorney General Ed Meese is now posted for our premium members! Listen as Mr. Meese discusses topics ranging from Ronald Reagan to Lyn Nofziger -- to advice for young conservatives. (Premium members can read it -- or listen -- here. ) ... BTW, if you're not a premium member yet -- you should be. For just $8.25, you'll have access to our archive of all our email campaign tips, plus, you can listen to Interviews with Political Experts, such as: - Chuck DeFeo - Bush / Cheney eCampaign Director - Craig Shirley - Author of "Reagan's Revolution" - David Barton - Founder of Wallbuilders - Phillip Stutts - Former Ntl. Dir., RNC's 72-Hour Task Force - Morton Blackwell - President of the Leadership Institute It's a great deal for just $8.25! You can sign-up here.
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Unforgettable
Only strength can cooperate. Weakness can only beg. President Eisenhower
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 38
chubbing n. Texas. a form of filibuster involving a variety of delaying tactics. 2001 Austin Chronicle (June 1): Nuke opponents smelled a rat and quickly mounted a series of parliamentary challenges, concluding with several reps "chubbing" Wilson's amendment into oblivion. Chubbing is a sort of discount, House-tyle filibuster.
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