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How to Motivate!
Saw this quote from Jeffrey Gandz in the Ivey Business Journal -- and wanted to share it with you. This is GREAT advice for anyone seeking to motivate employees or volunteers ... "Great coaches are great sensors. They understand what makes the person tick, what their natural aptitudes are and what needs to be taught. They understand that they must motivate people with high natural ability in order to get high performance and that such performance will not come without a clear sense of direction and the resources to enable it. They understand that the task of the coach is often to "round the edges" of assertive high-potentials, without dulling them." ... You can read the entire article (PDF) here.
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Unforgettable
"Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you're in control, they're in control." - Tom Landry
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Lexicon of Politics
Bullet Vote n. a ballot cast to support or defeat a single candidate or issue, often ignoring all other candidates, races, or initiatives; (hence) casting all possible votes for a single candidate when more than one candidate can be chosen for the same position.1990 Newsday (Mar. 16) 27: To boost his chances in the at-large trustee race, Perlin is asking residents to "bullet vote" by casting ballots only for him, rather than for two candidates.
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Political Glossary for the Mid-Term Elections
NPR has an interesting story today titled Political Glossar for the Mid-Term Elections. Listen to it here. And here's a teaser from NPR ... Defeaticrat, culture of corruption, and security mom are all part of the election-year war of words. Guests explain the strategy behind the slogans.
Guests:
Geoffrey Nunberg author most recently of the book, Talking Right: How Conservatives Turned Liberalism into a Tax-Raising, Latte-Drinking, Sushi-Eating, Volvo-Driving, New York Times-Reading, Body-Piercing, Hollywood-Loving, Left-Wing Freak Show; linguist at the School of Information at Berkeley
Frank Luntz, Republican pollster
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Lexicon of Politics
Wolf-pack Journalism n. the obsessive coverage of the same stories by competing media.
1997 Allentown Morning Call (Pa.) (Jan. 12) F4: Newspaper reporters don't like the wolf-pack journalism we often see on TV - a mob of reporters swarming people, poking microphones into their faces and screaming questions at them. Its rude, undignified and often counter productive. 2001 Los Angeles Time (Nov. 3) B23: Wolfpack journalism has taken our attention away from serious issues happening in our own backyard, and we will seriously regret the consequences of our misdirected attention.
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Changes at ML&TN ...
Those of you who are long-time readers of ML&TN have probably noticed that I am trying to refrain from writing opinion stuff here. Here's why: I set up this blog as a way to provide daily mentoring, tips, advice, articles and resources for conservatives who wanted to learn about campaigns and communications. ... But then I gradually started indulging myself by writing opinion pieces here (which was not my original intent for this blog). I am trying to discipline myself to keep this blog devoted to its original mission -- pedagogy. That's our niche. My opinion stuff can still be read almost daily at Human Events. Note: I have also scrubbed most of the opinion stuff from our archives here. (Not to worry -- I was cross-posting at Human Events, so all my past opinion pieces can still be read there). I hope you continue to enjoy this site for what it is!
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Unforgettable
 "Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."
- General George Patton
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How Obama Talks ...
 "There's no doubt this helps ease communication between myself and white audiences."
- Sen. Barack Obama on his Mid-Western accent and his ability to "conjugate my verbs, New York magazine, 10/3 issue - (Hotline's "Quote of the Day," 9/25)
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Rob Bluey Interviews Ken Mehlman
Our friend Rob Bluey over at Human Events (full disclosure: I am a freelance writer for HEO) landed an interview with Ken Mehlman. This was my favorite part: .... one of my biggest focuses has been in changing how Republicans identify and turn out voters, so that we're able to do it in a more household-by-household basis, as opposed to a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis. The reason for doing that ought to interest a lot of your viewers and listeners. The reason is this, I've long believed that there are many conservatives who are out there who many people don't know about because they either live in big cities where there aren't a lot of conservatives or they live in Democrat-leaning areas.
... I've long believed that those of us who are right-of-center--I've often analogized we're like nightingales. Nightingales don't sing until they hear other nightingales sing, and then they sing a song.
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... And The News
Fifteen years ago, Bill Clinton's War Room (led by James Carville), popularized the phrase: Speed Kills. Writing in Roll Call, pollster David Winston argues that things have gotten even faster: Internet news, 24-hour cable, bloggers, e-mail and YouTube.com permanently have altered the speed at which a candidate can change almost overnight from a lost cause to the comeback kid or vice versa. In this age of new media, races can tighten, widen and tighten again far more quickly than in past elections. Political events that 10 years ago might have had minimal penetration into voter awareness now get 24/7 coverage, and as a result they can have a far greater political impact than they might have had in earlier cycles. On another note, I don't know if this is worthy of being called, " Unforgettable," but it is certainly a profound quote: "Elections are not rocket science," said Brad Greenberg, executive director of the Hamilton County Republican Party. "They are about identifying voters who are Republicans and getting them out to the polls."
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Should You "Focus Group" It?
Should you focus group TV ads before airing them? ... Pollster Mark Mellman says "NO!"... people are very poor reporters of their own decisionmaking process. We can ask them how and why they react the way they do, but those answers often bear little resemblance to reality.
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Does Clinton's Angry Response Foreshadow Dem Strategy?
Hotline's " On-Call" blog sheds some light on what Bill Clinton might have been thinking when he flew off the handle this weekend: Still wondering what Pres. Clinton was trying to accomplish in his fiery, finger-wagging chat with FOX's Chris Wallace? Look no further than Camp Clinton's explanation. "When Wallace questioned his record on terrorism, he responded forcefully, as any Democrat would or should," said spokesperson Jay Carson, in what were essentially Clinton's marching orders to Dems some 6 weeks before E-Day. Be forceful, show backbone, defend your record. Lose your temper, if you must. This outburst may have been a calculated bid to frame the debate, by example, and prep his party for the fight they face. Many Dems were already riding this train. But Clinton may have concluded that others need a gentle kick. Clinton, as always, is a double-edged sword; His outburst will rally GOPers as well.
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Lexicon of Politics
Horse-race Journalism: n. the media coverage of election season which emphasizes popularity polls and inter-campaign battles, esp. that little concerned with issues.
1994 Buffalo News (July 5) B3: One reason the substance of policy is not communicated is that reporters carry over to their coverage of government the campaign mind set of horse-race journalism. Process stories predominate, and the emphasis is on who is gaining or losing, not on what is being done.
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Know Thy Enemy File ...
The liberal DailyKos makes a good point today in their post Why We Contest Every Seat. While the sagacity of contesting every seat is questionable (as opposed to targeting), there is no doubt that there are longterm benefits of running a vigorous campaign -- even if you end up losing. Speaking of Paul Hackett's failed Congressional campaign, last cycle, Kos writes: "He excited locals, got them engaged, helped build the progressive infrastructure that is paying dividends to Vic Wulsin today."This, in essense, is one of my 6 Tips to Getting Over a Campaign Loss.
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Unforgettable
"Everybody wants to be somebody; nobody wants to grow."
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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Turning Out Your Vote
 According to Hotline's On-Call blog, Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), the NRCC's liaison to the RNC for turnout, sent this advice out to members of the House Republican caucus ... Turning Out Your Vote - Some Things to Remember for Your GOTV ProgramsBy Ann McCord and Tom Hockaday - Know when absentee and/or early voting begins in your state.
- Increasingly, states are allowing "no excuses" absentee balloting and early voting. However, many campaigns are not adjusting their voter contact programs including GOTV efforts to the new timetables. Don't let this happen to you! Know the timetables and deadlines in your state ... many a campaign has been won or lost on votes cast early or by absentee.
- Expand GOTV beyond more than Election Day.
- Try to determine what types of voters will utilize absentee voting and early voting. For example, previous participation in absentee voting and early voting is usually a good indication they will vote this way again.
- Some states allow you to obtain list of those who request ballots by mail, so you can target messages effectively to them.
- For both programs, consider utilizing both mail and phones. Direct mail is a great way to educate voters before they can request an absentee ballot or vote in person. (Read the rest by clicking "FULL POST")
Telemarketing--especially recorded call programs--can be a very costefficient and timely way to get a quick message to voters who apply for anabsentee ballot by mail especially if you do not have sufficient time to deliver multiple messages by mail. Personal contacts are still the most effective. It's no secret that personal recommendations are a very powerful marketing tool whether you areselling a product or campaigning for public office. Part of your turn out operation should involve volunteers contacting your potential voters either in person or over the telephone. You, as the candidate and CEO of your campaign, should also take part in these efforts in the highest priority areas of your district. Don't discount the importance of door to door GOTV operations. Nothing can persuade potential supporter more than having a candidate orrepresentative of a campaign knock on their door and ask for their vote. If you have an email database, you can send an email message to all voters in an area you are campaigning in with photos of your GOTV efforts. This way, you can "cover" more people in each area. For example, if you are doing door to door in a precinct or a town, if you email those people in advance of the operation and/or after you are done in that area, it allows more voters to know that you have "touched" their area and asked for their vote. If you utilize phones for GOTV, try to personalize the script to that area or the voter. It does take more management and organization, butit can highly effective if the GOTV message is localized. In an off-year election, it's every campaign for themselves. During apresidential year the rising tide of higher turnout raises all boats. Inan off-year election, however, turnout is naturally lower. It is just smart politics to be sure your campaign has a turnout operation that is designedto maximize your vote. If your State or Local GOP organizations conduct "Victory" programs for GOTV, be sure you are FULLY informed as to who they are turning out, and the timetables for their efforts. If you can participate in such a partyrelated GOTV operation, you may be able to save resources. Your campaignwill then be able to focus resources on the more "swing" areas of you district which are not likely to get the attention of the party programs. Also check to see what other GOP candidates may be doing for GOTVoperations. Often times your Congressional district can be overwhelming due to size of district and number of voters. Many times local candidates mayhave a very effective GOTV operation that you can tie into ---especially ifthey are an incumbent officeholder. Review Past Voting History. Reliable voters--people that vote in all general elections and most (if not all) primary elections--may not need much in the form of GOTV efforts. You can limit allocation of resources tothem if needed. Voters that tend to vote less frequently (only in Presidential elections, non-primary voters) most likely will need more GOTV efforts. Be prepared to plug any holes in the abovementioned programs with your own campaign-run GOTV efforts. You and your campaign's focus must be on doing everything possible to maximize your vote. Television and radio do not turn out votes. Paid media does a great job of persuading voters that you are the candidate who deserves their support. That is merely the first step in closing the deal. Actually getting a voter to the polls on Election Day will take a much more personal effort. Direct mail, emails, phone contacts and in-person contacts reminding yourlikely voters that they need to get to the polls and vote for you are often the tactics that get shortchanged in the campaign budget. Make sure that persuasion and GOTV messages reinforce each other -- and do not send contrasting or mixed messages. Be sure that your final and closing persuasion message is part of your GOTV message and operation. The frequency of GOTV messages is important. Especially for your key voters -- the more GOTV messages you send, the more likely they will vote. Don't just rely on one tactic for GOTV. Utilize all the tools you have at your hand -- mail, phones, the internet, door to door, etc. If GOTV resources are limited, consider narrowing your targets as a way to expand the number of GOTV messages you can deliver to the most important groups to youTiming is everything ... especially for GOTV programs. Election Day is going to be November 7 no matter what so schedule your GOTV operation accordingly. This includes identifying what you can control as to the delivery of GOTV messages. But more important, understand what you cannot control and planaccordingly. You cannot control mail delivery, so do not drop any GOTV mail pieces too late. You want voters to receive GOTV mail no later than the daybefore the election, so determine the time it takes for mail to process andbe delivered and schedule your mail dates accordingly. This is particularly important if you are utilizing Bulk Mailpermits. Build in the extra time necessary to ensure it is delivered beforeElection Day. Even though political mail close to an election that is "red-tagged" is supposed to move like first class mail, don't count on it.* For telemarketing programs, if resources are limited, the mostimportant GOTV messages are those conducted prior to Election Day. Many people -- especially in larger metropolitan areas—will vote on their way towork or school -- or on their way home. Once they get home, if they haven't voted, you may not get them to leave to go to a polling place.
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Know Thy Enemy File ...
 The liberals have launched yet another website aimed at converting Red State Republicans: MyRuralAmerica.org. As has been reported here, the liberals (er, progressives) have been trying to appeal to religious folks. Now, they are coming after rural folks. And the pandering couldn't be any worse. I mean, this website even has a link called " Our Favorite Recipes." Give me a break!
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Gillespie on "Staying on Message" ...
Rich Lowry of National Review is recommending Ed Gillespie's new book, " Winning Right: Campaign Politics and Conservative Policies." This quote (cited by Lowry) caught my attention because it is fundamentally about defining the issues and staying on message: "Campaigns are shaped more by what you're debating than by how you're debating it. If Medicare is front and center in a campaign, it's not likely the Republican candidate is going to win. If tax cuts are the central issue of a campaign, the Democrat is probably in trouble. One of the challenges of any campaign is agenda setting, and at the end of the '04 presidential campaign, the Kerry team could not resist the temptation to fight on terms historically favorable to Republicans."
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Lexicon of Politics
Frontrunneritis n. the condition of being a leading candidate, esp. a tendency to coast or to be under increased scrutiny by the press.
2004 Morning Edition (National Public Radio) (Jan. 23): I think frontrunneritis tends to take over Massachusetts.
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Unforgettable
 "If They Attack Us, It Means We're Winning."
Rush Limbaugh
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Churches Can Do Plenty in Advance of Election Day
 Just got this really nice email about my recent campaign tip email: "Hey Matt, Just a quick note to let you know that I forwarded your 'Campaigning at Churches' article to others in my church because I think it will be helpful as we work with other, less-political church-goers who don't know the rules on what can and cannot be done within the church. Thanks for providing us with a good resource article as we head toward the November elections! Best,
Kari" ... Note: If you'd like to learn more about this topic, check out "Churches Can Do Plenty in Advance of Election Day," by Pete Winn.
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Unforgettable
 "Imagination is more important than knowledge..."
Albert Einstein
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Rules: Use Emotion & Set The Agenda
Some of the quotes in this Washington Post article are very consistent with my book, Teaching Elephants to Talk (political candidates should use emotion to sell their message -- and set the agenda). Here are some of the best quotes from the article: George E. Marcus, president of the International Society of Political Psychology, said modern research confirms that unless political ads evoke emotional responses, they don't have much effect. Voters, he explained, need to be emotionally primed in some way before they will pay attention.
... It is comparatively difficult to persuade anyone to change their mind on an issue. What works much better, because it influences people at an emotional and subtle level, is to get people to focus on a different issue -- the one where the candidate is the strongest.
"The agenda-setting effect is what we are talking about," said Nicholas A. Valentino, a political psychologist at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. "The ability of a candidate not to tell people how to feel about an issue, but which issue they should focus on -- that is the struggle of most modern campaign managers."
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More Applebee's America
 I've been talking (for weeks now) about this new book, Applebee's America. (I'm already a huge fan.) I just found their book website (great idea) -- and wanted to share it with you. As you'll recall (this is the Reader's Digest version, by the way), the theory of micro-targeting is that consumer information is a more accurate predictor of voter behavior than voter history or geography. As such, you can take the test.You can also read an excerpt of the book, here. ... And if you're still not sold on the book, here are a few of the new " the rules: - People make choices about politics, consumer goods, and religion with their hearts, not their heads.
- A person's lifestyle choices can be used to predict how he or she will vote, shop, and practice their religion. The authors reveal exclusive new details about the best "LifeTargeting" strategies.
- In this age of skepticism and media diversification, people are abandoning traditional opinion leaders for "Navigators." These otherwise average Americans help their family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers negotiate the swift currents of change in twenty-first-century America.
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Advice for GOP Candidates
Today's Washington Post features advice (from Republicans) for Republican candidates. Here is one example: Be proud of the party and be proud of the contrasts. Elections are about choices, so we must draw clear differences and reveal the Democratic candidates for the rogue extremists they truly are. Does their position on Iraq blow around like a tumbleweed? Do they support higher gas taxes? Is this candidate a prosecutor who plea-bargains with illegal aliens? The fact that these candidates would be tangibly harmful to the daily lives of most Americans will matter more than Democrats putting your picture next to the president's and saying "Supports Bush 92 percent of the time." -- Dan Hazelwood, Republican strategist
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More on The Power of Making Friends ...
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Dems Ever-Changing Slogans ...
 Dana Milbank's column today touches on campaign slogans ... "Democrats have had more 'New Directions' recently than MapQuest. Among the party's campaign slogans this year: 'Culture of Corruption,' 'Culture of Cronyism,' 'Do-Nothing Congress,' 'Rubber-Stamp Congress,' 'Together, We Can Do Better,' 'Together, America Can Do Better' and, most recently, 'Six for '06.' ... By contrast, Republicans have settled on a single, unofficial slogan, which essentially says: Vote Democrat and Die. And in politics, scary and scurrilous usually trumps elaborate and earnest -- something Pelosi has experienced firsthand in recent days."
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Lexicon of Politics
AstroTurf n. an orchestrated grass-roots movement intended to appear spontaneous.
1985 Washington Post (Aug. 7): "A fellow from Texas can tell the difference between grass roots and Astro Turf," Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Tex.) said of his mountain of cards and letters from opponents of the insurance provisions. "This is generated mail." 1990 Washington Post (May 12) A19: The AFL-CIO has been "flooded with letters, phone calls and telegrams, overwhelmingly against the federation taking any position on abortion....Rather than concede the sincerity of those who want the AFL-CIO to remain neutral on abortion, he snidely remarked, "I've been around a while, and I think I know the difference between grass roots and Astroturf."
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The Political Power of Making Friends
 Sometimes your political fortunes come down to simply whether or not people like you. It's networking. It's taking the time to get to know folks. Here's what I'm talking about. I got this quote from Hotline's On-Call blog: Congressional Quarterly's Craig Crawford: "This president has oddly, and this is one of the strangest things about this president, I've thought all along, that how he has just not really shown much interest at building personal relationships on Capitol Hill with his own party members. And that has led to a lot of these problems like we saw today, where they bolt, they buck on him. And that's something that I don't think he can change now, it's too late" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 9/14). This reminds me of a study I saw yesterday in Reason magazine, which states that social drinkers earn more money than non-drinkers: "Social drinking builds social capital," said Stringham, an economics professor at San Jose State University. "Social drinkers are networking, building relationships, and adding contacts to their Blackberries that result in bigger paychecks."
Note: I am not suggesting the president should go back to drinking. But I am suggesting that building relationships is vital to your success. Sometimes that happens at a bar -- and sometimes that happens on a softball field. I think it's the same wherever you work. It pays to make friends with the people you count on. So, wanna' grab a bite to eat tonight?
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Know Thy Enemy File ...
The liberal DailyKos has a couple of interesting posts today: Democratic Messaging -- What Went Wrong, How To Get It Right "Lee Atwater sent his minions off to find oppo research on Dukakis. They came back with reams of stuff. Atwater told his minions to reduce all this stuff so that it fit on one 3 x 5 card. What was left was Willie Horton. And so a legendary attack ad was created."Climate Change Communications Strategy "London bus ridership went up when Gwyneth Paltrow was photographed riding on a bus. Similarly, Stonyfield Farm Yogurt broke into the Chicago market with a promotion of giving away free yogurts at mass transit stops as a 'thanks for your commute."
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Needed: Good Candidate Photos
 One common problem that almost every local candidate has is that they don't have enough (good) pictures of themselves. To run for office, you need pictures with you and different folks (police officers, elderly citizens, school kids -- you get the picture). Well, I was just perusing Beau Biden's website (son of Joe Biden), and he has gotten the picture thing down pat. Granted, some of these pictures seem a bit "forced." Still, you name the occasion -- and he's got a picture for it. This comes in handy when you need to do brochures, voter mail, and TV ads!
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Know Thy Enemy File ...
NY Times: "Sensing both political danger and opportunity, a top Democratic operative and a group of major party donors have banded together to deliver a barrage of late advertising and on-the-ground action to secure Democratic victories in November."
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Unforgettable
"While I take inspiration from the past, like most Americans, I live for the future." - Ronald Reagan
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Book Parties and Negative Ads ...
What did I do last night? Our good friend Rob Bluey details our star-studded evening with the political panjandrum (I'm in the 2nd picture) ... ... Of course, yesterday was also Election Day. My favorite quote to come out of the election comes from Sen. Lincoln Chafee, who proclaimed: " negative ads do work."
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Lexicon of Politics
Wedge Issue n. a matter which could cause voters to deviate from their usual loyalties, esp. when splitting otherwise like-minded voters between two or more candidates and so strengthening any unified opposition.
1985 Denver Post (Aug. 21) A2: It was heralded as the perfect "wedge issue", well-designed to split the Democrats.
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The Importance of Visuals ...
 PR lesson: When making a political point, visuals and "props" go a long way to underscore your message (and make a story more interesting). Here is a good example from Texas ( watch the video): "The head of Jefferson County's Republican Party Doug Conner brought a blue tarp with him symbolizing the many people in the county still suffering because of Hurricane Rita."
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Unforgettable
"There is no meeting of minds, no point of understanding with such terror. Just a choice: Defeat it or be defeated by it. And defeat it we must." - Tony Blair
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Oppo Research Talk ...
Today's Washington Post has a very good artlicle about researching political opponents. It's a very instructive. For example, here's a quote from Tom Reynolds, chairman of the NRCC, about the power of research: "Opposition research is power ... Opposition research is the key to defining untested opponents." Lesson Learned: Whether it is using Google or Lexis Nexis -- or hiring a researcher -- every campaign should research the opponent.... Of course, once you've researched your opponent (and found out some negative info), one of the ways to get the message out is through the mail. And the good thing about mail is that it can be precisely targeted: "Direct-mail appeals often carry the most negative and potentially damaging messages. Dan Hazelwood, a leading GOP direct mail consultant, said that if a hypothetical Democratic candidate favors the establishment of a garbage dump in a section of the district, for instance, it makes more sense to "narrow-cast" this message by mail to the people most affected rather than buying an expensive, districtwide television ad."
Lesson Learned: Sometimes you can target your message to voters more likely to care about the attack.Of course, the Dems use research, too. And, as the article points out, they aren't just researching Republicans ... Notably, the researchers dig not only into Republicans, but also their own candidates. This allows Democrats to anticipate what is coming and be ready to respond quickly. Lesson Learned: If you are running for office, you should research your oppolent -- and yourself!
(Note: If you're interested in this topic, read my Campaigns & Elections Magazine article: Checklist: Seven Questions to Ask Before You Attack.)
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Why Politicians Don't Fess Up ...
Ever wonder why politicians won't ever admit they were wrong? According to some experts interviewed for this Washington Post article, there are some good reasons why politicians never admit mistakes ... - Being wrong or sorry "is seen as a disadvantage. That's a position they try to avoid."
- Presidents present themselves as competent and moral. "To admit otherwise is to essentially impeach yourself," Rubenzer says, "and once you have admitted it, it's not contested anymore."
- ... Making the best of a bad situation is part of the job description.
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New ML&TN Blogger ...
Please help me welcome our new intern/blogger, Joseph Sciarrino. Joseph is a senior at The American University, pursuing dual degrees in Political Science and Economics. He is a former White House intern, and has interned for Congressmen Quinn and Reynolds. This summer he was an assistant to the campaign manager on the Reynolds for Congress campaign. He also completed the Campaign Management Institute at AU. Once again, we are blessed to have a very talented young conservative to help us out. We look forward to working with Joseph!
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Why Candidates Need Downtime ...
Lyn Nofziger used to talk about how candidates perform better when they are rested (he learned this from Reagan). This article (about executives), explains why The Great Communicator was wise to insist on his downtime ... "Sleepy people repeatedly have trouble conveying ideas and finding the right words."
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 61
Timber n. a character suitable to qualify one for office. 2003 San Antonio Express-News (Texas) (Sept. 21) 4H: Forgive me, but I don't think he is congressional timber, let alone qualified for president.
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Unforgettable
 "Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve." - Dr. Napoleon Hill
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Opinion: Steele's New Ad Impresses
Michael Steele's new TV ad (Building Bridges) may be the freshest and most inspiring ad I have seen in years. Aside from the message (which is good), it is refreshing to see something that is so different from everything else out there. Maybe it's the intro music -- but it actually reminds me more of a movie preview than a political ad. ... Kudos to Steele for taking a chance on a campaign commercial that doesn't look like every other political ad ever made!
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Survey Says ... Ignore the Survey!
 As soon as you file for political office, you will receive hundreds (if not thousands) of surveys from various groups, hoping to get you "on record" as supporting their causes. Conservative groups, like the NRA and the Right to Life will submit surveys that you obviously should complete. But what do you do with the rest??? Only complete surveys from groups you agree with. Do not fill out surveys from liberal or "non-partisan" groups (nothing good can come of it, so ignore their continual requests). This article points out my rationale ..."This year, Nussle's response to the Project Vote Smart questionnaire said he supported the position that abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy. During the past four congressional campaigns, he did not support that position, according to copies of questionnaires provided by the nonpartisan voter information service." ... Iowa blogger Krusty Konservative shares my opinion: "Why are you filling out surveys from Project Vote Smart? Those types of organizations only cause you trouble, you should have tossed it in the trash. Please don’t tell me you filled out the survey Kyle Lobner sent out to candidates?"
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Memo: Don't Admit to Being Political ...
One of the things that I try to drill into the heads of students at campaign seminars is that words matter. For example: "Philosophy" sounds good, while "Ideology" sounds bad. People like "Personal" accounts, but hate "Private" accounts, etc. Of course, I should add the following disclaimer: If you are running for office, don't tell people that you are intentionally using (or avoiding) certain words -- particularly if the policy you are advocating is highly unpopular. Here's a prime example of what happens when you break that rule ... Sen. Jim Talent (R-MO): "That's the lesson we learned several years ago. Not that amnesty doesn't work, but that you don't call it amnesty.""Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet?"
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Unforgettable
"Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
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Know Thy Enemy File ...
 Having lost the electoral support of most people of faith, Democrats are desperately attempting to stop the bleeding. In the past years, they have tried to make the case that they are just as religious as the GOP (as was the point of the book, God's Politics). Most recently, Democrats have launched a website called Faithful Democrats. While their efforts might work to help liberals rationalize their liberalism, I have serious doubts that it will influence any true believers. The articles are overtly political and demonstrate that the writers don't understand people of faith enough to even pretend to be one of us. For example, one article (sure to offend) is titled: Jesus was an Illegal Immigrant. Democrats are seeking to deceive a number of voters into believing they are a party of faith. They don't need to "win" the religious vote -- but they can't stand to lose it at the same rate they have been. But the funny thing is that they don't know enough about religious culture to even fake it ...
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Brazile: Give Bloggers a Seat at the Table
Writing in Roll Call (subscription reqd.), Democrat strategist Donna Brazile says it's Time for Democrats to Give the Net Roots a Seat at the Table. Here's an excerpt: As my friend Democratic strategist Mike Lux pointed out in a recent memorandum titled "Welcoming the Netroots to the Table," the party would benefit from having these new voices at the table. Lux also pointed out some ground rules to begin this new relationship. Here are a few that I will subscribe to in the future: - Respect what the net-roots community brings to the party;
- Stop patronizing and start valuing their brand of activism and political experience at the grass-roots level;
- Honestly engage their concerns and issues even if you disagree. After all, they are voters;
- Stop repeating Republican talking points.
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Recommended Reading
 Among many other topics discussed, Applebee's America explains why the modern phenomenon of targeting voters based on their "community" is just as important as targeting voters based on voter history. For example, let's consider the scenario of a 30-year-old male who is a college graduate. He voted for Gore and Kerry in the last two elections. Based on his voter history (which is the traditional way of targeting voters), you would safely assume he is going to vote Democrat. ... But is he??? ... What if I told you that in 2005, he got married, joined a mega-church, got a promotion, and bought an SUV. Now how is he going to vote? (This is just one example cited in the book). I was always taught that history is the best predictor of the future. When it comes to making mass assumptions, I still believe that's true. But when looking at individuals, it is clear that factors such as home-ownership, church attendance, etc., will change a person's voting behavior. In short, targeting based solely on voter history discounts the possibility that some voters do change their voting behavior. For anyone interested in cutting-edge presidential politics, this book (co-authored by three DC insiders, Doug Sosnik, Matthew Dowd, & Ron Fournier) is a must read.
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George Allen Hires Blogger
From Beltway Blogroll: When Sen. George Allen opened his mouth and inserted "macaca" a couple of weeks ago, I offered the Virginia Republican some unsolicited advice: Get a blog, and hire a blog expert. Allen still doesn't have a blog, but today, Jon Henke of QandO announced that he is now Allen's netroots coordinator. I would think that a campaign blog won't be far behind. Coincidence? You decide, but I think I'll take credit for this one. Ed Morrissey of Captain's Quarters also should take a bow. He recommended
Henke to Allen in a post last week.
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Unforgettable
The 5 most unforgettable things I learned by working with Matt for the summer. 5. The Leadership Institute is an amazing place and every conservative that ever plans to be a candidate or work on a campaign, at any level, should enroll in as many LI courses as possible. 4. Accessibility is easy, to important people that is. I've learned that if you want to meet someone important, and you have some excuse to talk to them, all you have to do is call with a purpose, be confident, and be vigilant. There are few people in Washington too important to meet with normal folks. A piece of advice Matt gave me: once you schedule a meeting with someone that you'd love to really get to know (this doesn't apply to dating), take a picture with them. Then, a month later you have an excuse to meet again so they can "sign the picture." Then go back again for them to sign a copy of their book. 3. Academics - just don't do it. A lot of top politicians are winners of huge academic fellowships, like the Rhodes. Prez Clinton, Sen. Feingold, Sen. Lugar, Sen. Sarbanes, Sen. Vitter, Rep. Jindal -- all Rhodes scholars. I'm pretty darn sure they all know real big words and could explain complex social or economic theories. But, they don't. Because normal people don't care, or if they do, they either feel that the academic is pompous or feel themselves inferior for not knowing what's going on. Either way, no vote. I've learned it's best to use your smarts in policy -- use your substance and your smile in politics. 2. Gotta love it. Politics, that is. I've learned that campaigning and the world of politics isn't for everyone. For example, policy wonks probably won't have fun on a campaign. Running a campaign or being a candidiate seems to me two of the most exhausting jobs imaginable (once you consider all the things that should be happening). If you don't love it, you'll drown. But what's not to love? 1. Communication is key. It doesn't matter that the conservative attitude or philosophy is more sound than liberalism if they out-communicate us. Are ideas are only as good as we communicate them, because communication is the only path from idea to implementation. This is why the Great Communicator is so great -- Reagan was the first conservative able to effectively communicate conservative ideas, and it worked, we had a revolution. Of course, I also learned how we might out-shine our liberal competition; for example, with repitition, sincerity, negativity through a surrogate, etc. -- and most importantly emotion, contrast, connection, and credibility (Message=EC^2). Thanks Matt.
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Lexicon of Politics: Day 60
Won't be gone for long. I've caught: Potomac Fever n. a passion to be involved in politics, esp. nationally.  2002 Washington Post (Aug. 1) A27: It is supposedly something of a disease or a compulsion, a variant of the oft-debilitating Potomac Fever in which the victim seeks the nation's highest office over and over again or simply cannot stay away from government service. oxford dictionary of american political slang
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Goodbye to Boz
Today, we say goodbye to CLC intern, Alexander Bozmoski. He's off to Oxford. Boz was a big contributor to our blog. Among other things, Boz helped pioneer the "Lexicon of Politics" and "Unforgettable," posts. He also conducted interviews with former Attorney General Ed Meese, as well as ACU Chairman David Keene. I am confident he will continue to do great things for the conservative movement (and hopefully, he can continue to be an occasional contributor here, too). Boz, thanks for your help this summer!
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