Q: How do we avoid having different members of the finance team take credit for the same contributions? A: There’s no perfect system, and a lot of it’s about trust. As a start, give clear assignments, agree on contact lists and monitor results. If all else fails, assign credit based on who actually delivers the contributions.
Q: What do you think about hiring a reporter as press secretary? A: All hires are alike—it depends on the person. Some reporters make great press secretaries, but others are never comfortable as partisan war- riors because they find flacking for a candidate to be too “rah, rah.” If you have someone in mind, candidly discuss the ups, downs and the learning curve required to succeed. And be sure to have a mutual “no fault” exit strategy if it doesn’t work out.
Q: How often should we poll and how much should we rely on polling to determine our posi- tion on the issues? A: Harry Truman called poll-driven politicians “gutless wonders” with “ears so close to the ground they’re full of grasshoppers.” Polls are (or should be) about winning elections, not determining where you stand on issues or whether you’re conserva- tive, progressive or whatever. Don’t get me wrong: Opinion surveys are essential to a successful cam- paign and, I believe, the more the better. But mark this down: The most successful candidates have core beliefs and use polls not to modify their beliefs, but rather to effectively communicate those pre-exist- ing positions and values to voters.
Q: Is it OK to use notes during a debate? A: Absolutely. It’s better than making a mistake or omitting a key message point. But do not over- rely on notes—preparation and practice trump a bulky binder of detailed responses. And crib sheets will not inoculate against the unexpected like President Ford incorrectly saying in a debate against challenger Jimmy Carter that Poland was “independent and autonomous” when, in fact, Poland and Eastern Europe were at the time dom- inated by the Soviet Union. Ford compounded the mistake when he added, “There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and there never will be under a Ford administration.” Ford’s gaffe is among the worst mistakes ever in a debate because it undercut any semblance of gravitas, proved highly problematic among voters of East- ern European heritage and ultimately contributed to his 1976 loss to Carter.
Q: What do you think of using stock footage on campaign materials, including mail and the website? A: It’s cost-effective and often (maybe usually) a good thing. However, beware if the photo is being used elsewhere—e.g., all involved would look stupid if your footage was already being used by an opponent which could, in turn, allow a third candidate to slam both of you as fakes. Then there’s the mess of “just plain wrong”—e.g., two recent Colorado candidates used backdrops of the Rockies on campaign materials but problem was, the photos weren’t really the Rockies. In the first case, the purported “Pike’s Peak” was actually Alaska’s Mount McKinley and, in the second case, the snow-capped “Colorado” mountains were in fact in Canada. Say it once: boneheaded.
Q: What’s the deal on making use of texting to reach voters? A: It’s a great idea, which is why so many cam- paigns encourage opt-ins via TV ads, direct mail, online ads, web-based petitions, contests, yard signs and t-shirts. Mobile texting provides ac- countability because of unique keywords and because you can verify that a specific subscriber actually received an intended message. As for the downsides, texting is more expensive than e-mails and some people don’t like to be over-messaged even if they gave their number in the first place.
Q: What’s the worst campaign message you’ve ever heard? A: I wasn’t there, but recently I read about a 2001 candidate running for reelection in the British Parliament who asked individual voters, “If I lose by one vote, it won’t be yours, will it?” There was nothing about experience or constituent services or what he’d do for people if reelected. Surprise, surprise: He lost his election but forever remains a viable contender for the worst (or at least saddest) campaign pitch of all time.
Craig Varoga has run local, state and presidential campaigns for 20 years and specializes in independent expenditures as a partner at Independent Strategies. Send questions using Facebook or email cvaroga@
independentstrategies.com.
June 2010 | Campaigns & Elections 69
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80