small screen by accident. In late 2006, after lunching with his friend, Fox News Chan- nel chief political correspondent Carl Cameron, Heye walked Cameron back to his office. Much to Heye’s surprise, they stopped by the network’s booking desk, and he found himself being promoted as a potential guest. “He said, ‘This is Doug. Put him on,’”
D
recalls Heye. Two days later, the Fox book- ers invited him to appear on a segment about the presidential primaries. Just a few years later, Heye estimates he’s been on Fox more than 150 times. In the mean- time, many other networks,
including
CNN and MSNBC, have invited him to appear as well. Heye’s trajectory from novice to ace
television pundit is far from unusual. Once he proved himself on camera, the bookers went back to him for another round, and eventually competing channels came call- ing, too. But for political consultants try- ing to get on cable television for the first time, the biggest challenge is getting your foot in the door. While pitching yourself for cable television shows is not an exact science, there are better and worse ways to deal with television bookers. Most im- portantly, it’s vital that you perform with confidence once on camera so that the bookers keep calling you back.
Why go on television? For political consultants, there are several benefits to appearing on cable news shows. Television appearances can increase your firm’s visibility, boost your credibility with colleagues, and enhance your resume. Mo Elleithee, a Democratic consultant and partner at Hilltop Public Solutions, says that his frequent appearances on cable television shows keep his interview skills sharp—and help spread the word about his relatively young firm. “It’s good for busi- ness,” says Elleithee. “You’re always look- ing for a competitive edge against other consultants, many of whom are friends, so doing these shows, you hope that the oc- casional potential client might see it and give them a little sense of your ability to deliver them a message.”
June 2011 | Campaigns & Elections 19
oug Heye, a Republican consultant and frequent face on cable televi- sion news, got his big break on the
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