2008 Primaries • May 30th, 2008

McCain vs. the left

by Chris Lato

I trust all of you tuned in to Wisconsin Public Radio today to hear yours truly sound off on the news of the week. If not, you can enjoy the archived show here.

A quick thought about the way John McCain is being painted by the left – he’s not bipartisan, he’s ‘John McSame,’ George W. Bush II: The Sequel, etc.

It is a sign that the left is scared. They realize McCain is powerfully appealing to Reagan Democrats and independents, particularly when comparing him to Obama’s meager record.

McCain has certainly cheesed off a lot of Republicans over the years, but he offers the formula that offers the GOP its best shot at winning this November: the perception of independence – and the record that can back up the rhetoric.

That doesn’t mean he is the perfect candidate - he won’t make everyone happy, conservatives are still grinding their teeth over his candidacy, etc. But McCain has the proven ability and willingness to reach out to the other side of the aisle. And in the current political climate, that may be the winning difference.

No Comments »

2008 Primaries, Branding Politix, Messaging • May 29th, 2008

The pros and cons of ‘going negative’

by Chris Lato

Readers of this blog know I don’t agree with the notion of ‘negative’ campaign ads being, well, negative - particularly if they are addressing an opponent’s record. Calling attention to, and criticizing an opponent’s record, whether it be a vote in Congress, a statement to a reporter, or a lack of pertinent experience, it’s all fair game in my view.

That’s why this article from the Harvard Business School intrigued me. The author breaks down the ‘negative’ ads being fired by the Hillary Clinton campaign at Barack Obama and makes a case for why political ads use this tactic while B2B ads typically do not.

One partial quote did jump out at me – referring to “…Obama trying to stay positive and clinging to the moral high ground by staying positive…” Unless you’re an ardent Hillary supporter, Obama is the clear front-runner. He’s running on the ‘moral superiority’ platform – that is, his campaign would have you believe Obama is above petty politics. It’s a new day in America, etc. It sounds almost….Reaganesque.

Everyone’s buying it for now, but will it last? Once this race tightens up, and it will, can Obama resist jumping on the ‘negative’ campaign bandwagon? For example, John McCain has a long, long record of votes in the Senate that will be prime fodder for attacks. And that is fine. McCain should have to defend his record and Obama will undoubtedly begin to take aim, as he should.

And ironically, McCain’s own leadership role on campaign finance ‘reform,’ working in concert with our own Senator Russ Feingold, could be McCain’s undoing. Third party independent spending has grown exponentially thanks to this ‘reform,’ and while McCain will undoubtedly benefit from some of that spending, he will also be the target of the George Soros types who will spend untold millions ripping McCain up and down right up to Election Day.

In other words, Obama could potentially stay largely above the fray while the ‘independent’ groups tear McCain to shreds. And they will.

————-

WISPUNDITS MEDIA ALERT! Listen to Wisconsin Public Radio tomorrow morning from 8-9 AM to enjoy yours truly discussing “The Week in Review.” And if you feel compelled to call in, make sure to tell ‘em Wispundits sent ya.

No Comments »

Views on News, public relations • May 28th, 2008

Scott squeals

by Chris Lato

Maybe that’s not a fair headline, but I have really mixed feelings about the news that Scott McClellan, a former member of the Bush inner circle, has written a highly critical tell-all about his time as the President’s press secretary. Heck, the Drudge Report had ‘Scott the Snitch’ as its giant headline today.

My objections are not necessarily what you may think at first.

For starters, will I read the book? You betcha. I’m a big fan of the modern political memoir, particularly from someone who handled communications for the president. It’s coming from a guy who made it to the top of my profession, and I also think it’s unfair to dismiss what the guy has to say without actually reading it first.

The book isn’t coming out until next week, but based on initial press reports, some of McClellan’s writing rings true. As someone who did partisan political communications in a previous life, I absolutely buy into his assertions that sometimes he was lied to and/or kept in the dark to ensure he delivered the right spin on behalf of the White House.

Yet the opportunism on display here is unseemly. It strikes me as piling onto President Bush to make a buck. And, perhaps sensing which way the political winds are blowing, this is McClellan’s attempt to stay professionally viable once the Democrats take over the world in the 2008 elections.

But who’d want to hire Scott McClellan? That’s one of my problems here – he taints it for others responsible for handling public relations for sensitive, high-profile clients. It’s a matter of trust.

Maybe McClellan’s conscience got the better of him. Fair enough. I’d have an easier time buying that line if McClellan had quit, instead of getting pushed out of the White House. Writing a critical tell-all memoir is the ultimate ‘up yours’ when you’re mad at a former boss. It may pay well, but how could anyone trust him with sensitive media relations matters in the future?

It’s not unreasonable to expect a code of honor to be adhered to when one is responsible for handling sensitive issues like, oh, I dunno, the inner workings of the White House. To not even wait until after President Bush is out of the White House is tacky and invites hard questioning, which McClellan should answer to.

I hope he’s getting paid well for this. Perhaps the DNC can have McClellan speak at their convention this summer. That would be some ‘get’ – having President Bush’s former press secretary bashing the evil Republicans! Zell Miller and Joe Lieberman would have nothing on Scott McClellan.

The McClellan flap reminds me of when David Brock, a onetime right-wing hatchet man, turned around and suddenly decided to come out as an ardent critic of the right. Christopher Hitchens dismantles Brock far better than I ever could, but suffice it to say that this sort of self-serving flip-flopping reeks of a dishonorable ability to head whichever way the political winds are blowing.

No Comments »

2008 Primaries, Leadership, Messaging • May 27th, 2008

The vast left-wing conspiracy?

by Chris Lato

The Clintons are crying cover-up again – this time, it’s the Democrats and their friends in the media that are working to take them down, not the vast right-wing conspiracy.

There aren’t a lot of ways that Hillary Clinton could actually become the nominee at this point. But for all his missteps on the campaign trail this year, Bill Clinton is no dummy and he understands the messages that resonate - the victim card, the underdog pose, and the notion of the party bosses denying a voice to the disenfranchised voters. It is one last desperate swing for the fences.

Any of this ringing a bell? It’s the same thing Democrats accused Republicans of doing in 2000 in Florida, in 2004 in Ohio, and in 2008 in goodness-knows-where. It is the same thing that Wisconsin Republicans have been dealing with for years in trying to require a photo ID when voting. That perfectly reasonable requirement is just common sense, and is supported by a clear majority of Wisconsin voters (including – horrors! – a fair number of Democrats). But Wisconsin Democrats, including our governor, have blocked it at every turn. It disenfranchises voters, opponents claim.

Watch the video that comes with the CNN story I linked to up top. Clinton takes a dig at the Florida situation – 2000 vs. 2008 - that will become a rallying cry as this thing plays itself out.

The Clintons are on the ropes, but they know how to play the game and keep on punching until they officially throw in the towel. Needless to say, the leaders of the Democratic Party have their work cut out for them.

From a messaging perspective, the Clintons also understand their last, best hope is to appeal to the sense of disenfranchisement and victimhood. And this time, considering all the ludicrous complications built into the system of selecting a Democrat nominee for president, the Clintons have a point.

No Comments »

2008 Primaries, Views on News • May 23rd, 2008

The summer of Dem discontent approaches

by Chris Lato

To everyone who wrote off Hillary Clinton (me included) – this story will give you pause and then make you wonder how the Dems will get out of this fine mess they’ve gotten themselves into.

Can some of the same folks who argued in 2000 that Al Gore should have been president because he won the popular vote turn around eight years later and argue that the popular vote doesn’t matter? Will Florida be disenfranchised yet again?The mind reels.

First, Hillary has to deliver as the article suggests she can. Also, the goofiness of the Florida and Michigan votes will have to play a role.

But really, this just muddies the waters even more. And with Barack Obama flailing around, trying to find his way on foreign policy and showing off his relative inexperience, this promises to be a long, hot summer for the Democratic Party.

The Obama story, in particular, illustrates the dangers of sounding off without thinking first, without having the facts in front of you, without noting that your answer is a work in progress, something to indicate your concern but that a more complete answer will be forthcoming. The snowball just keeps rolling downhill, getting bigger and bigger till it rolls right over you.

But in an age where admitting a mistake is tantamount to political suicide, and a soundbite can sink a campaign, what other choice does Obama have?

Actually, it can be done but it requires strict message discipline and a willingness to step up and admit, at the very least, that Obama didn’t fully form his initial answer(s). Acknowledge the issue is more complex than a simple yes-or-no answer, past statements may have been misconstrued, and that American interests would of course be protected when meeting with foreign leaders who have the potential or interest in doing America any sort of harm. The end goal is always peace and prosperity for all, but the concerns of America and its allies will always come first.

Or something like that.

That won’t get away from the questions that continue to linger, including Obama’s support of the ridiculous notion of unconditional meetings with unfriendly foreign leaders, but at least it starts pointing Obama in the right direction. It gives him room to keep developing his answer and gain some ground.

Obama intended to pander to the members of the Bush-bashing left who view the president as a dim-bulb cowboy - but Obama overreached and will now have to pay the price for that short-sightedness and naivete.

No Comments »

Leadership, public relations • May 22nd, 2008

Pistol-packin’ pitchman

by Chris Lato

I have long held Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke in fairly high regard. As a former reporter, I admire his willingness to shoot straight and call them as he sees them. Sometimes that lack of a filter causes him to step in it, but I get the sense through his public persona he is a no-nonsense, law-and-order guy who surely rubs some people the wrong way and doesn’t tolerate insubordination – that’s part of his appeal.

Of course, his fellow Democrats don’t like him much. He’s a Republican in Democrat clothing, they say. Eh, whatever. Both parties have plenty of those. It is what it is. If I lived in Milwaukee County, he’d have my vote.

At the same time, I can’t imagine working on one of his political campaigns or being in the position of handling his communications – he seems like the type who knows exactly what he wants and isn’t open to guidance. That can be disastrous. Sure, he headed successful campaigns for sheriff, but the less said about his run for Milwaukee Mayor, the better.

With that in mind, if Clarke had any advisors with a lick of sense, they would have urged him not to do a radio ad for Valvoline oil change shops, under the guise of sending out a safety message before the big Memorial Day holiday weekend. And apparently, Clarke wouldn’t have listened.

You can see the story here, courtesy of my friends and former employers at WTMJ-AM.

I heard the ad this week while listening to Mark Belling. At first, I thought, “No big deal.” He’s talking about ways to make sure your car is safe to drive. Then, toward the end of the ad, Clarke says, “Visit any Valvoline instant oil change, your car care expert.”

And with that, the sheriff crosses the line from concerned public official to pitchman. He claims he thought it would be edited out, but come on. Is the sheriff really that much of a rube? And if what he claims is true, why hasn’t he demanded the ad be changed?

I recall hearing an on-air version of the WTMJ story that indicated Clarke wasn’t paid to do the spot - that it was strictly in exchange for the opportunity to get out the safety message.

I don’t know that this is unprecedented, and I’d like to hear any examples of public officials doing something similar, but Clarke’s move opens a big fat can of worms.

Does Sheriff Clarke have any standards when doing the ads? How can he say no to anyone who approaches with a script that offers some sort of safety message? What’s next, Clarke telling folks to enjoy delicious Miller Lite as long as the spot has an anti-drunk driving statement? Will Clarke be telling listeners to head down to the local gun store, as long as the ad contains a bit about trigger locks?

Also, the argument can be made that Sheriff Clarke is potentially compromised if any wrongdoing tied to Valvoline has to be investigated by his office. There are ways around that, but why put yourself in that position in the first place?

Sheriff Clarke continues to blaze his own trail – good for him. But that independent streak also leads to some head-scratching moves – and when it’s coupled with a bull-headed unwillingness to listen to advice or admit to misguided decisions, potential PR disasters are always lurking.

No Comments »

2008 Primaries, Speeches, Views on News • May 21st, 2008

How to draw a rock-star crowd

by Chris Lato

You probably saw the photos. They were amazing. Barack Obama, speaking on a sunny Sunday before an estimated crowd of 75,000 in Portland, Oregon (which is said to make Madison look like Waukesha on the liberal sliding scale). If you didn’t see the picture, gaze in awe.

However, it appears some members of the press didn’t tell the whole story behind that huge turnout – which any politician in the country would kill for. Obama apparently had some help in getting that big crowd out to see him, in the form of the music group known as the Decemberists.

Now, I don’t know the music of the Decemberists (I’m enjoying some Foreigner as I write this, so I’m not exactly the hippest cat in the room). But they have released critically acclaimed albums, are a touring national act, are from Portland, and are said to be popular there. Popular enough to draw 75,000 people? No way. But I bet the combination of a bright, sunny afternoon in Portland with some free music by a popular local act surely lured a percentage of the crowd out there. And if the biggest rock-star politician of 2008 was also there to speak, all the better.

This definitely carries a whiff of, at the very least, incomplete reporting. For example, when John Kerry rolled into Madison late in the 2004 campaign with Bruce Springsteen in tow, the press was quick to acknowledge the presence of a rock star at the rally. That was an important part of the story. Obviously, Kerry was going to draw a huge crowd in the final days of the election regardless, but Springsteen certainly helped seal the deal. And I acknowledge Springsteen is a lot higher on the rock-star totem pole than the Decemberists…but still…

Acknowledging all the factors that go into a gigantic turnout for a political candidate should simply be par for the course in telling the whole story. Working with reporters from first contact forward is one way to develop a relationship that helps ensure fairness, thoroughness and accuracy. Cooperate with them and generally speaking, you have every right to expect that you will get a fair shake.

Reporters are paid to be skeptics. I’m not going to bash reporters as one giant left-wing conspiracy, because that is ridiculous. I’ve been a reporter. If anything, reporters generally thrive simply on conflict and controversy. Many are non-partisan in that regard. But some bad apples can spoil the bunch, as the cliché goes.

Unfortunately, in this case it appears that some reporters in positions of authority, whose stories roll out nationally and will be forever treated as the unassailable truth, are in the tank for Barack Obama. And that does no member of the press any favors.

No Comments »

2008 Primaries, Messaging, Speeches • May 20th, 2008

Obama doth protest too much

by Chris Lato

It may not be the oldest political trick in the book, but it definitely belongs in an elder care facility.

It’s the “Say what you will about me, but don’t pick on my wife/family” chestnut.

Barack Obama is trotting it out now. Funny how Sen. Obama, who says it’s a new day in America and we’re all sick of politics as usual, is trotting out this ancient and extremely political ploy for anyone who will listen.

You can find a summary of what’s happening here but, basically, Obama’s wife commented on the stump that “…for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country.” An internet campaign from the Tennessee Republican Party is responding to those comments.

Sen. Obama, if you don’t want your wife to be criticized, um….don’t let her go out and speak on the campaign trail. Simple as that. As long as she chooses to be out on the stump, Michelle Obama is absolutely fair game. That goes for any and all family members who want to get up and speak. The once-quiet Chelsea Clinton got a taste of it recently, when she was peppered with questions about her father’s extra-marital relations. That is to be expected. It is a legitimate part of the Clinton’s political history. Grow a thick skin and deal with it. If she had chosen not to step into the spotlight, Chelsea never would have faced that public questioning.

Also, consider the substance of that Obama comment. Instead of empty protests, I’d love to hear the Obamas explain what is meant here. Was it hyperbole, because she’s proud of the response her husband is receiving on the campaign trail? Or is there something deeper? It’s fair to draw your own conclusions, because apparently the Obamas aren’t going to offer any details on what they’re really trying to say.

And besides, how is a critique of what someone says on the campaign trail a negative slam? That’s one of my biggest pet peeves. I have never, ever bought that ‘woe is me, they’re picking on me’ line of reasoning – and the Obamas should be called on it. Michelle Obama said something debatable and controversial in a very public forum, and has said it more than once. It is certainly worthy of examination and, potentially, criticism.

Sen. Obama had best suck it up, because this is just the beginning. I’d spend more time worrying about the mixed messages being sent by him and those campaigning on his behalf, and less time playing the victim.

Assuming they are truly saying what they mean, the Obamas should also start explaining the substance behind their rhetoric – otherwise the criticism that there’s little of substance to Barack Obama beyond awesome speechifying skills will start looking awfully legitimate.

No Comments »

2008 Primaries • May 19th, 2008

Scenes from a convention I didn’t attend

by Chris Lato

Sure, it’s tough to get the full flavor of a state Republican convention when you weren’t actually there (I have a good excuse - I was raising money for charity in Milwaukee and yes, you can still contribute) but there’s enough news and comment out there to make a couple of observations about what went down in Stevens Point over the weekend.

1. What’s up with Jim Sensenbrenner? The convention is about unity, bringing Republicans together, getting ready for the battles ahead in the election season. Yes, it’s a bit of a sham, but there are better ways to deal with the intra-party dirty laundry than airing it out in public. So why did Congressman Sensenbrenner see the need to throw Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch under the bus in such a public forum? Argue the merits of Real ID and the budget repair bill in another forum – Sensenbrenner’s tire-slashing move is disappointing, especially when the GOP already has its hands full working to hold onto the Assembly in 2008.

2. 2010: The year Republicans take over? A straw poll conducted by Wispolitics found Scott Walker to be the big favorite amongst prospective candidates in the race for governor. On the Senate side, current U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan gets the nod as the best choice to make a run. Awesome choices both. A lot can happen between now and 2010, but right now they are deservedly at the top of the heap.

3. Where are the women? A great piece by Christian Schneider highlights the Wisconsin GOP’s lack of females in positions to run for top offices. As someone who worked for a great female Republican (2006 GOP Lt. Governor candidate Jean Hundertmark) it’s a fair question to ask.

4. Where are the young people? A lot of relative young’uns are in positions of authority in the Wisconsin GOP – now the party just needs more young people to get involved and play a role in getting more Republicans elected. The College Republicans and other young GOP groups will need to step up this year, because Presidential election-year grassroots campaigns don’t magically organize and execute by themselves.

No Comments »

2008 Primaries, Messaging, Views on News • May 16th, 2008

Minnesota Smackdown!

by Chris Lato

Our neighbors to the west are gettin’ goofy again. They have Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura to blame.

Yep, he’s back. Ventura is considering re-entering the political ring after his stint as Minnesota governor several years ago. This time he may run for US Senate, a race which already has the once-funny, now-bitter former semi-celebrity Al Franken poised to take on RoboRepublican incumbent Norm Coleman.

Ventura beat Coleman in the race for governor back in the day, which adds a fun little twist on all this. Another mitigating factor: Ventura has what can charitably be described as a rocky relationship with the press. It must come from his wrestling background, but he treats them with open disdain, referring to them as jackals. Call me crazy but I have a feeling the press considers Ventura to be something that rhymes with ‘brick.’

Now it could just be that Ventura is an attention hound and all this chatter about the Senate is just part of a plan to move copies of his new book.

But can the ‘populist’ rhetoric of Jesse Ventura carry the day in a state that has an independent streak of its own? Can he win and shake things up all over again? Or did Mr. Ventura leave a bad taste in the mouths of enough voters who remember his gubernatorial antics? Political spectators can only hope we see a good old-fashioned political cage match in Minnesota.

As an aside: when I worked at the Wisconsin Radio Network, we did a monthly call-in show called ‘Ask the Governor’ with one Tommy G. Thompson. I once dared to ask what he thought of Governor Ventura and his rise to national prominence, what with being a best-selling author, famous politico and all that.

Mr. Thompson, who was known to enjoy a taste of the spotlight every now and again, obviously wasn’t too happy with this interloper Ventura hogging up all the spotlights in the Midwest. I recall Mr. Thompson looking at me like I owed him money. That was the last time I brought up Mr. Ventura.

No Comments »