2008 Primaries, Branding Politix, Events, Speeches, Strategic Blueprints, Views on News • August 29th, 2008

DNC: A wrap-up

by Chris Lato

History was made this week, and that alone is worthy of acknowledgement. Barack Obama is America’s first black major-party nominee for President. Respect and praise are due. Congratulations to Senator Obama.

As for Obama’s speech last night, was there ever any doubt that Obama could deliver the goods? The words were a combination of bromides, some substance, and a surprising number of shots across the bow directed at John McCain. The pressure to start hitting back at McCain has clearly rattled Team Obama. Politics is politics, after all – despite the claims by some that they are above political gamesmanship. At some point, Obama had to engage, and he chose to do so before an audience of 30 million. It will be interesting to watch the response, particularly in terms of the size of the poll bump Obama will enjoy.

If anything, it could be said that Obama was a victim of his handlers’ hubris. The stage from which Obama spoke, a sort of Parthenon-meets-West-Wing thing that, amazingly, erupts in fireworks at the end of speeches, was a glitzy and perhaps overreaching touch. The spectacle, with 80,000-plus in a big stadium, could be seen as a continuation of the ‘celebrity’ positioning that Obama enjoys, and McCain has criticized as being shallow.

Increasingly, the race is centering on a Big Theme: Change vs. Experience. By any reasonable measure, Obama has enjoyed a meteoric rise with a fairly thin resume but far less baggage as ‘just another politician’ (although a major party candidate, by definition, is a politician no matter how you try to spin it). Meanwhile, McCain has decades of experience as a legislator, but could be broadly painted with the ‘Washington insider’ brush.

Next up – the GOP gets its turn, starting today with McCain’s choice for VP. (CNBC says it’s Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska.) It will either be a brilliant choice or a huge disappointment. I don’t see much room for in-between on this one.

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2008 Primaries, Events, Leadership, Messaging, Speeches • August 28th, 2008

DNC: Days three and four (and a little bit more)

by Chris Lato

Day three of DNC went by without any apparent hitches in Denver Wednesday. Joe Biden and Bill Clinton delivered what they had to in their speeches, with Clinton offering a persuasive address that offered stronger words of support for Barack Obama than Hillary C. was able to muster.

Obama is seeing the expected bump in the tracking polls. His address tonight is being billed as The Speech of a Lifetime, one that has to seal the deal with disaffected Hillary Democrats, independents and Republicans who believe that change would do America good.

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

DNC: Day two

by Chris Lato

It needed to be a home run. It fell short.

As the world already knows, Hillary Clinton expected to be delivering a very different speech at the DNC. And with Barack Obama the all-but-confirmed nominee, Clinton needed to be unabashed in her support of Obama, to convince her 18 million voters that they needed to get behind Obama with the same level of passion they felt when supporting her historic run.

But something felt off last night. Perhaps the energy was different in the convention hall (and her line about ‘the sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits’ was a classic). Clinton said most of the right words, but the hollow, at times passionless delivery said a lot more. Clinton praised the idea of a Democrat President, but didn’t go too far in praising Obama, the candidate.

For once, Hillary Clinton was the puppet, not the puppetmaster. And it clearly doesn’t suit her.

(A side note: NBC kept cutting away to Michelle Obama, who appeared alternately tense and perturbed.)

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2008 Primaries, Branding Politix, Leadership, Messaging, Views on News • August 26th, 2008

DNC: Day one

by Chris Lato

(A note of thanks to Joy Cardin and the folks at Wisconsin Public Radio for having me on this morning from 7-8 AM to discuss John McCain’s chances in Wisconsin, and to offer some thoughts on the Democratic convention. You can listen to the full hour here.)

The big prime-time reinvention of Michelle Obama went off without a hitch from Denver Monday night, with Mrs. Obama taking great pains to point out she loves America, and that the Obama family is just regular folks.

For what it was, the speech was accomplished. Anyone looking for substance would be advised to look elsewhere. Mrs. Obama’s job was not to talk policy or attack John McCain, but to gain ground with those who don’t trust, or don’t feel like they ‘know’ Barack Obama. Mrs. Obama also has image problems going back to her comments about being ‘proud’ of her country for the first time in her adult life with the ascension of her husband during primary season.

Her speech was simple and feel-good. She is a solid speaker and the address delivered effective positioning.

Mrs. Obama was then joined by their adorable daughters onstage for an unscripted moment, talking to their dad via satellite. It was both touching and a little awkward, thanks to pauses (probably due to delays in the satellite linkup). It seemed that Barack Obama kept wanting to speak but his kids kept interrupting.

As the convention rolls on, the question being asked by some: when does the Obama campaign go on the offensive and start hitting John McCain? The smart money suggests it needs to start happening very soon. The McCain campaign is landing some strong body blows, as even some Democrats are starting to admit. The Britney Spears/Paris Hilton ‘celebrity’ ad gained traction. Now, the McCain team is using negative remarks about Obama from Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Also, that whole flap with the Democratic pro-Hillary delegate from Wisconsin who flipped and is now on McCain’s side continues to haunt and frustrate the Democrats.

In large part, this race is about Barack Obama – his level of experience, his star power, the historic nature of his campaign. McCain’s team knows that and went on the attack accordingly. Once the convention is over, how will the Democrats capitalize on any post-convention momentum? This is a fork in the road, a crucial time in the campaign. The decisions made at that point could well decide the race.

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2008 Primaries, Views on News • August 25th, 2008

Shoo-in? Not so fast

by Chris Lato

On Sunday, I had the honor of appearing on the pages of the Wisconsin State Journal writing about John McCain’s chances of winning Wisconsin. You can see it, complete with my handsome mug, right here.

Thanks again to the WSJ folks, and Scott Milfred in particular, for the opportunity.

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2008 Primaries, Branding Politix, Views on News • August 21st, 2008

The hazards of a ‘unity ticket’

by Chris Lato

Gulp.

I would like to think this talk is all a smokescreen, and that John McCain would never actually pick Joe Lieberman as a running mate. I still believe that is the case, and that McCain will make a different choice. I can think of at least five others off the top of my head that would be better selections.

I have written a lot about McCain’s independence, and that is one reason why he has a legitimate shot at winning.

But McCain/Lieberman (A.K.A. the Grumpy Old White Guys ticket – Democrats, help yourselves to that one) would just anger a lot of people. It would really be a sharp stick in the eye at a time when McCain’s connections to the conservative base in particular are tenuous.

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Messaging, public relations, wispundits • August 19th, 2008

An eXXXpensive PR blow

by Chris Lato

State Sen. Rob Cowles is considered a fiscal conservative - but with his investments, he was socially quite liberal.

As Dan Bice reported, Cowles had money tied up in some adult-entertainment stocks. Cowles admitted he knew the companies had strip clubs, but was surprised to hear about some of the raunchy websites and magazines the companies also operated.

Again - Cowles knew about the strip-club connection. As a politician, what was he thinking when he signed off on that? Of course that will come back to bite you. There has to be a hundred better ways to invest one’s money when you are an elected official.

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Fundraising • August 18th, 2008

Kagen vs. Karl

by Chris Lato

U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen says Karl Rove is out to get him this November.

Kagen (who has referred to himself in the recent past as ‘Dr. Multimillionaire’) is a freshman Democrat Congressman in the Fox Valley’s 8th district, which gently leans Republican. So, of course, Republicans have visions of Jay Johnson dancing in their heads – and they have a big fat target painted on Kagen’s back.

Let’s face it. If you’re a freshman, you’re vulnerable. There are degrees of vulnerability, but that’s just the way the game is played.

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Creative, Promotions • August 15th, 2008

Milwaukee: Bringing sexyback

by Chris Lato

I couldn’t resist a few words about this one.

Marie Claire, a magazine I am not the target audience for, has deemed Milwaukee the ‘Sexiest City’ on a list called ‘Sexy 101.’

Pick your jaw up off the floor, all you sexy people out there.

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2008 Primaries, Grass Roots Organization • August 14th, 2008

Growing the grassroots

by Chris Lato

Slowly but surely, things are tightening up in Wisconsin.

The latest Strategic Vision poll has Obama with a 5-point lead on McCain in the Badger State. Obama has led in every credible poll since May, but the Real Clear Politics averages show the gap is closing.

Now, the campaigns are making a lot of noise about their ground-level organization in Wisconsin. In particular, I was struck by the difference in the way the campaigns are organizing. Loosely defined, the McCain camp is using a ‘top-down’ structure (getting marching orders from the campaign, using local folks to pass those orders on down the line) while Team Obama claims to be operating from the ‘bottom-up’ (give the grassroots some basic geographic parameters and let them go to town).

Assuming the Obama campaign is shooting straight, the ‘bottom-up’ style of grassroots campaigning is an interesting notion. The concern is whether all these enthusiastic volunteers have a full understanding of what needs to happen to actually move pro-Obama voters to the polls.

In recent elections, Republicans have run statewide campaigns with an iron fist – not a lot of room for improvising. While plenty of volunteers chafed under the oppressive aspects of such a structure, at least there is no question about what needs to be done and who needs to be doing it.

The Obama ‘bottom-up’ campaign comments are certainly in keeping with efforts to position Obama as the ‘man of the people’ candidate - the one whose campaign is a phenomenon, not a political machine.

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