2008 Primaries, Branding Politix, Strategic Blueprints • July 1st, 2008

And the best candidate for vice-president is…

by Chris Lato

You’ll never believe this. Or maybe you will. At first blush it seemed ridiculous, but upon reflection it makes some sense.

Colin Powell for Vice President? For BOTH McCain and Obama? This story offers a fascinating, if egg-headed way of reaching this conclusion. His is the one name that hasn’t really been on the radar screen until now. Perhaps Powell paid for the study?

But consider: Powell is seen as a moderate who can work from the middle to achieve consensus. And while he has been tied to GOP administrations and his initial support of the current Iraq war, he offers the ‘elder statesman’ heft that Obama needs, and a moderating influence for those ‘McSame’ critics who believe McCain is little more than a war-monger in the Bush mold. He’d be a pretty strong pick for either one, if you believe (as I do) that the VP choice matters more in the 2008 cycle than it has in the past.

Interestingly, this story surfaces as the debate rages over the degree to which McCain should discuss and campaign on his military service record. Wesley Clark took McCain to task, and now Obama is backpedaling while the GOP lines up in a massive fit of outrage.

I remind you only of this: four years ago, if memory serves, the military service records of our presidential candidates was a pretty darn big deal. Remember the howls from the left about President Bush’s service in the National Guard while John Kerry was in Vietnam? Remember how Kerry proclaimed he was “reporting for duty” at the 2004 national convention? Hmm. I guess certain political experts are counting on the voting public to have a short memory about these things. But I digress.

Back to the VP-picking: Will anyone choose Colin Powell? Nah. He’s probably not interested. But it’s fun to ponder these notions of a dream ticket, and how things like ego trip up notions of a perfect pairing of candidates.

Just like Obama won’t pick Hillary for VP, and McCain is said to be weighing whether he can stomach Mitt Romney as a running mate (seems like a long-shot to me, but that would be a pretty strong ticket), this is the kind of prognosticating that we can - and probably will – be doing right up to national convention time.

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2008 Primaries, Grass Roots Organization, Strategic Blueprints, Views on News • June 11th, 2008

In search of…Obama’s ground troops

by Chris Lato

Well, this is interesting. Turns out Barack Obama may not have a gargantuan campaign operation running full-steam ahead in Wisconsin after all. Please refer to my Tuesday column for more about this fracas, but it does make my point that campaigns routinely talk tough about organizational strength, but the hot air often can’t be backed up by facts.

I know what you’re thinking: this is a news release from the Republican Party. We all know it’s full of lies and scurrilous innuendoes. How can we trust it? more »

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2008 Primaries, Strategic Blueprints • May 13th, 2008

Will Wisconsin be McCain Country in ‘08?

by Chris Lato

For the last five presidential elections, Democrats have taken Wisconsin – the last two times by razor-thin margins.

What does this mean for self-styled maverick John McCain in 2008? His campaign advisors think Wisconsin is promising – so much so that moves are being made to ensure the Badger State flips from blue to red this year.

The Journal Sentinel article I linked to above points out McCain will have to run a different type of campaign to carry Wisconsin – reaching out to the independents, conservative-minded Democrats, etc.

That will have to happen – to a point. But the McCain campaign forgets about the base at its peril.

In 2000 and 2004, the GOP worked like dogs to pull off a massive get-out-the-vote effort on behalf of Pres. Bush. It took an army of people to pull it off, and it was tantalizingly close to a success. After that, though, people were burned out, and that intensity wasn’t there in 2006, when Mark Green needed that juice to beat Jim Doyle in the race for governor. That was one reason (but certainly not the only reason) why Green lost – people weren’t quite feeling it.

This time around, again, the base is still not on fire over their party’s standard-bearer. McCain, as we’ve said before, has burned a lot of bridges with conservatives and the level of drive isn’t there yet. It will have to be, and soon. A good indicator of where things are at will be at this weekend’s GOP state convention in Stevens Point.

Still, Senator Russ Feingold makes a pretty astute observation about Wisconsin and McCain. You’ll recall the two worked side by side for years on campaign finance ‘reform’ legislation. Feingold’s politics are not my cup of tea, but he’s no dummy. From the Journal Sentinel article:

Feingold, McCain’s Senate colleague, has repeatedly warned that beating McCain in the state will be a serious challenge…In an interview earlier this year, he said McCain is “a candidate who seems to be extremely conservative (but) will be very hard to characterize,” and added that, in Wisconsin, “it’s going to be tougher than winning it against Bush, and Bush barely lost it twice.”

That is the X-factor here. McCain’s ‘independent’ streak speaks to people in Wisconsin who have no qualms about voting for a Democrat governor and a Republican attorney general. And that is what McCain’s team hopes to capitalize on. The only question now is whether that will be enough to carry the state without a message that also speaks to the base.

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Strategic Blueprints, Views on News • April 4th, 2008

Enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts, Wisconsin…

by Chris Lato

And you thought you would get a break…

After enjoying a couple nights of Supreme Court ad-free TV, the specter of 2009 has suddenly materialized.

74-year-old Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson faces re-election. Conservatives, emboldened by their victory this week, are already sharpening the blades in anticipation of next year’s contest.

It remains to be seen who will step up to take on Abrahamson, who is considered the high court’s most liberal justice. But after decades on the court, she has amassed a massive history of decisions that would make a political hitman giggle with delight. With a little bit of research, the ads will practically write themselves.

Is Abrahamson vulnerable? Before Tuesday, I would have said no. But now…

It depends, to a certain degree, on who is recruited and how soon. However, Michael Gableman jumped in fairly late and comes from far northern Wisconsin, with no support base to speak of, while his opponent, Louis Butler, was a sitting justice from populous Milwaukee County.

So what am I saying? Throw out the conventional wisdom book. Expect a slugfest. Anything can happen. Get ready to be blitzed by millions of dollars in TV ads.

The question then becomes: will there be a successful effort to re-write the rules of high court elections? Louis Butler supporters and the left-wing ‘independent’ groups that supported him are mad as hell, and some of them have the power to push a change in the rules. We’ll see if it actually happens.

One other thought: WMC is singled out as the Great Satan of this week’s high court race, but those same critics are virtually mum when it comes to WEAC’s pro-Butler work. Would the shoe be on the other foot if Gableman lost? Just wonderin’.

I know, it stinks to lose, it’s hard to deal with. But to try to comprehensively re-write the rules now will smack of the kind of partisanship that everyone claims they’re trying to avoid. Maybe if everyone just acknowledged their partisan colorings in this whole debate, we can have an honest, straight-up discussion. Until that happens, expect nothing to change. There is no such thing as a non-partisan Supreme Court race in Wisconsin, and to claim otherwise is disingenuous at best.

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Messaging, Strategic Blueprints, public relations • March 28th, 2008

Spreading the Big Lie

by Chris Lato

Charles Krauthammer has a great piece about how a fairly straightforward statement made by John McCain on the campaign trail will be used to bludgeon McCain on foreign policy over the next several months.

This is an excellent illustration of how Big Lies take root and blossom. You’ve probably heard this already, the idea that McCain wants us at war in Iraq for the next 100 years. Well, it ain’t true, but that’s not going to stop his opponents from twisting it around.

Now, this is nothing new. Candidates at all levels take statements out of context, give it their own twist and try to turn it into gospel.

What are the lessons to be learned? For starters, candidates are ALWAYS on. Whether it’s a phone call, an email, a public appearance, or just shaking hands in a crowd, there is never a moment that can’t be captured and used against the candidate. Proceed cautiously at all times. You are never off the record.

Which leads to my next point, which I hammer on regularly: message discipline. By extension, how is that message conveyed? When a small fraction of an answer can be taken and turned into the linchpin of an opposition campaign, what does that tell you? Minimize your exposure by carefully considering your answers. Don’t be afraid to think before speaking. Your opponents hope you don’t … so do everything in your power to not give them the ammunition to take you down.

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Leadership, Promotions, Strategic Blueprints • March 25th, 2008

Bucks for the Bucks?

by Chris Lato

So the Bradley Center is among the oldest facilities in the NBA, and the Bucks are worse than bad this season.

So what’s the solution? Build a new arena with taxpayer dollars, of course!

Steve Jagler sounds off on the issue and comments on how the powers-that-be refuse to play nice in coming up with a cohesive plan for downtown Milwaukee. It’s a shame, because it sounds like the potential is there if everyone could just get along.

I’m not going to claim to be some expert on sports (and if I did, those who know me well would call me out on it and embarrass me terribly), but here’s my take on new stadiums for teams. This will sound simplistic but it makes perfect sense to me.

If you’re winning, let’s talk. If you’re losing, go away until you’ve shown a commitment to winning. Then, let’s talk.

The Packers did things the right way. The Brewers, not so much – although last year was incredible. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off the Brewers’ season but it showed that Milwaukee can and will support a pro baseball team that has at least a reasonable shot at success.

But initially, things were a bit rough for Miller Park after the shiny new ballpark goodness wore off. Once a better team started taking the field, interest spiked once again.

A winning team puts butts in the seats. Go figure!

As for the Bucks, well, this season has been an unmitigated disaster. Talk about building a new arena has been churning out there for a while, but who’s going to want to back this loser team?

Playing devil’s advocate for a moment, perhaps the last best way to sell the idea of a new arena under these grim circumstances is to find a way to unite the various forces controlling downtown Milwaukee, design a state-of the art arena that will attract top-shelf live shows year-round, sell the economic benefits to the many skeptics who will control the purse strings, and systematically make the case that this will be a long-term jewel in the city’s crown. All marketing and positioning should seek to strike a balance: the big-city feel of a beautiful new arena with an intimate community connection.

Also, the Brewers have done a fantastic marketing job, making going to the ballpark fun even when the team is tanking. The Bucks need to find a way to capture some of that magic in their marketing and promotions.

This is a lot of work. It would not be easy.

The way NOT to sell the notion of a new arena is to threaten for the Bucks to pull up stakes and move out of Milwaukee. The lingering resentment surrounding mega-rich owner Herb Kohl will only intensify if those who will be asked to foot the bill feel like they’re being steamrolled on behalf of a wealthy owner throwing a tantrum.

But again, let’s see some winning first. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down - and will put some smiles on the faces of those who will be asked to pony up later.

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Messaging, Strategic Blueprints, public relations • March 24th, 2008

Who wants to be a chancellor?

by Chris Lato

I saw this article on the front page of the Wisconsin State Journal Sunday and thought to myself: someone’s working overtime to put a positive spin on the UW Chancellor salary issue.

The President of the United States is paid $400,000 a year, with another $50,000 a year for expenses. (When the president travels to meet with foreign dignitaries, does he have to pick up the check a lot?)

The next UW-Madison chancellor will be paid between $370,000 to $452,000. Yup, more than the leader of the free world. Am I crazy, or does that seem awfully high? (Full disclosure alert: I’m a UW-Madison graduate, and yes, it was generally a fine education.)

No doubt the chancellor is a busy guy. It sounds like a big job with long hours, etc., etc. But still…there has been criticism of the pay level that sounds valid to me.

In addition, numerous articles cite UW-Madison’s difficult relationship with the state Legislature, and Wiley is blamed for some of those problems.

Now, before going any further, I should point out that this is not intended as a hit piece. But the article got me thinking about how to navigate the choppy PR waters in a case like this. Fences need to be mended with lawmakers who control the purse strings for the UW System. The public needs to understand just what the job entails, and how important UW-Madison is to higher education in Wisconsin - because that salary will undoubtedly cause sticker shock. Justifying the price tag when Wisconsin is in a budget hole and the economy shows signs of heading into the tank is the biggest challenge. If you can’t do that, you’d better re-think your strategy. Just saying “The chancellor works really hard” won’t cut it.

At any rate, the deadline to apply for the chancellor’s job is Friday, so if you think you have what it takes, get your resume together and good luck!

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Leadership, Strategic Blueprints, Views on News, public relations • March 21st, 2008

The SEWRPC squabble

by Chris Lato

The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) has picked a new executive director.

So what, you say? Plenty of area politicos have been wringing their hands, and not without good reason, over the way the taxpayer-financed public planning group handles the selection process for the six-figure job. In addition, blogger James Rowen thoroughly dismantles the group here.

Sounds like a group in need of an image makeover, no?

The selection process used by SEWRPC is fair game for criticism, as it smacks of back-room cronyism. How about a more open process, with the participation of local politicians, the public, even (gasp!) your critics? If the decision you are making is sound, then it can withstand some heat, and openness goes a long way toward erasing the feeling that something fishy is going on.

Be prepared for the negative questions. Have someone play the devil’s advocate and ask you the tough questions, taking the time to think through your justification for the process you use. Know your critics – take the time to understand what they say and where they are coming from. That helps prevent surprises and prepares you for the worst that can be thrown at you.

The group’s function and purpose are different matters (critics like Rowen clearly have their issues with SEWRPC’s role). I could lay out a detailed plan to help SEWRPC turn things around, but then someone would have to pay me.

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Branding Politix, Speeches, Strategic Blueprints, public relations • February 25th, 2008

Defining McCain, defining Obama

by Chris Lato

This is weird- I was having a conversation at lunch Monday about this exact topic, only to find this article that articulates the issue well. Assuming it will be Obama vs. McCain this November (and I am getting close to making that assumption), this is what the race will be about.

Barack Obama is sending messages about who he is and what he wants to stand for. It is an appeal to emotions and feelings. That is the niche he has very successfully carved out for himself.

In contrast, John McCain’s messages are more about steady leadership. He is not about ‘hope for the future.’

Obama appeals to the heart, McCain to the head. On that basis, who wins in November?

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Branding Politix, Leadership, Strategic Blueprints, Views on News, public relations, wispundits • February 24th, 2008

Kehl needs to get message out

by Dennis A. Shook

How do you continue to function as a public official when you have been charged with a misdeed but won’t have a chance to answer charges in a court for many weeks or months?

That is problem faced now by Kenosha County Executive Allan Kehl, who is in the middle of his second term as county leader and also finds himself in the middle of one of the biggest scandals in Kenosha history.

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