I believe the children are our future... Yadda, yadda, yadda.
I had started this post on Saturday Night about my invitation to speak to the Teenage Republican Camp, but I noticed that SD Straight Talk beat me to the punch on discussing TAR Camp.
I was recently contacted by Dustin "Dusty" Johnson, our recently elected Public Utilities Commissioner, who noted that he'd been reading my weblog, and thought it was ok. Of course, the compliment preceded a request to speak at TAR camp about running and working in campaigns.
Oh, crap. Now I have to come up with a topic.
Talk about my weblog? I sometimes use what my 1st grader would consider potty words in my blog. That's out. I'd hate to be blamed for the corruption of impressionable Republican youth.
I was informed by the camp director Tom Muenster (A son of notable Democrats Ted and Karen Muenster. Who we corrupted early in life with our Republican jedi mind control techniques.) that he gave my half-hour talk the title "Running a Winning Campaign." But I don't know if that's an appropriate title. If any of us could guarantee that, we'd be rich, fat, and happy. (I've only got one or two of those)
What I'm going to try to come up with is something that helps them avoid the mistakes that many campaigns make. Given I'm talking to a bunch of teenaged kids, and immediately after lunch, it had better be interesting.
So, I've come up with "Everything I needed to know in politics, I learned from the movies."
#1 - Don't bring a knife to a gun fight (from the Untouchables) - In a campaign, a candidate should be prepared and up to the challenge ahead. This means having an idea of what kind of race you are in for. If you have an opponent who regularly spends fifteen thousand dollars to win a state legislative race, don't expect to win by spending $100 because "everybody knows you."
#2 - You're a legend in your own mind (from Dirty Harry) - If you think everybody knows you, you're dead wrong. When George Mickelson first ran for Governor in the primary, he commissioned a poll to check his name id. It was less that that of Dick Kneip. And Dick had passed away a several years earlier. Name ID is number one.
#3 - Luke, I am your father. (If you don't know this, you're living in a cave) - Sometimes things in a candidate's background that aren't known up front can come back to become an issue. Be prepared to address ANYTHING that may come up in a campaign. As you do opposition research, give your own candidate the same treatment to prepare for the battle.
#4 - The Truth? You can't handle the truth. (from A Few Good Men) - In a campaign, always be truthful in your communications to the public and the media. Nothing can kill a campaign quicker than being viewed as dishonest or untruthful.
#5 - Here, let me take your bloody, rotten picture for the bloody, rotten newspaper (Lawrence of Arabia) - Good campaign photography is a must. The candidate should smile, and should also avoid novelty poses like the hand on the chin or the self hug.
#6 - Come on, fellas. Rome wasn't built in a day. --Yeah, it took several hundred years. (The Bad News Bears) - Good campaigns are not built in a day. You must map out a strategy on how to acheive your goals of electoral victory. It's usually done in the form of a campaign plan. A good campaign knows it only starts to build on day one and continues up to election day.
I'm going to come up with a few more, so I'd better not give all my talk away.
Th.. th.. that's all folks!
I was recently contacted by Dustin "Dusty" Johnson, our recently elected Public Utilities Commissioner, who noted that he'd been reading my weblog, and thought it was ok. Of course, the compliment preceded a request to speak at TAR camp about running and working in campaigns.
Oh, crap. Now I have to come up with a topic.
Talk about my weblog? I sometimes use what my 1st grader would consider potty words in my blog. That's out. I'd hate to be blamed for the corruption of impressionable Republican youth.
I was informed by the camp director Tom Muenster (A son of notable Democrats Ted and Karen Muenster. Who we corrupted early in life with our Republican jedi mind control techniques.) that he gave my half-hour talk the title "Running a Winning Campaign." But I don't know if that's an appropriate title. If any of us could guarantee that, we'd be rich, fat, and happy. (I've only got one or two of those)
What I'm going to try to come up with is something that helps them avoid the mistakes that many campaigns make. Given I'm talking to a bunch of teenaged kids, and immediately after lunch, it had better be interesting.
So, I've come up with "Everything I needed to know in politics, I learned from the movies."
#1 - Don't bring a knife to a gun fight (from the Untouchables) - In a campaign, a candidate should be prepared and up to the challenge ahead. This means having an idea of what kind of race you are in for. If you have an opponent who regularly spends fifteen thousand dollars to win a state legislative race, don't expect to win by spending $100 because "everybody knows you."
#2 - You're a legend in your own mind (from Dirty Harry) - If you think everybody knows you, you're dead wrong. When George Mickelson first ran for Governor in the primary, he commissioned a poll to check his name id. It was less that that of Dick Kneip. And Dick had passed away a several years earlier. Name ID is number one.
#3 - Luke, I am your father. (If you don't know this, you're living in a cave) - Sometimes things in a candidate's background that aren't known up front can come back to become an issue. Be prepared to address ANYTHING that may come up in a campaign. As you do opposition research, give your own candidate the same treatment to prepare for the battle.
#4 - The Truth? You can't handle the truth. (from A Few Good Men) - In a campaign, always be truthful in your communications to the public and the media. Nothing can kill a campaign quicker than being viewed as dishonest or untruthful.
#5 - Here, let me take your bloody, rotten picture for the bloody, rotten newspaper (Lawrence of Arabia) - Good campaign photography is a must. The candidate should smile, and should also avoid novelty poses like the hand on the chin or the self hug.
#6 - Come on, fellas. Rome wasn't built in a day. --Yeah, it took several hundred years. (The Bad News Bears) - Good campaigns are not built in a day. You must map out a strategy on how to acheive your goals of electoral victory. It's usually done in the form of a campaign plan. A good campaign knows it only starts to build on day one and continues up to election day.
I'm going to come up with a few more, so I'd better not give all my talk away.
Th.. th.. that's all folks!
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