Category Archives: Campaign Tactics & Analysis

Be A Nosy Neighbor With Fundrace 2008!

Posted on February 27, 2008 by | Leave a comment

If you’re bored at work and have that urge to be a nosy neighbor, check out Fundrace 2008, which is now being hosted this season at the (sigh) Huffington Post.
You can type in an address, a city, a name or even just a zip code and start finding out who’s donating to whom, right in your own neighborhood. It’s a mashup of Google Maps and the publicly available data from the Federal Elections Commission.
15 years ago, to get data of any sort like this meant either going to the FEC in Washington, D.C. and copying down the info yourself, or buying information from a vendor. Now, if you want to analyze and snoop around presidential campaign finances, all you have to do is get on the Series of Tubes Known As the Internet and poke around to your heart’s content. Hurrah for technology!

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There’s No “Safe Word” In San Francisco Politics And Mayor Newsom’s Team Knows It…

Posted on February 11, 2008 by | Leave a comment

You really have to hand it to Mayor Newsom and his team. They can pretty much get away with anything, short of murder for hire, and no one seems to really mind. Even more amazing, even when “progressives” are right on the issues, they can’t seem to get their message out.
This latest brouhaha, between Supervisor Peskin, the Mayor, the infamous MTA, et al gets the usual “political gossip” treatment, as always. But also, as always, we tend to forget a few salient points as to how we got here.
We’re in a situation where the city has a big budget deficit and Mayor Newsom has ordered awesome-sounding “across the board cuts,” sounding all fiscally responsible. Which is funny, because as Supervisor Daly tried to point out, this is the same Mayor who blew out the budget with big expensive pay raises and increases in the City payroll.
What’s even funnier is that as Daly was trying to point this out, his infamous “cocaine” line blew up into this Big Problem, and Supervisor Peskin was gamed into removing Daly from the Budget Committee. So even though in this case Daly was right, it was he who paid the price – and the Chronicle waited 6 months to note Newsom’s key role in blowing out the budget.
Now, to be fair, it was not that hard to push Daly aside – his acrimonious style, and his spending of political capital on symbolic measures made it easy for the Mayor’s people, and their friends in the press, to make it all about something Daly really didn’t say. Chalk one up for repeating the “mean Chris” meme, and one down for any serious budget reporting.
Likewise, as the Mayor is demanding we cut funds from things we need, he’s spending a lot of money on plasma TVs and fancy new offices. And to pay all these people watching ProRun on those plasma tvs, he’s swiping money from MUNI and other agencies so he can fill the chairs.
But once again, it really doesn’t matter if the Mayor’s people are doing anything wrong – they’re recasting this as a “personal attack” and upping the ante with all kinds of personal and legal attacks, so no one stops and thinks about the actual issues at hand. And once again, as in the case with Daly, Peskin’s temperament and style are being used against him. Suddenly we’re talking about he-said-he-said, instead of talking about whether the Mayor is breaking the law, or mismanaging the taxpayers’ money.
Brilliant. One thing progressives and their allies don’t seem to understand is that in these fights being “right” with the facts isn’t enough – you have to have the political capital to be able to fight back.
Blowing it all on symbolic measures and feel-good stuff means you don’t have it when you really need it. Now, the Mayor’s holding all the cards, and although his opponents may have caught his hand in the till, they’re losing the battle.
As this latest political battle escalates, it’s clear the Mayor’s people don’t mind playing rough with their opponents. There’s no “safe word” in San Francisco politics, and those who would oppose the Mayor would be wise to remember that.
Note: I wish I was clever enough to come up with that last bit, but it’s actually a paraphrasing of a comment I heard from a friend, so I wanted to be sure I mentioned that.

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Posted in Campaign Tactics & Analysis, Debunking Politicos Pundits + Spin, San Francisco Politics

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Record Voter Turnout in Presidential Primaries Has Some Lessons for Local Politickers

Posted on February 10, 2008 by | Leave a comment

The LA Times has an interesting report on the record voter turnout we’re seeing in primaries, and in particular the lopsided increase in turnout on the Democratic side.
The article has some interesting facts and figures, but it pretty much bears out what I said last week – that if you have good candidates who aggressively campaign on issues and ideals that people actually care about, people vote. Who told?
(Oh, and I find it equally amazing that Sen. Obama has been able to run an incredibly close race fueled mostly by small to mid-sized donations…while lefty champions are once again left in the dust.)
It’s a stark contrast to the mind numbingly stupid elections we had in Supposedly Liberal Brainiac San Francisco, where “progressives” had a FAIL so complete and total, turnout was in the toilet. And now, of course, the progressives are crying about the Mayor’s shenanigans, not realizing that if they’d just bothered to run a real candidate, the election might have had a different outcome. Boo hoo for them.
Most importantly, these record turnouts of voters are coming out without any of the lefty electoral gimmicks out-of-state reformers are trying to peddle across the country as ways to “increase turnout.”
It’s really simple, people. If you run a good campaign, you win the election. If you inspire people to action, they act. If you listen to people and talk about the issues they actually care about, they get excited and feel like politics is an opportunity for change – not just a tired exercise that people don’t feel matters to them.
There’s a chance that local “progressives” might take a lesson from all of this in the upcoming elections in November, and perhaps try strategies that don’t involved running around in circles, gossiping like junior high girls in gym class, and whining.
News flash, progressives: THIS DOESN’T F*CKING WORK. Stop trying to game the electorate with phony reform bullsh*t. Run on a vision and an agenda that works for the citizens who actually vote in elections, and you might win. If nothing else, it would be an improvement over last year’s “act like gossiping dorks” strategy.
The real winner will be the voters of San Francisco, if they’re given an honest race between various factions who all strive to offer a cohesive vision of policy and politics for the next four years. We’ll see what happens.

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Posted in Campaign Tactics & Analysis, Politics of Political Reform, San Francisco Politics

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Typographers and Designers Weigh In on Candidate Logos…

Posted on February 6, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Following up on that Life Savers post, here’s an analysis of the Presidential campaign logos, as judged by professional designers and typographers. It’s definitely entertaining, and you learn something too!

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Primary Day Record Turnout: If It Matters, People VOTE…

Posted on February 5, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Record turnout in today’s California primary, as well as in other states, is getting all sorts of press-y goodness. Everyone’s just simply amazed at the level of interest in the process. Astounded!

And now the Institute of No Duh makes a point: If these things are front-loaded for some professional bore like say, Sen. Kerry (as we had in 2004) guess what? No one cares. If you have a battle of the Titans like we had in 2006 for Governor of California against Gov. Doofinator, guess what? You get record low turnout even in the Bay Area!

But o hai! If you have a contest where something’s on the line, and you have candidates who are kicking ass and taking names to get a nomination for President, and you have a population that has seen what happens when you let Ralph Nader and the GOP define things, guess what? People go to the F*CKING polls.

They don’t need lefty gimmicks like “IRV” or other phony baloney reforms – they just need people to step up and do something. We have had an entire generation of politicians scheme and plot to take any sort of spontaneity out of the nomination process (mostly on the Democrat side) because of the scars of 1972.

Along the way, politickers and prognosticators, pundits and pontificators forgot something pretty basic – if you have something that matters, people will participate. If it’s all phony baloney BS that serves up a big batch of Mushy Rhetoric with a chaser of “We Don’t Give A Crap What You Think,” then guess what? People tune out.

If you’re in California and haven’t voted yet, do so at once! It matters and it’s worth it. I voted for Obama today and I couldn’t be happier, to be honest. It was a difficult choice but when I see so many good people who felt politics was crapola turn around and decide that not only would they get involved, but do so for this guy, I figured he had something we could use.

Vote early, vote legally, and if you’re a DTS (aka non aligned, aka Independent, aka nonparisan) voter, demand a Democratic ballot and vote. (The GOP hates DTS voters and won’t let you play, but Democrats have seen the light. Good for them.)

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Posted in California Politics, Campaign Tactics & Analysis

Learning A Political Lesson from A Piece of Candy – The Life Savers Rebranding

Posted on February 4, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Although I work on primarily political campaigns, I try to read as much as I can about “real” advertising, since the political consulting industry can sometimes get a bit static. We tend to use the same ideas over and over because they usually work – and no one wants to go out on a limb (especially clients) and try some crazy new idea and lose and be “the guy who sank the campaign with the weird idea.”
That’s unfortunate, because to reach people today you have to speak their pop culture “language” and compete with thousands of messages from “real” advertisers. If you always hit them with “red white and blue,” they tune out. At the same time, unlike “real” advertisers, we can’t sell 365 days of the year so the tendency to stay the course is understandable.
One of my favorite places to catch up on all things ad and design related are the Under Consideration constellation of websites, and in particular, their Brand New blog which chronicles the retooling of corporate logos and brand identity.
Most recently, they wrote about the remake of the Life Savers logo and packaging which was fascinating. Almost everyone knows what Life Savers are – little hard candies that haven’t change that much for decades. Thus, how do simple sugary candies stand out in an era where everything marketed has to be “xtreme” or “totally awesome” and as loud as possible?
The folks at Wrigley’s figured it out – rather than compete on the same level as all the trendy fad candies, coming up with zany flavors, they decided to play to their strength – simplicity. In a crowded aisle full of colorful packaging the Life Savers candy bags – with their simple depiction of just one BIG picture of the candy – stand out.
In politics, sometimes you have to do the same thing to win and get your message out. There was a school of thought (especially in Democratic circles) that to win against the “other side” one had to pre-empt them on “their” issues by making them “yours” as well, so you couldn’t be attacked – you were “innoculated.” (Just take a trip in the Wayback Machine to 1984 and 1988, and you can see why people thought this might be a good idea.)
While that strategy might have made sense in the late 80s and early 90s, as it was with folks like former DLC chairman Bill Clinton when they ran for President, it’s not entirely foolproof. If politicians compete to be more and more alike, the result is often mushy rhetoric that sounds “phony” to the average voter.
Sometimes if you really want to distinguish yourself and your message, you have to stop competing with your opponent on their terms, and redefine the argument to your strengths instead. Plus it has the added benefit of being a bit more honest.
It’s funny how a piece of candy can teach you a lesson about politics. The question is, which Presidential candidates are learning the lesson, and which aren’t?
I guess we’ll see on Tuesday! Don’t forget to vote!

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Posted in Campaign Tactics & Analysis, Debunking Politicos Pundits + Spin

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Hey! My Friend Was on “The Daily Show!”

Posted on February 1, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Thanks to The Internets, I was able to see my good friend Jim Spencer of The Campaign Network on the Daily Show, even though I don’t presently have cable.
Jim’s a great guy and one of the best political consultants in the country, and has run some pretty amazing campaigns over the years. I worked with him when we both worked at The Big Company I Can’t Name, and later in 2003, I spent a summer working for his firm in Boston which was quite fun. Here you can see the view from the company’s offices in Boston.
And, thanks to Comedy Central, you can see the video, and learn a little about direct mail! Check it out! (link fixed…)

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Posted in Campaign Tactics & Analysis, Debunking Politicos Pundits + Spin

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Why Barack Obama’s Campaign Rocks: The 12th CD Campaign Is Having Their Party at the Blackthorn!

Posted on January 31, 2008 by | Leave a comment

So here I am, finishing off the Obama/Clinton debate, and I get this email from the good folks volunteering for Barack Obama in the 12th Congressional District (SF/San Mateo). It seems our good citizens working for Sen. Obama in SF are having a primary watch party just a few blocks from my house…at the Blackthorn Tavern!
Loyal readers of my way, way, way more popular blog The N Judah Chronicles know that this is my favorite bar in the Inner Sunset. I’ve been known to attend pub trivia here (which rocks), and overall it’s one of the friendliest and most fun places to hang out here. Since the new owners took over in June of 2007 they’ve really made this place a great place to hang out. Why go all the way into SoMA or Downtown when you can have a fun time out here? At least that’s what I think.
And now the Obama folks are having an event there. Smart. Very smart. Once again, the Obama folks are where the people are, and know how to bring folks in. If you’re going to have a vote watch party, why not have it at one of the best places in the Inner Sunset?
Then again, any time is a good time at the Blackthorn anyway, and this just adds to the fun. See you on Tuesday!

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Why John McCain Should Scare The Crap Out of Democrats….

Posted on January 31, 2008 by | Leave a comment

The funny thing about living in San Francisco is that to the outside world, folks seem to assume this is some sort of Greenie Communist Disneyland, with abortions on demand at every corner, parades in honor of Lenin and Ho Chi Minh, and so on.
Even here in town, you have people that parachute in here, thinking that we’re the capital of the left, and some of even carpetbag themselves into a Congressional run, thinking that they’re in Liberal Lefty Nirvana.
Bzzt! Wrong again!
I say this because as we close in on a Mega Super Happy Fightingest Primary Ever, and Democratic voters try to decide Which Candidate to Vote For, something has been coming up, time and again in conversations I have with Real San Franciscans: a lot of people here will vote for McCain, mostly if Sen. Clinton is the nominee.
It’s really weird. These are not discussions with political folk per se, these are chats with good people of various ages, ethnic backgrounds and whatnot who really live here, and it keeps coming down to something folks really want – after 8 years of the GW Wrecking Crew and 6 years of a GOP congress, this country not only needs a political colonic to flush out the toxins of the past, but also move forward and push aside the professional screamers and assorted idiots that poison politics and get sh*t done.
And for some reason, folks seem to think that Sen. Obama might be the kind of guy who can do such a thing, but they don’t see Hillary (or is it Bill and Hillary) and the politics of the 90s being the way to go, and as such would bolt to McCain in a second.
Read that again. San Franciscans, who are alleged to be godless hippie Communists, will vote for John McCain, pro-life record or not.
Kinda freaky when you re-read it, huh?
And now the punchline – I’m not so sure I won’t be one of them. I know full well the many many problems with McCain’s past, many of his stands on issues are diamertically opposed to my own, and God, the thought of actually voting for a presidential candidate that is in the same party as President 28% and Vice President Vader still gives me the shakes.
At the same time, however, Sen. McCain has been one of the few Washington politicians who has stood up for a rational immigration policy (something of interest to my neighbors out here in the Sunset as well as folks on the east side of town).
And, unlike the Clintons in the 90s, McCain does not see Indian tribes as cash machines for political soft money donations, but instead has tried to force the inherently stupid Department of the Interior to settle the trust lawsuit that was filed to force the feds to admit they stole from millions of people for over 100 years. And up against a more Democratic Congress, a President McCain would be more likely to work with a Speaker Pelosi or a Majority Leader Reid, vs. say a President Guy Smiley (Romney).
Heresy, I know. But people are more concerned about just what kind of country we’ll have, and want to see action, not more shenanigans. President Clinton II or President Romney is more of the same old bullsh*t.
At least with Sen. Obama we might have someone who could try and bring people together, and work with folks (and hopefully a Congress populated with more REAL Democrats to back up Our Speaker ).
But a lot of people are starting to think that if it’s a McCain/Hillary contest, things could go bad, and if even us hippies in San Francisco are thinking about McCain as a legitimate choice, it’s time to take a Clue Pill and try to not invent a new way to f*ck up what should be our chance to set things right.
UPDATE: Yet another reason Democrats should fear McCain. The famous button of the early 90’s “Oh God PLEASE Not Another Republican” seems appropo.
(I won’t deny that it doesn’t hurt that Sen. McCain and Sen. Kennedy honored my cousin Helen, who passed away in 2006, honoring her tireless honesty, fairness, and trailblazing career as a woman journalist in DC. That said, it’s not the ultimate reason, but in the interests of full disclosure bla bla bla, I thought I’d mention it.)

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Posted in Campaign Tactics & Analysis, Democratic Party Chatter

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“Street Fight” vs. “Dork Fight” : A Look At A Truly Tough, “Mean” Campaign

Posted on April 11, 2007 by | Leave a comment

This weekend I got a copy of Street Fight. Although the title suggests it’s a Hong Kong action flick, in fact it is a great documentary about the 2002 Newark Mayor’s race. It has as much drama and tension as any Scorsese film, and it has more eye-opening and jaw-dropping moments than I can remember.
Why all the drama? In this case, the battle was between Councilman Cory Booker, a young African American attorney (and Stanford grad!) who was serving his first term on the Newark City Council, and incumbent Mayor Sharpe James, who’d been in office for decades.
Watching the film, and the amazing abuses of police power, democracy, and how easily an American city can toss the freedoms we take for granted into the dumpster, was really something to watch. In the face of such adversity, most people would give up, or lose it as the endless BS piled up against them, and who would blame them?
Instead, it was both the personal integrity Booker had, along with his strong sense of self and true belief in what he was doing, that kept him going through these really tough times. The film does an excellent job of showing behind the scenes moments in a campaign few people get to see, and by the end you’re really rooting for the guy.

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Posted in Campaign Tactics & Analysis, San Francisco Politics