Public speaking, media training, presentation training, crisis communications
Posts Tagged Politics
Nancy Pelosi to remain Democratic Leader
Posted by TJ Walker in Communications, Crisis Communications, Government & Politics, Media, Media Training, reputation management on November 14, 2010
Is this a monumental blunder on the part of democrats? Maybe, maybe not. While Pelosi became unpopular as she was tied to an unpopular health care plan and rising unemployment, the negatives to her were never personal. There was never any negative publicity about her cashing in on corrupt book deals (Newt), divorcing a spouse the day after that spouse had cancer surgery (Newt), or shutting down the government because she didn’t get the right seat on Air Force One (Newt). Sure, Pelosi’s negatives are a mile wide, but they are just an inch thick. I predict that 6 months from now 99% of voters who are convinced they didn’t like her won’t be able to remember why.
Now, let’s see if she can start building the case against the Republicans—that is her one and only job now that she is in the minority.
Headline: McMahon Has No Regrets Over $50M Conn. Senate Race
Posted by TJ Walker in advertising, Communications, Government & Politics, Media, Politics on November 13, 2010
The headline above is on all the wire services and major networks. I’m no mind reader, but I’m pretty sure McMahon has at least one regret: Not winning!
John Boehner is on the cover of every Magazine!
Posted by TJ Walker in Government & Politics, Politics, Presentation Skills Training, Public Speaking Skills on November 8, 2010
Soon to be House Speaker is the new it-boy of politics. This week he’s on the cover of Time, Newsweek and the New Yorker.
So how’s he doing so far? I’m not sure people know much about him other than he cries a lot. I wasn’t the only one to chastise him for his excessive crying on election night—it’s a theme that’s been followed on every network.
How do candidates communicate their desire to re-count only some votes? – media training
Posted by TJ Walker in Communications, Crisis Communications, Government & Politics, media relations on November 8, 2010
Two different victory speeches – from the same race?
Posted by TJ Walker in Government & Politics on November 5, 2010
Both candidates for governor in Connecticut have made victory speeches. apparently the race is still too close to call and both candidates are mindful of the lessons of Florida 2000: if you appear to accept that the other guy has won, the courts, media and voters may accept it too. Someone’s victory speech was pre-mature, but both were strategically necessary. More at the NYTtimes.
Victory Speech Assessments – Marco Rubio and Rand Paul
Posted by TJ Walker in Analysis, Communications, Government & Politics, Keynote Speaking, Media, media relations, Politics, public relations, Public Speaking Skills on November 2, 2010
Both Senators-elect gave strong victory speeches. They were forceful, enthusiastic and spoke of first principles. Paul was quite eloquent with his Jefferson quotes and Rubio was passionate in telling his life history as the son of exiles. Both avoided any bitterness or griping toward their opponents. Both seemed gracious. You can expect to see a lot of them on the national seen in the coming months.
If you believe there is no such thing as bad publicity, then just talk to Senator Christine O’Donnell – NOT!
Posted by TJ Walker in Analysis, celebrities, Communications, Crisis Communications, Media, Politics, public relations, Public Speaking Skills, reputation management on November 2, 2010
The official tally is in: Christine O’Donnell received more media coverage than any other senate candidate in 2010. She also lost her race for the Senate. It turns out there is such a thing as bad publicity. Read more at Gawker.
U.S Senate Candidate Joe Miller runs for office with…a Beard?
Posted by TJ Walker in Analysis, Body Language, Communications, Crisis Communications, Media, Politics, public relations, Public Speaking Skills on October 30, 2010
Joe Miller isn’t going to become the next Senator from Alaska. In fact, he is likely not to even come in second place. He will be in thrid, partly because he was a horrible candidate, but partly, because he has a beard. Rightly or wrongly, voters don’t like poltiicans with beards. Beards suggest a certain rebelliousness that voters just don’t seem to be comfortable with, unless you take a time capsule back to Abe Lincoln’s day.
Oops, she does it again! Christine O’Donnell makes fool of self
Posted by TJ Walker in Analysis, Communications, Crisis Communications, Government & Politics, Media, media relations, Media Training, Politics, Presentation Skills Training, public relations, reputation management on October 28, 2010
U.S. Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell has further cemented her reputation as biggest laughing stock of 2010. Her latest big idea? She threatened to sue radio station WDEL for posting an interview they did with her–because it might make her look bad (as if there were any Hollywood editors who could splice together her comments to make her look smart?) Media training 101 states very clearly: you do the interview. The media outlet gets to use it any way it wants to. Those are the ground rules. More at the Huffington Post.
Congressional Candidate uses stinky scratch-n-sniff mailer
Posted by TJ Walker in advertising, Analysis, Communications, Crisis Communications, Government & Politics, media relations, Politics on October 28, 2010
As someone who has written a lot of political direct mail pieces, I have to take my hat off to any candidate who can get voters to pay attention to a mailer–most are thrown out unread. But Republican state Assemblyman Van Tram is using a scratch-and-sniff patch in a mailer that literally smells like garbage. The letter says “It’s the stench of Washington.” He’s running for the U.S. Congress in a Southern California District.
I’m all in favor of getting attention, but when you go too far, you look like a jerk. And this guy already works in Sacramento, a place where a lot of smelly deals are also known to have gone down. So where is the smell really coming from Van? More from UKPA
Republican Leader basically admits he wants gain control of Congress to mess with Obama
Posted by TJ Walker in Analysis, Communications, Crisis Communications, Government & Politics, Media, media relations, Politics, Public Speaking Skills, Worst Speaker of the Day on October 28, 2010
Sen. Mitch McConnell said in a National Journal interview that “Our single biggest political goal is to give [the Republican] nominee for president the maximum opportunity to be successful.” Uh, Mitch, you are supposed to at least pretend that you want to do good thing like cut waste, make more government more efficient, etc. Here yo have the most powerful Republican Senator in the country saying his party’s main goal in 2011 is to make Obama look bad, and people wonder why there is such a cynical view of politics. Joe Scarborough has called the comment “embarrassing” and “pathetic,” but the White House is livid that more media and commentators haven’t picked up on the ugly sound bite. More at the Washington Monthly.
Democratic Nominee to Obama “shove it”
Posted by TJ Walker in Analysis, Communications, Crisis Communications, Government & Politics, Media, media relations, Media Training, Politics, reputation management on October 27, 2010
It’s one thing for a political candidate to be disappointed by not getting a Presidential endorsement. It’s another to want to avoid the endorsement because the President is not polling well in your district. But Frank Caprio, the nominee for governor of Rhode Island went so far as to publicly say “He (Obama) could take his endorsement and really shove it…”
Of course this is a “good soundbite” in the sense that it is guaranteed to get media attention and buzz. But it also has the affect of making Caprio look like a classless jerk. I would love to be a third party listener on the phone if a future governor Caprio has to call President Obama to ask for emergency Hurricane relief in 2011 or 2012. More here.
Jerry Brown uses Meg Whitman’s Words against her
Posted by TJ Walker in advertising, Analysis, Communications, Crisis Communications, Debate Central, Government & Politics, Media, media relations, Media Training, Presentation Skills Training, public relations on October 26, 2010
Here’s a clever ad from Jerry Brown. He’s calling Whitman a liar and a hypocrite, but he is doing it simply by showing her speak and then inserting footage that makes her look like a fool. This is one reason why Brown isn’t running 10 points behind like most Democrats this year.
Sharron Angle Dodges Press with Decoy
Posted by TJ Walker in Analysis, Communications, Government & Politics, Humor, Media, Media Training on October 26, 2010
Is this a cheesy TV movie? Sharron Angle’s relations with the press are so bad she’s resorting to cheap gimmickry to avoid them. You’ve go to read this to believe it.
Lady Gaga To Attend Maine Anti-’Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Rally
Posted by TJ Walker in Analysis, Social Media, Social Speaking, speech writing, Story Telling, Technology, Video on September 20, 2010
by TJ Walker
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton voicemail captured and ridiculed
Posted by TJ Walker in Analysis, Communications, Crisis Communications, Government & Politics, Media, Politics on September 16, 2010
New policy at TJWalker Interactive regarding political comments
Posted by TJ Walker in Analysis, blogging, Communications, Crisis Communications, Government & Politics, Media, Politics on August 17, 2010
I love politics, In fact I was a political commentator for many years. But the point of TJWalker Interactive here at the blog and over on my YouTube channel is to discuss and analyze communication and speaking skills. Unfortunately, I find that, especially on YouTube, it’s impossible for some small-minded people to ever think past politics. So if I dare say candidate x made a bad speech today because his zipper was down and he forgot what he was going to say, I’m immediately besieged with angry emails accusing me of anti-x bias and having an ideology that is in contrast with what any decent human being could have. Then, I’m asked to “prove” that I’m not “biased” against “X,” which is another tiresome debate where the accuser can never be convinced.
I have grabbled with this dilemma for awhile. I want to be true to the nature of social media and let everyone have a voice. I don’t want to stifle anyone. I want to be responsive to people. But at some point, I lose control over why I started this blog if everything seems to be about politics and the casual visitor who comes in for the first time to TJWalker.com or Youtube.com/tjwalker and sees nothing but hate-filled invective thrown around and everything is about calling someone a Nazi or a communist or some such nonsense.
Obama appears on “The View”
Posted by TJ Walker in News, Uncategorized on July 29, 2010
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