The President's Necktie

A lavender-blue, wide necktie that hung almost perfectly straight drove the President’s message home to this fashion-savvy politico. The color echoes that of the early morning dawn, or the rebirth of the American Dream to the citizens of the United States of America.

“Americans do not care about politics – they have real life issues,” our fearless leader confidently claimed last night, and he’s right.

The average person does not care about politics, they care about their families and themselves. One key example that President Obama pointed out was that parents are postponing retirement to send their kids to college, my parents fall into this shoebox, which is just one in a few million that could take up the entire Mall of America.

He referenced the baby boomer vision of the American Dream, and put the responsibility of bringing it back on the Armani-suited shoulders of the elected officials of Congress.

I sharply disagree with one of Chuck Todd’s comments last night about the President’s American Jobs Act legislation plan. Todd said there’s a marketing plan, but what he doesn’t see is a legislative plan to “ram rod” this bill through the House and Senate. Chuck, not only do I disagree with your opinion, I really disagree with your tie.

What Obama’s speech inspired me to do was tweet, call, write, blog, and email my elected officials to make them vote for the President’s legislation. If we Americans put enough pressure on the members of Congress that represent us, it can pass. Yes, there’s a full-swing Presidential Primary going on in the Republican Party right now, but, “we can’t wait 14 months.”

Politics is the art of compromise, and what the President implied he was proposing is a piece of legislation that both parties can agree on because it involves several compromises on issues.

I challenge every single person who reads this blog to not judge a shoebox by its cover and to read the American Jobs Act. If you support it, call the elected officials who represent you and are supposed to have your best interest at heart and tell them to support it too.

On a side note, what was Hilary wearing? And Mr. Speaker, you consistently disappoint me in your tie selection. From your St. Patrick’s Day green tie to the cotton candy-colored blob you wore last night… It’s always a fashion fail for you.

2012 (and 2011 in WV) Bring on the Political Bloggers!

“What Mr. Pawlenty does have is a beat reporter from Politico assigned to chronicle every utterance and movement of his non-campaign campaign: a 25-year-old named Kendra Marr…”

This morning’s Sunday New York Times front page caught the Politico in Stiletto’s eye: “Political Blogs Ready to Flood Campaign Trail”

According to the article, a mass of young, political bloggers “want to establish themselves as the Blogs on the Bus.” The time has come when political bloggers equal the number of reporters on press release lists, and several insiders are dropping tips to bloggers before traditional media reporters. “The proliferation of political news sites has tested many traditional news outlets, which must grapple with whether to pursue the kind of micro-scoops and quick-hit articles that political sites specialize in, or ignore them and risk losing readers.”

While Politico, FiveThiryEight, RealClearPolitics, the Daily Kos, and more are placing more political bloggers on the ground with possible candidates and elected officials, West Virginia has a great group of political blogs you’ll want to follow:

• WVWatchdog
• WVa Blue
• WVa Red
• Politico in Stilettos
• Phillipsbillboard.com
• All Things West Virginian
• Higginbotham At Large
• A Better West Virginia
• LetterBee Press
• Balloon Juice
• Kanawha Valley Live

As I’m sure I’ve left a couple out, so please share!

To combat this, it seems reporters are turning to Twitter to keep up. A sampling of West Virginia political reporters who you'll want to follow include:

• Lawrence Messina
• Vicki Smith
• Erica Peterson
• Beth Vorhees
• Hoppy Kercheval
• Ry Rivard
• Alison Knezevich
• Jared Hunt
• Ken Ward

Rainmaker Finalist in 2011 Reed Awards!

It gives me great pleasure (and excited goose bumps) to announce that Rainmaker, Inc. has been nominated for eleven Reed Awards by Campaigns & Elections Magazine for the political work we produced during the 2010 campaign cycle. Moreover, we received a phone call indicating we need to be present when they give out the Reed Awards (meaning we won at least one)!

Campaign & Elections’ Politics magazine this week announced its finalists for the Reed Awards, an annual competition that honors the nation’s top political management and consulting firms. Rainmaker is a finalist in eleven categories, meaning our work was judged as being in the top three of each of these categories in the nation.

Campaigns & Elections’ Politics magazine is published 13 times a year and covers the strategies, techniques and personalities of modern politics. It is read by thousands of local, state and federal elected officials, candidates for office, party activists, issue campaigners, political consultants, campaign staffs, lobbyists, PAC directors, university professors, news reporters and numerous behind-the-scenes opinion makers. Find them on Twitter.

Our favorite piece, “Hootie Dropped the Ball” is up against Harry Reid’s campaign for the Toughest Radio Ad in the county. The other ten finalist categories include: Toughest Newspaper Ad, Newspaper-Local, County, Statehouse, or Judicial Newspaper Ad, Billboard Ad, Direct Mail- Democratic County, Local, or Judicial Candidate, Direct Mail- Democratic State Legislative Candidate, Direct Mail- Toughest Direct Mail Piece, Best Overall Bibliographical Mail, Most Daring and Successful Tactic, TV- Democratic Local, County or Judicial Candidate, and TV-Democratic State Legislative Candidate.

The national awards will be given out February 4^th in Washington, DC at the Reed Awards Conference and Dinner. Needless to say, I’ll need yet another stellar pair of stilettos

Top 10 People to Watch in West Virginia Politics

The votes are in! Thank you to everyone who emailed, commented, direct messaged, Facebook messaged, and texted me your top ten list! The following list is ordered by the number of votes received.

Here is the Top 10 People to Watch In West Virginia Politics:

10. Betty Ireland

9. Truman Chafin

8. John Raese

7. John Perdue

6. Robin Davis

5. Brooks McCabe

4. Rick Thompson

3. Jeff Kessler

2. Natalie Tennant

1. Earl Ray Tomblin

Vote for the Top Ten People to Watch in West Virginia Politics

After several people contributed to this list of 50, I’m asking you to vote from the following list for the Top Ten People to Watch in WV Politics!

Here's the list of 50 West Virginians involved in politics whose names were mentioned as people to watch over the next two years, in no particular order. Vote for your top ten!

1. Carte Goodwin
2. Robin Davis
3. Joe Manchin
4. Earl Ray Tomblin
5. Truman Chafin
6. Jeff Kessler
7. Joe Minard
8. Natalie Tennant
9. Kent Carper
10. Rick Thompson
11. Doug Reynolds
12. Harry Keith White
13. John Perdue
14. Betty Ireland
15. Evan Jenkins
16. Jim Justice
17. Brooks McCabe
18. Deborah Linz
19. Kenny Perdue
20. John Raese
21. Richard Browning
22. Larry Puccio
23. Don Blankenship
24. Oliver Luck
25. WV Tea Party
26. Matt Woelfel
27. Chris Doddril
28. Doug Skaff
29. Tom Cambell
30. Dave Hardy
31. Daniel Hall
32. Ryan White
33. Jason Pizatella
34. Andy Richardson
35. Tish Chafin
36. Larry LaCorte
37. Danielle Waltz
38. Ryan White
39. Brian Powell
40. Jennifer Sayre
41. Ry Rivard
42. Carrie Clendening
43. Rachelle Beckner
44. Tiffany Lawrence
45. Meshea Poore
46. Suzette Raines
47. Conrad Lucas
48. Stephen Skinner
49. Steve McElroy
50. Steven Adams
51. _______________(write in)

Voters, November 2nd, and Manchin

It’s true that people rarely learn from elections, but there’s something brewing out there in the minds of likely voters that repudiates this statement. America has always been a solid nation, one of economic growth and stability, the land of the free and the home of the brave. But that’s not the sentiment felt across the nation right now. The longest serving senator in Delaware was replaced by a Sarah Palin prodigy, cementing the anti-establishment sentiment among voters all over America.

When did this anti-establishment feeling really begin (in the last few years)? In my opinion, it all began during the Presidential Election of 2008. Obama’s campaign strategists developed a campaign that focused its efforts on mobilizing the number one unlikely voter base: the youngsters. How’d the do it so successfully?

Here’s my shoe box-sized summation; Generation Y is an ensemble from an entirely new breed of designers, and we’re not easily understood by anyone but ourselves because we’re anything but an establishment. We’ve lived through the Oklahoma City bombings, Sesame Street, September 11th, when MTV actually played music videos, Desert Storm, globalization, and the birth of the interconnected digital world we refer to as the “Internet.” This digital development connected us youngsters not only across the nation, but across the globe. Suddenly, we’re sharing our lives via Facebook and getting jobs by posting resumes on LinkedIn. We’re constantly connected to our phones and to each other, because we like to unabashedly share our life experiences with the world. Since we share in our peers joys and sorrows, we’ve developed an acute sense of camaraderie and tenacious teamwork. One might say that all this life experience sharing with hundreds and thousands of people across the globe means we crave attention, and they’d be right. Gen Y’ers do crave attention, but it’s the right kind of attention we crave, such as feedback at work, from our beloved families, and from our peers. We crave this attention and feedback because we’re achievement-oriented. We’re a happy generation, one of hope, civic-mindedness, and we fall head over stilettos in love with the possibility of making a real difference we can see and feel.

What the Obama campaign did was take the ideals of Generation Y and base their campaign around it, and it worked. Two years later, most young folks have not altered their views of the President, but it might not necessarily have been Obama they fell in love with, moreover I strongly believe it was the chance we could actually be involved in making a difference, in the power of an active democracy.

Playing devil’s advocate for just a second, younger generations have not had nearly the experience with government that our parents and grandparents have. We don’t even come into contact with the government until we go get a driver’s license, so we’re more idealistic because we’ve yet to experience what our predecessors have. And it’s this experience that’s turned the most likely voters against the “DC establishment.” This is why the Palin prodigy won in Delaware, and since Manchin started running an attack ad against Raese, I cannot help but think his tracking polls must have been pretty close to Rasmussen’s results.

How do we Democrats capitalize on this anti-establishment sentiment among our likely voters? Where’s there’s a will, there’s a way. And when asked how well we Democrats work under pressure, I always reply, “Pressure makes diamonds.”

Will Manchin Play the Clinton Card?

We all know that Obama’s approval rating is somewhere near 27%, both nationally and here in West Virginia. But we didn’t need to poll to find that out. At the late Senator Byrd’s service, Obama got some shouts and claps, but no elected official could trump the excitement felt by the crowd for none other than former President Bill Clinton.

Bill Clinton is no stranger to West Virginia, he’s spoken at the Jefferson Jackson Dinner, at a recent West Virginia University graduation, he campaigned here for his wife, and least we should forget, he carried West Virginia in the 1992 and 1996 presidential races. His campaigns and his charisma have charmed wild, wonderful West Virginians for 18 years, and based on the cheering from his most recent visit, this trend won’t be reversed any time soon.

While Obama has been flying across the county campaigning for Democrats, I feel it’s “The Comeback Kid” who Manchin should call in for backup support.

Why do I feel that way? I grew up in a Clinton household. During the time “The Great Empathizer” was in office, America was happy (at least that’s how I remember it). All my friends and I grew up pretty much in peace and prosperity, then... (start musical interlude of Jaws theme) ...came Bush.

Bill Clinton not only appeals to the WW II Generation, he also appeals to Baby Boomers, and to me, a Gen Y’er. There’s something nostalgic about the Clinton years, and it’s perhaps that feeling which caused me to cast my vote for Hilary Clinton for President just two short years ago. While Obama’s campaign efforts were unsustainably remarkable, I wasn’t a fan. I was a Hilary girl, (and still am).

I digress... In the most recent Gallup poll, former President Clinton trumps Obama. Maybe the reason Clinton’s approval is much higher than Obama’s is because America itself shares in my nostalgia of life almost 20 years ago. And I know he made a mistake or two, but we’re all human. Somehow, to me, Bill Clinton embodies the goodness of Americanism. And it’s this proud passion for patriotism that America, and West Virginia, seem to be running low on right now.

I know one man can’t move mountains, but maybe Clinton could move more West Virginians in favor of Manchin.

Wild, Wonderful West Virginia with a Woman Governor

“Women are not single-issue voters. Women, like me, have a wide variety of views. ...all of us are worried about our children’s futures,” stated Carly Fiorina.

Females continue climbing the political ladder in the United States, and right here at home. We’ve had two females in the Secretary of State’s Office, Natalie Tennant (@NatalieTennant) and Betty Ireland (@bettyireland). Carrie Webster (@judgewebster) as the first female to serve as the House of Delegates Judiciary Chair. And that’s not even the beginning!

But one thing we haven’t seen is a female governor. When Charlotte Pritt ran in 1996, I distinctly remember my Mom saying on the way home from voting, “Well, win or lose I voted for the first female governor.”

Now, 14 years later, the possibility looks better than ever. R.L. Repass and Partners recently conducted polling and the results show that the two top contenders for West Virginia Governor are women! Natalie Tennant is 3 points shy of Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (@Capito4Congress), but neither have declared their intentions to run.

Another female being mentioned in the 2012 fight to keep the White House is Hilary Clinton

as Vice President.

Whatever the outcome, one thing is crystal clear, the glass ceiling is without a doubt breaking in the world of politics.

Going “Negative”: If You Can’t Take the Heat, Get Out of the Kitchen

With a very Special and General Election rapidly approaching, campaigns are going to get down right dirty. All this negativity, and the accompanying publicity, can really get under a candidate’s skin, especially if they aren’t prepared. That’ s why thick skin, a proactive mindset, and learning the art of “spin” are critical for campaign success.

Very Special Election Democratic Primary: Governor Manchin won’t go negative, he’ll spin Ken Hechler’s anti-mountain-top-removal around attempting to discuss jobs, how important coal is to our economy, and talk about how he’s been there during coal mining tragedies. Manchin will be passionate, he’ll be dedicated, and most likely he’ll win. And wildcard Sheiri Fletcher? I’m definitely in the dark on that one.

Very Special Election Republican Primary: Raese wins. (I think Mac Warner will campaign really hard, but Raese will outspend him.)

Very Special Election General: It’ll be an election that will simultaneously move and remove mountains. In the end, I bet Manchin will win, but so much mud will be slung that both candidates and every West Virginian will be so dirty, we’ll look like we came from an underground mine!

So if you’re ever considering running for public office, take a good step back in your stilettos and analyze what will go on from today through November 2nd. If people talking about you behind you back hurts your feelings, if you’re paranoid, if there are negative comments on a blog about you, if you have any skeletons hidden in your Carrie Bradshaw-esque closet, if you have burned any bridges, if you have done anything illegal, reconsider. Politics is a profession for the passionate, and in the heat of a campaign anything can happen. All is fair in love, war, and politics. After all, they don’t make firefighter uniforms for politicians.

WV Politics: A Choo of a Different Color

With West Virginia politics, politicians, and aspiring politicos in the national spot light, reporters, bloggers, and political junkies from across the nation are writing articles and posts about the future of the Mountain State’s political arena. But they aren’t from West Virginia.

It’s strange to read an outsider’s opinion on the lay of the land, or should I say majestic mountainous terrain, when it comes to West Virginia’s political future. Recently, Aaron Blake (@FixAaron), Washington Post political blogger, posted “W.Va. lawmakers already jockeying to replace Manchin,” (http://bit.ly/asJWYK). This is a detailed account with brief historical snipets perfectly fit for anyone who isn’t involved in West Virginia politics. Blake includes a laundry list of potential gubernatorial candidates, including Senate President Tomblin (@Senator_Tomblin), State Treasurer John Perdue, Senator Jeff Kessler (@JeffKessler4Gov, I never would have guessed what he was running for!), and Senator Brooks McCabe (@BrooksMcCabeWV). Other possibilities Blake mentions include Secretary of State Natalie Tennant (@NatalieTennant), as well as Democratic Party Chairman Larry Puccio and Senate appointee Carte Goodwin.

That was news two weeks ago. Note to non-West Virginia journalists: Dig deeper, find out who several of the political insiders are, and call them. That’s where the real story is!

I guess its archetypal to feel a closer, more personal connection with your state’s political lay of the land, both today and tomorrow. And I’m sure South Carolina politicos like Wesley Donehue and Phil Bailey feel how I feel about West Virginia when I read posts and articles about the political roller coaster their state is on right now.

But I can’t help but feel like we mountaineers are in a category all our own, a “Choo” of a different color. For example, our Governor (and projected soon-to-be United States Senator) took his staff with him during the UBB mine disaster. The staff sat with the families involved, listened, comforted, and practically became extended family members with these people. I’m pretty sure I recall Manchin saying during a TV interview, “We’re all family in West Virginia.” In New Orleans, is the Governor’s staff employing hands-on efforts with the oil spill disaster that Manchin’s staff did?

All I can say is that I’m happy to click my red, patent-leather Stuart Weitzman stilettos together and say to myself, “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home...”

@Capito4Congress: Both House and Senate?

Thursday: Nothing. Friday: Nothing. Saturday: Nothing. Sunday: Still nothing. The West Virginia Legislature (@WVlegislature) has not produced a bill the Senate (@wvsenate) and House (@wvhouse) an agree on. As of Saturday evening, Governor Manchin (@JoeManchinWV) and House Minority Leader Tim Armstead (no twitter account) couldn’t come to an agreement. And as of today, everyone is blaming everyone else for yet another special session where nothing really got accomplished (although the Senate did pass several education bills that weren’t slated to be dealt with until next week). I can’t help but wonder how much this very special session for a very special election is costing West Virginia tax payers.

What a big headache for Governor Manchin. According to several sources, he will call for a proclamation for a special election, as long as he has the Attorney General’s blessing. Now the question is whether or not Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (Capito4Congress) will run for Byrd’s seat.

The Senate Minority introduced the amendment to the Senate’s bill so Capito could run for Byrd’s seat and for her House seat. The Senate passed the amendment and the bill, although Senate President Tomblin (@Senator_Tomblin) wasn’t happy. Apparently Senator Randy White (@wvsenator) gave the final vote needed for the amendment to pass. Senator Mike Oliverio (@Mike_Oliverio) was seen trying to persuade White otherwise, and disapprovingly shaking his head when White wouldn’t change his mind/vote. Just a side note, White was defeated in the Primary this past May, (www.defeatrandy.com).

Back to Capito, I think she’d be silly not to run for both seats. What’s there to lose? Her decision is expected tomorrow after Manchin calls for a special election. Wonder what she'll wear for her press conference...

Governor “Soprano” is in hair and makeup.... Lights, Camera, Action!

When does the film crew arrive? John Raese decides he’s running for against Rep. Shelley Moore Capito who isn’t officially running in an election that technically doesn’t exist yet. And what’s more? Raese calls Governor Joe Manchin (@JoeManchinWV for all you tweeters) “Governor Soprano!” The second after I finished reading Ry RIvard’s (@ryrivard)article ( http://j.mp/cSQXE4) in the Daily Mail (@charleywest), I hear that Aaron Sorkin is directing a film about John Edwards! (I just picked up Andrew Young's The Politician: An Insider's Account of John Edwards's Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal That Brought Him Down.)

My idea of a dramatic, addicting reality show or just a TV show? West Virginia politics. If I was a producer looking for a hit new show, I’d do a reality show about Governor Joe Manchin, especially right now with everything that’s going on with Byrd’s succession and the possibility of a special election for governor. Heck, it felt like I was at a Red Carpet event during Judge Carrie Webster’s fundraiser with all the cameras, reporters, and flashing lights! I couldn’t seem to find the red carpet or a background for the standard social event paparazzi pictures though. Thinking back, Governor Manchin really has tried to boost the “celeb image” of his position; remodeling the Governor’s Manchin, that big white party tent that Phil Kabler never gets to go to (maybe he finally will when Manchin is in DC). Also, Governor Manchin and the boob tube were meant for each other; he’s easy on the eyes, articulate, and has that Clinton-esque charisma... And all eyes will be on him this afternoon at 2pm as he announces his appointee for Senator Byrd’s seat (Ahem, Carte Goodwin).

And one other point, while sitting in the Senate (@wvsenate) Judiciary meeting yesterday, I noticed only three senators in that meeting have twitter accounts: @Senator_Chafin, @Mike_Oliverio, and @JeffKessler4Gov).

Eagle One and Eagle Two Are on the Move

“Eagle One and Eagle Two have landed...”

While sitting at Senator Byrd’s memorial service just one week ago today, I overheard one of the secret service men saying these words into a teeny tiny microphone on his jacket lapel. Assuming he was referring to President Obama and Vice President Biden, I asked him if former President Clinton had a code name.

“No, only the President and Vice President,” he retorted.

“Why Eagle One and Eagle Two? Do every U.S. President have the same bird?” I questioned.

According to the man with a microphone, an ear piece, and boring suit and sunglasses, every President chooses their code animal. If it were me, I’d choose Cheetah One. What would you chose?

After telling Mr. Secret Service this, he said with a smile, “I know who Cougar One would be...”

I’ll leave that one to your imagination...

Monday Matters of State: Memories and Mentions

Early this morning West Virginia lost our beloved Senator Robert C. Byrd. He is truly an irreplaceable man of the coalfields, who touched the hearts of many during his years as an elected official. I do not think any words can ever capture the total essence of Senator Byrd.

And while no words seem to fill the void we West Virginians are feeling, there are several words for what is to become of his Senate seat. According to West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant, there will not be a special election held this coming November. Instead, there will be an election in 2012 to fill this seat. Wait, 2012? Yes, it’s true. Tennant ruled today that her office’s interpretation of the WV Code meant that any candidate would have to go through a Primary Election.

So what are the latest rumors and whispers? First off, the WV GOP could contest the Tennant’s ruling and go to court to get a special election scheduled for November 2010. That’s the thinking of several key political strategists and consultants at least. Whether or not that happens will be determined in the days ahead, but here are some possibilities:

Manchin could resign and WV Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin would become Governor, then he would in turn appoint Manchin to fill Byrd’s seat. This, however, would not be a favorable option for Tennant because she has her sights set on the Governor’s seat in 2012. If Tomblin was acting Governor for two years then runs for the seat, Tennant does not stand nearly the chance she would if the special election was held in 2012. Tomblin has been positioning himself for Governor for awhile now, and I’ve heard from several sources the Governor will endorse him for this position. Speaker Rick Thompson also has his eye on becoming the next Governor of West Virginia, so Tomblin becoming acting Governor would decrease Thompson’s odds at getting elected as well.

Regardless of when the election for Byrd’s seat will be held, the big looming question is who Manchin will appoint as a placeholder? I feel this depends on when the special election is held. The Democrats know they cannot afford to lost this seat to the GOP, who would love for Rep. Capito to run for this office. Some names being repeated from both West Virginia Democrats and Republicans include; Carte Goodwin, Anne Barth, First Lady Gayle Manchin, Larry Puccio, Nick Casey, and Alan Mollohan (although I hear that’s definitely doubtful).

Manchin has made no mistake about saying that he will not appoint himself and he will not appoint someone for a few days out of respect for the Byrd family. His first priority is to honor our beloved Senator Robert Byrd.

For more information on Senator Robert Byrd: his passing, http://tinyurl.com/2dccgba ; his legacy, http://tinyurl.com/244pk9c ; testimonials, http://tinyurl.com/2cyct2z

Before Stiletto~ing Out the Door, Know Which Direction To Go

In both fashion and politics, doing your research is critical before stepping on the red carpet or sending out that first piece of political direct mail.

“Before the first speech, the first commercial, or the first handshake comes research. Nothing is more important or more powerful than knowing what the public is thinking and how these thoughts are shaping their decisions.” -Rainmaker, Inc.

After completing my first Primary campaign cycle at Rainmaker, Inc., I realized just how imperative public opinion research is to campaign message formation. While you may look great on the boob tube, you might not be discussing the right issues or have the right stances that will appeal to voters. If obtaining information about the the needs, wants, and desires of the general public wasn’t important, would thousands of polls be conducted across the United States and the world on a daily basis? It seems every type of business and news channel is conducting daily polling, from CNN to Elle Magazine to Cheerios.

Adlai Stevenson said, “The idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal - that you can gather votes like box tops - is, I think, the ultimate indignity to the democratic process.” But image sells, if you craft it correctly.

I can’t help but bring up a Sex and the City episode where Carrie spent way too much on a pair of Manolos so she would be at least as tall as Big’s fiancee, Natasha. Just like Carrie did her research, don’t we all before we walk out into the spotlight? We must know the arena we are stiletto-ing into before we step in. Yet at the same time, evoking an emotional appeal to our audience, be it Mr. Big or the general public, is critical for success.

Compare and contrast former President Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign TV spots with Senator John Kerry’s, what comes to mind? Clinton evoked more emotional response than Kerry, hands down. His campaign manager combined all the research findings, then hooked Americans with association networks of hope and the “American Dream.”

According to Abraham Lincoln, “Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed.”

Digital, Youth and Politics: The Week's Hottest Moves : By Lauren DeLisa Coleman

The times, they are a changin'. Voices previously a bit off the radar are gaining more and more visibility thanks to digital platforms. If you missed the MSNBC segment on the announcement of a new series on Hip Hop and politics, definitely check it out on line. NBC's The Grio and allhiphop.com have come together to create what seems to be one of the most extensive and cool looks at hip hop culture's influence on politics, almost since the culture's beginning. Entitled Hip Hop & Politics: From the Beat to the Ballot, the on-line series sizzles with info that any and all policy makers looking to connect better with influential constituents (who also happen to be those who out-index across digital media usage) should watch. Viewing this web series could only help politicians to become more savvy when interfacing with consultants they should be bringing on to specifically target this demo and convey messages to them across on-line and mobile phone platforms.

And in the spirit of further converging politics with digital platforms and youth culture, this writer is joining forces with political consultant Cartney McCracken to create a new Follow Friday series on Twitter. Beginning June 18, 2010 follow either @mediaempress or @CartneyWV to jump onto the #FFRed, #FFBlue, #FFWhite series. The first two will obviously offer Twitter handles of policy makers who correspond to their party color. #FFWhite will feature the Twitter handles of Independents as well those related to the political scene from consultants to journalists and more.

"I feel social media has eclipsed traditional media when it comes to connecting with our government. And connecting is the key world. We started #FFwhite, #FFblue, and #FFred to connect tweeps across the nation, and across the world, with elected officials and with those who are in the political arena. We're not just creating a list for people to follow, we're leveraging the influence of constituents on their government. We're proactively championing more collaboration between the public and it's government," explains Cartney.

Watch for an interesting mash-up of people.

There you have it, two unexpected yet welcome moves as we watch politics further converge with pop culture and digital tech.

Enjoy!

Website: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lauren-coleman/digital-youth-and-politic_b_616553.html

Never Judge a Shoebox By It's Cover

Recently I had the pleasure of being able to hear Senator Rockefeller (D - West Virginia) speak to a group of young leaders in Charleston, WV. He spoke about digital scandals, online crimes, and healthcare. When he spoke about universal healthcare, he mentioned something we’ve all heard of, “the public option.” What exactly is the public option? Do you know? Is it just one piece of legislation, or are there several that fall under this heading?

In all reality, the public option is a government-run health insurance agency which competes with other health insurance agencies. Publicly-funded healthcare and the public option are NOT the same. Several pieces of legislation were introduced, and they each covered a certain number of U.S. citizens. According to Senator Rockefeller, his covered several more million Americans than others that were introduced under the “public option.”

In all honestly, I have yet to read any of these bills, but I do know there were several pieces of legislation introduced under the title “the public option.” So many people are against “the public option,” but do they really know what that term/title/brand means? Did they actually take the time to read the bills that were put before Congress? Most likely not, but they still have negative attitudes toward anything called “the public option.”

If you saw a girl walking down the street in covered from head-to-stiletto in Chanel, what would you think of her? Probably that she was some society PR girl who had too much free time on her hands. Why do you judge her that way? Because she’s branded. Did you ever ask her what her masters degree was in? Where she studied abroad? How many volunteer hours she had in undergrad? In summation, before you form an opinion about anything that’s titled or branded, take a second look. Never judge a shoebox by its cover.

The Politics Behind Shoulder Pads

The 1980s and early 1990’s saw a wave of shoulder pads in womenswear. And as the study of historic costume continues to prove, fashions mirror the zeitgeist of their times. So I can only think that the re-emergence of shoulder pads in 2010 fashions can’t help but make a political statement.

First, think about who wears shoulder pads and what their actual purpose is: Football players wear them to protect their shoulders during games. Any type of armor we see from the days of knights has a large shoulder component. So in all actuality, shoulder pads serve to protect. They emphasize the shoulders, or the part of the human body that bears heavy loads.

Reappearing on catwalks across the globe in 2010, the shoulder pad makes a political statement about protection. But from what? What’s weighing on us so heavily? Jobs are hard to find, money is tight. But also, the appearance of shoulder pads on the runway could be emphasizing strength and stability. But American designers are not utilizing this trend as much as European designers are. What are you thoughts? And more importantly, when is the last time you wore shoulder pads? How did wearing them make you feel?