16 Lessons learned from the Campaign Trail

As we all recover from the recent election cycle, collaborators of Cloture Club put together a list of the lessons we all learned from the campaign trail.

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Everyone hates being called 40 times and reminded to vote

…It especially sucks when you call a dead person’s number

Sorry to hear about your loss… but are you registered to vote?

Every campaign has that one guy… you know the guy who hovers around and yells at volunteers to keep calling. Then proceeds to his room to gchat with his friends.

Dogs really love door canvassers.

Approaching potential voters in their driveway causes immediate awkwardness.

Much like jail, there is a currency exchange with food, swag and hand warmers.

Trade you two sandwiches for a bumper sticker?!

No matter how much planning has been done, the night before the election the campaign turns into a Mad Max Thunderdome Movie.

You know it’s bad when you get excited to go door-to-door just to get out of phone banking.

Who are you with?

You know it’s bad when you’re on a first name basis with the pizza delivery guy.

The war room becomes a daycare center for volunteers’ kids.

A cold/flu can spread through the campaign team like a wild fire.

The candidates spouse is the most important person on the trail. Period.

Sign waving only leads to middle fingers.

One volunteer always thinks they’re “buddy-buddy” with the candidate when in reality the candidate doesn’t even know the volunteers name.

Someone always gets too drunk at the election party. Stay away from them.

After it’s all done with, you’ll never want a slice of pizza or a powdered doughnut again.

The post 16 Lessons learned from the Campaign Trail appeared first on ClotureClub.com.

16 Lessons learned from the Campaign Trail

As we all recover from the recent election cycle, collaborators of Cloture Club put together a list of the lessons we all learned from the campaign trail.

---

Everyone hates being called 40 times and reminded to vote

…It especially sucks when you call a dead person’s number

Sorry to hear about your loss… but are you registered to vote?

Every campaign has that one guy… you know the guy who hovers around and yells at volunteers to keep calling. Then proceeds to his room to gchat with his friends.

Dogs really love door canvassers.

Approaching potential voters in their driveway causes immediate awkwardness.

Much like jail, there is a currency exchange with food, swag and hand warmers.

Trade you two sandwiches for a bumper sticker?!

No matter how much planning has been done, the night before the election the campaign turns into a Mad Max Movie.

You know it’s bad when you get excited to go door-to-door just to get out of phone banking.

Who are you with?

You know it’s bad when you’re on a first name basis with the pizza delivery guy.

The war room becomes a daycare center for volunteers’ kids.

A cold/flu can spread through the campaign team like a wild fire.

The candidates spouse is the most important person on the trail. Period.

Sign waving only leads to middle fingers.

One volunteer always thinks they’re “buddy-buddy” with the candidate when in reality the candidate doesn’t even know the volunteers name.

After it’s all done with, you’ll never want a slice of pizza or a powdered doughnut again.

Someone always gets too drunk at the election party. Stay away from them.

After it’s all done with, you’ll never want a slice of pizza or a powdered doughnut again.

The post 16 Lessons learned from the Campaign Trail appeared first on Cloture Club.

Door knocks, Phone Banks, and Fruit Baskets

Door knocks, Phone Banks, and Fruit Baskets: The Outsiders Guide to Visiting Your Congressional District

“Things you should know before you go to your Congressional district to campaign”

It’s that time of year again! The leaves are changing into beautiful golden colors, college and pro football seasons have begun, restaurants are changing menus and adding hearty soups and delicious coffee drinks. But what else is happening in D.C.?

The mass exodus of Hill Staffers traveling to their congressional districts is in full swing. They are returning to work in district in hopes of helping their boss win reelection (and to keep their jobs). If you live year around in DC, congrats, the lines for happy hour will now be considerably shorter and the metro will not be as crowded.

For those of you who are about to embark on the great journey outside of the beltway this article is for you. The following are some words of wisdom for you to follow while dealing with the locals.

1. 
   

   

   
   


2. Be nice to the locals, they hate you. That might be a bit harsh, they don’t really hate you but don’t be surprised you aren’t welcomed with open arms. The locals have been defending the votes from your office for the past year and half. You could be the first person they have actually ever met from your Congressional office. They have issues they want to talk about and they might tell you how your boss needs to be more conservative or more liberal. Let them blow off some steam.


3. 
   

   

   
   


4. If you are staying in someone’s house bring them a gift of appreciation. It could be golf balls from the Capitol gift shop or a fruit basket, doesn’t matter just bring them something nice. Show them you appreciate the fact that they are putting up with your comings and goings at all hours of the day and night. That being said, don’t bring home people from the bar to a host house. Go to your hookups place instead.


5. 
   

   

   
   


6. Speaking of bars, when a local takes you to the “best political bar in the country” just agree with them and comment about all the history that the place must have seen. Yes, I know that you probably drink at a place where backroom political deals are made everyday in D.C. or every President since Eisenhower has dined but don’t argue with them. Just agree, smile and buy the next round.


7. 
   
   
   

   Who doesn’t love to phone bank?

   
   
   
   


8. Phone bank! Knock on doors! You are there to get your boss re-elected and to save your job! Show the locals that you are there to work and it will be easier for them to make those extra ten phone calls if they see you right next to them doing the same thing. When their feet hurt from door knocking you better be limping along with them and walking up to that next door. This above all will earn you the respect from the locals.

Most importantly show them how much you care that they are volunteering so that you can keep your job. Have fun and don’t worry you will be back in DC soon enough!

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A misplaced Yankee currently living in Savannah, GA, Gunner has over a decade of professional campaign work ranging from U.S. Senate candidates to small city council races. He was a political commentator during the 2008 election cycle for WBMQ radio station. In 2009 he was named one of Savannah/Hilton Head’s “Top 40 under 40” by the Savannah Business Report and Journal. He has also been voted “Best Liberal of Savannah” by the readers of The Connect (Savannah’s alternative newspaper). Also, an avid outdoorsman, Gunner enjoys killing animals that cannot defend themselves and then eating them. He prefers charcoal over gas grills when completing this task. To date his most important accomplishment has been rescuing a beagle named Truman. Follow Gunner on Twitter @gunnerhall

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Passed Over for a Job, Grad School and Senate Jobs

Subject: Passed Over

I have been interning on a campaign for the past six months. I work 40 hours a week, march in the parades, pass out literature at county fairs, bowl with the staffers, etc. You name it, I’ve done it with a smile, only to be sucker punched after the campaign decided to hire two part-time interns over me. One has only been there for a month.

How should I handle this? Should I try to talk, politely, to the campaign manager? Quit and say nothing? I am ready to walk out tomorrow.

– Angry Intern

Thanks Angry Intern. Glad you are not being a pushover or a brown nose.

Here’s how I’d handle it: Talk to the campaign manager and tell him/her that you are volunteering with the campaign, not just because you believe in Harvey Dent, but because you would like to make this your career.

It’s entirely possible that the campaign manager might have just not thought about this. Of course it’s also possible that he/she doesn’t like you. This happens a lot in politics.

After talking to the boss, you’ll get an idea of whether there’s a chance you’ll be hired. If it doesn’t seem that a job will materialize, you should find another campaign. I have no doubt there’s a bunch of other candidates that would love to have you, and pay you (not handsomely, but still pay you) for your work.

Last bit of advice: Don’t burn bridges. Politics is local, said Tip O’Neill, and you’ll be running in these circles for years if this is what you want to do.

Subject: Graduate School?

Message Body:

I am interested in being a press secretary. I saw some graduate programs in strategic communications. Do you think it is worth it?

– Press Person

No. Very few people are hired because they retain a Master’s in strategic communications. That could help you get a job at a Crisis PR firm to help Senator Eldrick Zippynuts try to keep his plush senate seat when he’s found porking an IHOP waitress in the Russell Storage Attic. (Thanks for the inspiration, Tiger.)

Press secretaries often come from a.) campaigns b.) interns that took a college class in communications or c.) the media. Very few of them have master’s in communications. It may help you along the way if you want to be Reid or Boehner’s press person, but is it worth it? No.

There is a job on the Senate Employment Bulletin that I am perfectly qualified for. However, as of the latest update online, the JOB ID number and job description has been removed. Does this mean that I can still apply using the Job ID number for that position that I still have? I am wondering if their removal of the vacancy just means that they want to stop recruiting, but may still be accepting applications.

- Job Seeker

I’d ask the Senate Employment Office about that to be sure. If it’s no longer on their webpage, my guess is it has been filled or they’ve gotten enough resumes they need to comb through. In half a decade here, I don’t know of anyone who found a job through it. (Not to say it doesn’t work!)

Either way, be sure to ask the Senate Employment Office. You can call them at (202) 224-9167.

Got a question?

Don’t be afraid, Ask our Anonymous Hill staffer!

Click here!

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Passed Over for a Job, Grad School and Senate Jobs, check out other Ask a Hill Staffer article!

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