Campaign managers share tales of the trade

For the first time since the 2004 presidential election, campaign managers from both the Democrat and Republican Parties came together to evaluate the campaigns in retrospect and look toward America's political future Wednesday at the Anneberg Center.

Mary Beth Cahill, Kerry-Edwards campaign manager, and Ken Mehlman, Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign manager, both said that in the world of politics, campaigns examine differences within the public, and government brings it all together. The discussion was hosted and moderated by former President George Bush and as part of the George Bush Library Leadership Lecture Series.

"If there is any fist-fighting, I'm the guy in the middle," Bush said. "And I'll walk out the exit."

Both Mehlman and Cahill said Sep. 11 resulted in changes in the way campaigns were run.

Mehlman said in previous years, political campaigns were driven by the content of evening newscasts of CBS, NBC and ABC, but in this election's campaign there was a shift toward focusing on cable news, Internet and talk radio.

"Without the web or talk radio, (a campaign) has no word of mouth," he said.

Mehlman said the voter turnout in 2004, which was the highest since 1968, was because the candidates both took stands on issues important to the public.

"This election was an enormous debate on enormous issues," he said.

One of these influential issues was Kerry's prior military service, which was brought into question by the Swift Boat Veterans, a group of veterans that attacked Kerry's military honors in a publicized advertisement. Cahill said in retrospect, the Kerry campaign should have responded more quickly to the attacks by the Swift Boat Veterans.

"When the Swift Boats' story first came out, it just seemed as though this was a finite problem," she said.

Mehlman said Bush received fewer votes from college students than Kerry, which he attributed to false fears that Bush would reinstitute the draft.

"I wish we did more of assuring that wasn't true," Mehlman said.

Cahill said Kerry received more votes from college-aged people, and said they spent a lot of money to ensure that college students were registered to vote since historically, younger voters typically choose the Democratic candidate.

"There's a good chance you're going to keep voting the way you did," Cahill said. "That is promising."

Mehlman said political parties are gaining strength, since only 8 to 10 percent of voters split their ticket. This, he said, was based on common ideologies rather than past patterns of voters choosing candidates based on their demographics or region.

Cahill said she feels positive about the future of the Democratic Party.

"Democrats are feeling very feisty," she said. "I feel we did well in the election, and we're going to come out swinging in 2008."

Both encouraged students to get involved in politics.

"If you've got talent, there is a real opportunity to rise," Cahill said. "It's the most upwardly mobile (profession)."

Bush said the forum was an example of opposite political parties coming together and reminded him of his recent work with former President Bill Clinton on the tsunami relief effort.

"You fight hard against them, and then you come together," Bush said. "I wish the president could have been here to hear the civil discourse."

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