The campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination for 2016 has taken an interesting turn—one that underscores the need for candidates to have strong messages and stick to them at all times. Recently, Hillary Clinton tried to connect with the average American voter by claiming that she and President Clinton were broke when they left the […]
A fundamental rule of good communications strategy is to define yourself before others do it for you, and control the conversation as best you can. While still undeclared, Hillary Rodham Clinton has already begun the process of claiming and reclaiming her public narrative and managing the public conversation about herself. Her messages in her book […]
The best way for a political leader and aspirant to set out one’s case is to write a book. The contents become the key messages, and as one sells the book, one sells the messages. Hillary Clinton’s book “Hard Choices” is a good read. It sets out her work as Secretary of State well, in […]
Once again the Obama communications team seems to have been caught short on a national security issue. This time, the Administration seems to have gone astray in profusely welcoming the exchange of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five Taliban leaders earlier this month – with a Presidential event in the Rose Garden, and National Advisor Susan […]
The abdication of King Juan Carlos of Spain brings to an end a period of democratic transition and consolidation there, and begins a period when the monarchy will have to win its spurs all over again. The continuation of the monarchy in the 21st century is not a given, and it will take hard work […]
If you are like me, you may be amazed that a multibillionaire businessperson like Los Angeles Clippers (basketball) owner Donald Sterling can make so many communications mistakes in so little time. As you likely know if you live in the United States, Sterling was taped by his reported lover making a racist rant during a […]