Campaign Conference Call Security

Should we be concerned about security and privacy on our campaign conference calls?

Yes, and it makes sense to change your call-in numbers and access codes as a routine precaution.

If it can happen to them: Last fall, Infinity Broadcasting convened a conference call to announce its plans to replace shock-jock Howard Stern. In the middle of the call, "Beetlejuice" - a character from Stern's radio show - interrupted the question-and-answer period by heckling Joel Hollander (oops), Infinity's Chairman and CEQ

Any problems in having a big fund-raiser right around the time of our inauguration to get a jump on the next election?

"Late train" donations should not be a problem as long as you double-check post-election fund-raising laws - e.g., some jurisdictions prohibit contributions during specified periods such as legislative sessions.

I've decided to leave my job in the legislature where my party is in the minority in order to work on a campaign. At the present time there is just no leadership in place or real venue for me to help us achieve more seats. How can I best assist in developing some type of leadership during the current election cycle?

Tell your current boss what you want to do and why. Then reach out to established players - e.g., campaign consultants, caucus directors, party leaders, activists, etc. Note, however, that most successful rebuilding efforts take more than one election.

I found this Web site, which features every presidential television campaign commercial dating back to 1952. Figured your readers would get a kick out of it. Here it is, http://livingroomcandidate.movingimage.us/index. php

Yes, this site - "The Living Room Candidate" (American Museum of the Moving Image) - is a great resource that categorizes presidential ads by year (1952-2004), type (biographical, children, commander-in-chief, documentary, fear, real people), issues (e.g., civil rights, cost of living, taxes, war, welfare) and Web-based advertising.

What should we do if the candidate is called for jury duty midway in the campaign?

When Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spent 12 hours last year as a prospective juror, he used the occasion to underscore the importance of jury service. And President George W. Bush, who received a jury summons in late 2005, said through a spokesperson that he intended to serve - even though the local judge demurred that "running the country, I think, takes priority over jury service."

So, be a good citizen and report for duty. It'll be a great story. Anyway, you might not have a choice, since many states have eliminated all non-military occupational exemptions for jury service.

Should we call on our opponent to return money from a tainted contributor?

Sure, as long it doesn't look political and you don't live in a glass house. Those are tall orders, though, in the middle of a political campaign, since many voters think all politicians are crooks, making even the whiff of hypocrisy a big problem for your long-term credibility.

How can we use speeches to promote our candidate's resume and biography?

In his 2005 re-election, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak kicked off his campaign from a stage in his old high school, delivering a speech that sought to "humanize the candidate with references to his youth, laid out the accomplishments of his tenure, spelled out the challenges ahead and tried to use adversity" as reason to stay the course and not change leaders, according to The New York Times. Observed one Egyptian political analyst, "He [was] trying to tie himself to his country, to his people, to his own community."

However, beware, since a great speech in a compelling location will ring hollow if eventually undercut by either the candidate or his/her campaign, which is exactly what happened to Mubarak when it was reported that his supporters had systematically bought votes, assaulted opposition activists and (after the election) sentenced Mubarak's opponent to five years in prison.

[Author Affiliation]

Craig Varoga is CEO of the public affairs firm Varoga & Rice (http://VRstrategies.com.) Email questions to cvaroga@VRstrategies.com or fax to 713.522.0040.