As Seen on TV: How to Produce an Effective Political Message
Sunday, Dec.5 | 2-3:30 p.m.
Sponsored by the Toll Fellows Program, open to all attendees
Moderated by Chad Gallagher, former campaign adviser to 2008 presidential candidate Mike Huckabee
With too many hot button issues to count and a tendency to resort to partisan smears, the 2010 midterm election followed other recent cycles in elevating the national temperature as record amounts of money are spent on candidate advertising campaigns. Learn what messages really hit home with the voters and what ads from 2010 and previous elections struck a chord with the electorate. Join Gallagher, a 2006 Toll alum and a former campaign adviser for Mike Huckabee, as he leads a panel discussion of how to craft an effective political message.
Moderator:
Chad Gallagher, CEO Legacy Consulting, Inc – 2006 Toll Fellow
Gallagher has vast experience in government and politics at both the local and state levels. Gallagher is the former mayor of De Queen, Ark., where he successfully utilized the grant and appropriation process to secure millions of dollars in funding for community projects, recruited new businesses and began a downtown revitalization. It was here that Gallagher first fell in love with community and economic development that would later shape the activities of Legacy Consulting. As the nation's youngest mayor at the time, he was immediately recognized for his hard work. Gallagher also served in key positions in the Arkansas governor's office. As an adviser to then-Gov. Mike Huckabee, Gallagher oversaw relations with city, county and local governments, the White House, the state's Washington, D.C., office, the Southern Governors' Association, National Governors Association, The Council of State Governments and the Southern Growth Policy Board, among others. Gallagher helped to navigate Huckabee's legislative package through the legislature during the governor's second term.
Gallagher continues to serve as an adviser to Huckabee, including involvement in his 2008 presidential bid.
Panelists:
Minnesota Sen. Tarryl Clark – 2007 Toll Fellow
In 2003, following the tragic death of DFL Associate Chair Mary McEvoy in the plane crash that also claimed the lives of Sen. Paul Wellstone and his wife Sheila, Clark was elected as Associate Chair of the Minnesota DFL.
In a 2005 special election, Clark was chosen to represent the 15th District the state Senate. After winning re-election in 2006, Clark’s colleagues elected her as the Senate’s Assistant Majority Leader. In that role, she has focused on instituting accountability through performance measures and outcomes to ensure the state is getting the best value for its dollars.
As a state senator, Clark has been a voice of fiscal responsibility and sensible solutions for the Minnesota Senate. She has led efforts to protect senior citizens, bolster early childhood education, and help veterans returning from combat duty transition into to civilian life. She has worked to upgrade the facilities at her local University; ensured central Minnesota nursing homes were paid fairly; and establish a special law enforcement unit to fight gang activity in central Minnesota. Clark serves on the Governor’s Workforce Council and Early Childhood Advisory Council, in addition to serving on the Senate’s Education and Higher Education policy and finance committees and as vice chair of the Rules Committee.
Clark recently attained national notoriety in her hotly contested bid to replace Michelle Bachman in the U.S. House of Representatives. She was unsuccessful, but learned invaluable lessons about crafting effective political messages for use in traditional as well as new media outlets.
Elizabeth Burke Bryant, Executive Director of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, Adjunct Faculty, Taubman Center, Brown University
Elizabeth Burke Bryant is executive director of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, a children’s policy and research organization that provides information on child well-being, stimulates dialogue on children’s issues, and promotes accountability and action. Rhode Island KIDS COUNT provides policymakers, community leaders, and the news media with the best available data and information on children’s health, education, safety, and economic security. The organization produces a quarterly Issue Brief Series, hosts a monthly cable television program and publishes the annual Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Factbook.
Bryant is an adjunct lecturer in Public Policy at Brown University’s A. Alfred Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions where she teaches strategic communication.
Wendy Schiller, Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, Taubman Center, Brown University
Wendy Schiller received a bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago and a doctorate from the University of Rochester. She has served as legislative staff assistant to U.S. Sen. Daniel P. Moynihan and legislative assistant to Gov. Mario Cuomo. In addition, she has received fellowships at the Brookings Institution and Princeton University.
Her research and publication history include expertise on Senate agenda setting, public approval, state delegation dynamics, and 19th century Senate behavior. She teaches courses on The American Presidency, Introduction to the American Political Process and others dealing public behavior and crafting persuasive political messages.