Description: HKS DPI- 324 Spring 2011 Running for Office and Managing Campaigns; DPI 324; Classroom: Starr Auditorium Tuesday/Thursday 1:10 am 2:30 pm Faculty: Steve Jarding Office: Taubman # 262 Office Hours: Tuesday Afternoons or Wednesdays by appointment This course is designed for students who wish to run for political office or work in political campaigns in the United States or in representative systems throughout the world. It covers all aspects of modern campaigns beginning with a thorough discussion of the many variables candidates must consider before making the ultimate decision to run. It then discusses setting up and implementing a fundraising plan and designing and determining what is needed for the campaign budget. It explores proper campaign scheduling and candidate advance; press office set up and press relations; and creation of a field plan including phone and door-to-door canvassing, signage and support committees. It also thoroughly examines how candidates for office should develop the proper message for their campaigns. It discusses the need for and the use of polling, media and direct mail consultants; and it examines self and opposition research programs, legal needs of a campaign, and the increasingly powerful uses of the Internet and the blogging community. Finally, it thoroughly explores the multiple aspects of coordinated campaigns and get-out-the-vote programs. Instructor is a veteran campaign manager and strategist. It is the purpose of this course to provide a very practical, hands-on, blueprint for students who wish to run effective and successful campaigns for public office, or for students who hope to be effective and successful campaign managers or staffers. The course lectures will mix reading materials with practical knowledge and experience of the instructor. It is the intent and expectation of the instructor that students be prepared to take part in class discussions. The instructor reserves the right to utilize guest speakers and reserves the right to rearrange schedules to accommodate the availability of speakers. Writing Assignments and Tests: Grades for the course will be based on three small writing assignments, which will be assigned during the course of the semester, and a final paper, due at 4:00 pm on Friday, April 29, 2011. For the final paper, students will be asked to write a Campaign Plan for a major election campaign. These can include races for governor, US Senator, mayor or a congressional seat as well as a host of international campaign races. If necessary, students can select an adopted district for which to write the plan. It is expected that the plan will be comprehensive, covering areas including budgeting, fundraising, messaging, staffing, 1
scheduling, media relations, research, use of consultants, the field plan, the coordinated campaign plan, and other aspects of a projected campaign. Course lectures and reading assignments will provide the blueprint for these campaign plans. Grading: Grades will be based as follows: 30 percent grade (ten percent each) for completion of three small writing assignments; and 70 percent based on major writing project (the creation of a campaign plan for a major elective office.) Required Texts: No Place for Amateurs: How Political Consultants Are Reshaping American Democracy, Dennis W. Johnson, Routledge Press, 2001 Everything You Think You Know About Politics And Why You re Wrong, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, A New Republic Book, 2000 Winning Political Campaigns: A Comprehensive Guide to Electoral Success, William S. Bike, The Denali Press, 1998 Class Schedule and Reading Assignments: Tuesday, January 25 First Day of Class -- Overview of class materials and Responsibilities So you think you should be elected to public office? Thursday, January 27 Deciding to Run and Knowing Your District Johnson, pages 1-56 Jamieson, preface and pages 3-18 Bike, pages 36-53 Tuesday February 1 -- Deciding to Run and Knowing Your District (cont.) Writing Assignment: Write a 3-5 page paper indicating why politics, running for office, or working in a campaign, is important to you. Paper is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, February 8. 2
Thursday, February 3 -- Lecture on Staffing the Campaign Bike, pages 147-155 Tuesday, February 8 ***First Paper Due*** Lecture on -- Staffing the Campaign (cont) Thursday, February 10 Setting Up the Campaign Budget What will it take to win? Bike, pages 22-27 Tuesday, February 15 Setting Up the Campaign Budget (cont) Writing Assignment: Write a 5-6 page paper on your state\congressional\gubernatorial\mayoral\international district. What is the demographic make-up, vote trends and turnout, does one party historically dominate the politics of the district. What are the major issues, racial make-up, major employers and major industries. What is the per capita income, unemployment rate, and poverty rates. What percentage of the people are urban versus rural; what are the education rates; etc. In short, give me a good indication that you thoroughly understand the district in which you live or which you have chosen. ***Paper is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, March 1*** Thursday, February 17 -- Setting up the Fundraising Schedule Bike, pages 95-108 Johnson, pages 169-198 Tuesday, February 22 -- Setting up the Fundraising Schedule (cont.) Thursday, February 24 -- Developing Your Message and Policy Proposals and Targeting Your Audience 3
Bike, pages 1-21, 63-67, 116-122, 175-186, 63-76 Jamieson, pages 19 79, 115-148 Tuesday, Mark 1 ***Paper Due on Congressional District Demographics*** --Lecture Developing Your Message and Policy Proposals and Targeting Your Audience (cont.) Thursday, March 3 Developing Your Message (cont) Tuesday, March 8 -- Researching the Candidate and Your Opponent Johnson, pages 59-86 Jamieson, pages 80-142 Bike, pages 162-165 Thursday, March 10 -- Scheduling and Advancing the Candidate Tuesday, March 15 -- Thursday, March 17 -- ***NO CLASS SPRING BREAK ***NO CLASS SPRING BREAK Tuesday, March 22 Scheduling and Advancing the Candidate (cont.) Reading Materials Bike, pages 80-84, 54-62 Thursday, March 24 Setting Up the Press Shop and Dealing with the Media Bike, pages 129-146 Jamieson, pages 143-211 4
Writing Assignment: Write a 5-6 page paper outlining the issues you would highlight in a congressional campaign from your home or adopted district. You be the judge as to whether the salient issues are national in scope, local, parochial or some combination. ***Paper is Due at the beginning of class on Thursday, April 7 Tuesday, March 29 Setting up the Press Shop and Dealing with the Media (cont) Thursday, March 31 -- The Consultants: Pollsters and Media Advisors Bike, pages 158-161 Tuesday, April 5 The Consultants: Pollsters and Media Advisors (cont) Thursday, April 7 ***Paper Due on Campaign Issues*** - Direct Mail and Utilization of the Internet and Webpage Bike, pages 5-11, 28-35 Tuesday, April 12 -- Creating and Utilizing a Field Operation Bike, pages 88-94 Thursday, April 14 Creating and Utilizing a Field Operation (cont.) Tuesday, April 19 -- Coordinated Campaigns from Canvasses to GOTV Thursday, April 21 Coordinated Campaigns from Canvasses to GOTV (cont.) Tuesday, April 26 Blogging and Websites Thursday, April 28 ***Last Class*** Review for final paper; Final Lecture The Importance of Leadership in Politics ***Campaign Plan Paper Due 4:00 pm on Friday, April 29, 2011*** 5