Which story is it?

On Monday, 3/23/2015, Robert Kennedy Jr. (son of the former US Senator from NY; nephew of the former President) spoke at the State House in Trenton, NJ. He discussed the issue of vaccine choice and stressed his concerns over the Center for Disease Control (CDC). He framed the importance of choice around his belief that the CDC is a “cesspool of corruption.”

When the event opened for questions I was very curious to find out if he planned to meet with Governor Christie during his visit. I asked him and he did not answer my question. You can watch the exchange here.

You may recall the controversy that resulted after Christie’s remarks about vaccines during a trip to the United Kingdom in February, including his belief that “parents need to have some measure of choice” when it comes to vaccinating their children. You can read exactly what was said here. 

I was a little annoyed that he didn’t answer my question, but my interest was also piqued. Was there a secret meeting? Why wouldn’t he just answer “yes” or “no”? So, of course, when I had a moment to interview Kennedy one-on-one outside of the event, I asked again: “Are you meeting with the Governor today?” He answered this time saying “I was on a tight schedule, and we made the offer to Governor Christie, and I would love to talk to him at some point.” You can watch his answer here.

I was eager to tweet my exclusive tidbit. That being said, the lack of a meeting didn’t surprise me at all. Why would the Governor go anywhere near the topic when there was such a backlash last time. Even Hillary piled on the attack with a tweet encouraging vaccinations and her now famous hashtag #GrandmothersKnowBest.

And that was it. I thought.

That night, Governor Christie did his monthly radio appearance on NJ101.5 for “Ask The Governor”. The host told him that Kennedy was in the State House today. Christie’s response? “Was he? I didn’t know. He didn’t stop by to say hello.” Watch here starting at 42:49.

Wait, what? According to Kennedy he asked for a meeting. According to Christie he didn’t even know he was in town. There is definitely the possibility that Kennedy did request the meeting and Christie’s gatekeepers never let him know. There is also the possibility that one side is being dishonest.

Forget the Polls?

Wondering who voters are most excited about? You can look to a poll, but the most telling numbers might be a lot easier to come by. Social media followers provide an interesting glimpse into the popularity of a candidate.

With Senator Ted Cruz’s announcement that he’s running for President via Twitter this morning, it adds to the idea that social media will hold a tremendous amount of power in this election cycle.

Let’s take a look, keeping two things in mind: Senator Cruz’s numbers have likely taken a jump since announcing this morning, and social media followers/likes change regularly.

March 23, 2015 Twitter followers
*Does not appear to be an active account.

I chose a handful of people who are rumored to be considering a Presidential run (along with Senator Cruz who is no longer rumored). I also included multiple accounts for a candidate, if they were verified accounts. There are other social media platforms, but Twitter provided a simple way to take a quick glance at the field.

It’s no surprise that Clinton and Trump are in the lead. Clinton’s run against President Obama in the 2008 Democratic primary made her a household name, if her marriage to the former President hadn’t done so already. Then her role as Secretary of State kept her in the spotlight. And Trump’s long-time run with NBC’s Apprentice, his real estate empire, along with his ability to attract media attention have certainly helped his numbers.

As for the rest of the group, it’s about a 645K follower spread. What do a few 100K followers mean for a potential presidential contender? Do followers translate into votes and movement on election day? Well, maybe. I follow a handful of people on this list and obviously can’t vote for all of them. And the difference between polls and follows, is that you can actually learn about the potential voter in a poll. A person might follow a candidate she hates and wouldn’t vote for – that differentiation can be shown in a poll. While I don’t think we’ll see Twitter followers replace the need for polls, the numbers do speak to the popularity of a candidate and the potential impact she can have with 140 characters or less.

Social media is a fun and exciting part of modern politics. Politicians are more accessible and interactive. They have the ability to share their message without the filter of the press or the cost of advertising. 2016 has begun and I can’t wait to follow it. #2016election

“I can walk and chew gum at the same time.”

Governor Christie said this during his first town hall of 2015 in Moorestown, NJ. This was his 128th town hall since he became Governor. Some in New Jersey believe he may care more about a 2016 Presidential run than leading the state. At this town hall he noted he still has not made up his mind about a possible 2016 run.

“I can walk and chew gum at the same time.”
~Governor Christie, February 25, 2015, Town Hall 128

Retail Politics: Selling Beyond New Hampshire

If you read the headlines, you probably think there is only one side to Governor Christie – brash, loud, bossy. But when you’re on the ground with him at event after event like I am, you know there are at least two sides to the man.

When Governor Christie makes an appearance, he’s very good at connecting with people. He listens and nods knowingly. If a person wants a selfie with the Governor, he’s always game. When someone says “Governor, remember me from <insert small event or meeting place>?” “Yes, of course!,” he replies.

And when I see these interactions, I have to wonder if the people will forget the headlines and remember the small talk? The answer to that question could be the difference between a successful Republican primary for the Governor, or a complete dud.

Retail politics is a phrase used regularly when talking about a politician’s ability to make personal connections with the people. Politicians can’t just shake your hand and keep walking; they have to shake your hand and then have a personal conversation with you. And when it comes to a presidential election, it is well known that retail politics matter in the state of New Hampshire.

Here’s some background: New Hampshire, a state with only four electoral votes, hosts the first in the nation primary. While the number of votes won’t sway an election, the state is still tremendously important to presidential hopefuls. New Hampshire polls and the primary results set the tone for each election cycle.

I recently visited New Hampshire to cover Governor Christie’s remarks at the Lincoln-Reagan Dinner in Concord. And while I was there, I took every opportunity to speak with the people about politics, since the state plays such a meaningful role in the selection of each President.

The majority I spoke with took an interest in and concern for the election. Most had met past presidents and presidential candidates. One shared a running joke that sums up the culture pretty well: “If you don’t meet a presidential candidate at least twice in a diner, than they’re not getting your vote.” Another told me that when a candidate comes to town, “…you can only get away with canned lines and worn out speeches for so long before somebody calls you on it.”

Governor Christie shaking hands at the Merrimack County/Concord City Republican Committee Lincoln-Reagan Dinner in Concord, New Hampshire

Before the Lincoln-Reagan dinner began, I was trying to find out what time Governor Christie would begin speaking. He was scheduled for 6:55PM, and I commented that the Governor is usually late. The woman I was speaking with responded that he better not be late; the people of New Hampshire expect and deserve more. And wouldn’t you know it, he was on time.

I had to wonder if Governor Christie made the effort to be on time because he knows it matters to the people of New Hampshire? And could he possibly think it doesn’t matter to the people of New Jersey? I regularly tweet pictures of an empty podium as I wait for the Governor to arrive at events in New Jersey. Is it possible that he focuses on a small detail like timeliness in New Hampshire more than he does elsewhere? Or was his timeliness just an accident?

A recent article in the New York Times (Critics in G.O.P. Say Chris Christie Is in a ‘Bubble’) listed arriving late amidst a host of “complaints” about the Governor. Not returning phone calls and limited thank you notes were also mentioned. And this time it had to do with potential donors.

Whether it’s a potential donor or a potential vote, you don’t need to be an expert at retail politics to know these details matter. Shaking hands and friendly conversation can only take you so far.

All Press Is Good Press…Unless It’s Bad Press…But Even Then, It’s Pretty Good…

Chris Christie found himself in the middle of a media mess after answering questions about vaccines while on a recent trip to the United Kingdom. If you’re interested in what he said exactly, you can read the transcript here. Unfortunately, most people aren’t interested in the entire exchange. Based on their personal beliefs they’ll pull out the tidbits that make them feel good.

1. Pro-Vaccine? Read this portion of his remarks: “All I can say is that we vaccinated ours [kids]. That’s the best expression I can give you of my opinion…Mary Pat and I have had our children vaccinated and we think it’s an important part of making sure we protect their health and the public health.”

2. Anti-Vaccine? Read this portion of his remarks: “parents need to have some measure of choice…you have to have that balance in considering parental concerns because no parent cares about anything more than they care about protecting their own child’s health…”

Anti-Christie? Pick either, mix them up, misquote, whatever. Or just ignore the whole thing.

Look, even if you’re well-intentioned, that’s what most people do after hearing complicated remarks about an especially controversial topic. In the age of Twitter, we do our best in this 140-character world.

And sometimes those small soundbites are to the benefit of the politician, and other times to the detriment. In this instance, Governor Christie took a beating from the media, clearly exacerbated by the concurrent measles outbreak in this country. Even with the backlash, Governor Christie had nothing to worry about. Press coverage is a good thing. There are only a handful of governors who can be identified across the country, and Christie is one of them. His ability to attract the press, with both negative and positive coverage, has propelled him into political stardom. It’s the reason he’s a cash cow when it comes to RGA fundraising.

The problem is what happened next…or what didn’t happen. Governor Christie’s decision to cancel the rest of his media availability during the trip was short sighted and silly. A man who never shies away from a fight with constituents, let a mob of reporters get the best of him. And when you suddenly stop taking questions, you look guilty. You look like you have something to hide. You look like you regret those comments you made about vaccines…

His lack of remarks during the rest of the trip, allowed the press to focus on his silence as a negative, creating even more bad press. And while I do believe in the mantra that all press is good press, there is simply no reason to create more bad press than necessary.

Governor Christie: Next time you find yourself in the middle of a media mess, keep your availability and speak up. You would have likely given us something new to talk about. Hiding behind the veil of “no availability” is beneath you and a wasted opportunity to create a positive buzz.

And buzz is simply inevitable with Governor Christie. The fact that Governor Scott Walker refused questions during his entire trip to the United Kingdom made just a few headlines – most just comparing him to Christie. Christie’s got the x-factor that makes the media talk. So Christie should always make the most of it and give the press something worth talking about.

Like A Duck On The Pond

Governor Christie said this during January’s “Ask The Governor” interview on NJ101.5. He was referring to the need to find a solution for the Transportation Trust Fund deficit.

“I’m like a duck on the pond. Look all calm up front, but I’m paddling like crazy under the water.”
~Governor Christie, January 15, 2015, NJ101.5’s “Ask The Governor”