Political Campaigning (Thursday, February 9, 4th period)

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Josh stopped watching the latest episode of The Daily Show on his laptop when the campaigning class walked into the classroom.

"Today we go into the idea of research in more detail," he said. "As the dancing cartoons on Schoolhouse Rock used to say, 'knowledge is power', and this is never more true than in politics." He raised an eyebrow. "Schoolhouse Rock is awesome, and I refuse to hear anyone who says otherwise." He snapped his finger. "Donna--" he was pointing at Angel, "how many days until the election?"

He walked to the board. "Anyway. Control of information is absolutely critical for your campaign strategy. If you don't do enough research or on the right subjects, you're pretty much screwed. Research covers a lot of ground: polling, opposition research, issues research, media market research, election results like we looked at on Tuesday--all of it."

He started writing on the board. "There are a few things to remember when putting together a research plan. First of all, your opponent will know everything there is to know about your record, and will attack any and all weaknesses. They will also--and this is important--attack your strengths and try to turn them into weaknesses. Therefore, you must also know everything there is to know about their record and be prepared to do the same thing, including attacking their strengths and turning them into weaknesses. Your ultimate goal is to have enough research, both on you and your opponent, that is comfortable and politically powerful for your guy while leaving the other guy uncomfortable and scrambling."

He pointed at the Burns campaign crowd. "There's a lot of information to go through for Burns--six years of Senate bills and speeches, all conveniently available for public perusal at THOMAS, a website maintained by the Library of Congress." He grinned at the Tester group. "And Montana has their state bills up online, too, so you can find out what Tester has been sponsoring." He turned to the Morrison campaign. "And the State Auditor's office is also online, so you can figure out what the heck Morrison's been doing." He spread his hands. "Financial records are publicly available from the FEC, and there are plenty of watchdog groups out there who will give you a breakdown of in-state and out-of-state donors, as well as special interest groups whose money might be better off turned down."

He sat down. "Okay, your assignment for today, due next week, is for your group to find three bills or laws or proposals that your guy was instrumental in implementing. Internet research, or hit the library--doesn't really matter to me. Just give me three good things that your guy has done that you think will be important to help get him elected."

Comments

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"What's weird is how this guy keeps getting elected," Callisto muttered. No, that wasn't glitter in her hair or on her armour.

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

"I know she drank my coffee..." Jake said, thoughtfully. Then he wondered why Cal was looking strangely pink today.

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Yep, skulled it down like no-one's business," Callisto, trying to deflect attention? What makes you think that?

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Rory drank Jake's coffee? Isn't that grounds for a coffee vendetta?" Parker hears what she just said, and grimaces. "Right. Our candidate supported education on the reservations. Yay. One issue that isn't country music." She squinted at Callisto, then over at Angel. "Do I want to know why you and Wings are both glitterfied?"

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Yes, yes it is," Callisto might have gulped. "Because we didn't wait long enough to forgot to clean the glitter off first last night?" She offered, hoping that Parker wouldn't press the question.

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Right, forget I asked, moving on," Parker said hastily. "Don't need to know or want to know. Law Enforcement support, woo!"

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

"Hey, hey, wait a minute," Jake straightened and gave a Cal a suspicious look. "Why are you all pink?"

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Because that's what colour the glitter was," Callisto answered with unbelievable smoothness.

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

Jake frowned. "But I threw all the pink glitter onto Krycek..." He was fairly sure about that.

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Frakfrakfrakfrak. "Well, all this came off Angel," Callisto just hoped Jake wouldn't ask how Angel happened to get covered in pink glitter.

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

"Why was Angel covered in glitter?" Jake was deeply suspicious. He wasn't quite sure why he was suspicious, but certainly, like he'd thought all day.

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Oh, you know how glitter sticks to everything, the slightest touch and poof, you're sparkily," Callisto was wondering whether she should just grab the vampire and make a run for it.

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

Jake narrowed his eyes. "There was touching? Between my boyfriend and yours?" Jake did not like that, nope, he did not. "What kind of touching? Did they get into a fight?"

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto briefly returned to her happy place with some of the mental images that came up then."No, no fighting." Callisto wondered how quickly she could flee the classroom. "Now, Jake, you have to understand, that sometimes a friend will do something for another friend, but it doesn't actually mean anything."

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

"Doesn't mean any--" Jake's eyes widened. "Oh. My. God."

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"It was only kissing!" Callisto flailed. "Incredibly hot kissing, but only kissing."

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

"And who was there during this only incredibly hot kissing?" Jake held his pen oh-so-subtle to his notebook.

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Well, uh, Kry and Angel, obviously, me, Rory, Cordy, and Bridge, and Xander, and, uh, everyone else who was at the Valentine's Day meeting," Callisto might have been babbling, just a little. "But really, it wasn't like it sounds, it's just Kry caught up to us there, and he and Bridge were having a macho stand off which turned into kissing and things just snowballed from there. If you'd been in my shoes you'd have asked the exact same thing!"

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

Jake wrote down the names. There were thick lines under Bridge's and Angel's names. He decided that they all needed to die. Because that was just how he was. Krycek would have to die first, of course.

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto was intimately familiar with the look of someone who was plotting horrible vengeance. Since she quite enjoyed breathing she realised Jake needed to be dirverted and quickly. "It was all Skeeter's fault!"

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

Jake paused. "...Skeeter? The journalism lady? How is it her fault?"

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"She keeps making all these insinuations about Kry and I, completely ignoring the fact we're both involved with other people," Callisto said. "Obviously, as part of her sick little game, she put a lust spell on the glitter to make Kry and I, well y'know. Luckily Angel happened to be there to deflect the spells attraction."

What? It could be the truth.

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

It could indeed be the truth. However, Jake remembered quite clearly who he'd got the glitter from, as well as the fact that Bridge had been glittered first. To throw Cal of the scent, he pretended he believed her. If she knew he was after her, she would be on her guard. "That witch!"

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto wasn't stupid enough to believe that Jake would just drop it without any proof of the non-existent lust-spell, but if he knew she was still on her guard his attacks would be even sneakier. So she pretended to relax. "Yeah, someone really should do something about her."

Re: Burns Campaign: Parker, Callisto & Jake

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker is not buying any of this for a minute. And knowing how possessive Jake is, she's already face-palming.

"Callisto...."