February 04, 2008

Madden 101 - Back to the Basics

Madden_2PF has followed Kevin Madden's meteoric rise among Washington's flackering class, and regardless if his candidate makes it through 'Super Tuesday' or not, his no-nonsense style of communications tactics deserves further attention.  So, without further ado, time for the lesson.   

Lesson #1.  Call reporters back promptly and answer their questions. 

It's that simple.  As Thomas Foley recently noted, in addition to being named as the "second most beautiful person on Capitol Hill", Madden, in particular, is genuinely liked and respected by the press pack. He does that most basic of things: calls you back promptly and answers your questions. There's a pay-off from all this niceness.

Posted by Blain Rethmeier on February 4, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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    Matt Mackowiak is a Washington, D.C. and Austin,TX-based Republican strategist and communications consultant and President of Potomac Strategy Group, LLC. In his career he has managed a winning Congressional campaign and worked in the U.S. Senate, at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, at a leading international PR firm, on a presidential campaign in Iowa and in White House presidential advance. Follow him on Twitter - @MattMackowiak

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    Blain K. Rethmeier is currently the Senior Vice President for Public Affairs for the American Insurance Association (AIA). Rethmeier joined AIA from the White House where he served as Special Assistant to the President for Communications and directed communications for the National Economic Council and Homeland Security Council. Prior to joining the White House, Rethmeier served as Press Secretary for the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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