Jerry Austin is probably best known as the campaign manager for Reverend Jesse Jackson's '88 Presidential Campaign that won 11 contests and led in delegates deep into the calendar...and he also served as manager, media consultant, advisor to names like Paul Wellstone, Carol Moselely Braun, Sherrod Brown, Paul Tsongas and many more. In this conversation, Jerry talks the '88 Jackson race and high points and lessons learned from decades working with some of the biggest names in American politics. Plus Jerry previews his book series TRUE TALES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL...pulling together the best campaign war stories from a bipartisan coterie of top political consultants. IN THIS EPISODEJerry grows up in a union household in the South Bronx…Protesting the Vietnam War leads Jerry to a political career…Jerry’s early connection to rising star and future Ohio Governor Dick Celeste…A deep dive on Jerry’s time managing the 1988 presidential campaign of Reverend Jesse Jackson…Jerry tells some great Willie Brown stories…The first two moves he took to make Jesse Jackson a credible national candidate in 1988…Wisconsin becomes a “make or break” state for Jackson in the ’88 primaries…How closely was Reverend Jackson considered for the VP nomination n 1988…Jerry’s thoughts on how Jackson ’88 blazed the trail for both Clinton '92 and Obama ’08…Jerry’s involvement at the start of the career of now Senator Sherrod Brown…Jerry’s integral role in the underdog upset win of Paul Wellstone in 1990…The story of Paul Wellstone and Ted Kennedy in a heated argument on the Senate floor…Jerry helps engineer the groundbreaking Senate win of Carol Moseley Braun in 1992…Jerry talks the rise and fall of former Arkansas Governor Jim Guy Tucker…Jerry’s brought in to help on Paul Tsongas ’92 Presidential…Jerry is an official observer during the “Pinochet plebiscite” in Chile…Jerry talks the origin of his book series “True Tales from the Campaign Trail” and one of his favorite stories…AND Art Agnos, Salvador Allende, David Axelrod, bagels and coffees, Robert Bork, Rudy Boschwitz, Boston People, Charlie Brown, Ted Brown, Virgil Brown, Cadillacs, Tony Celebrezze, Steve Cobble, the Dallas Cowboys, Alan Dixon, Bob Dole, Pete Domenici, duck hunting, Michael Dukakis, Susan Estrich, exit polls, Louis Farrakhan, gentile women, Al Gore, Al Hofeld, Tom Hsieh, Hunter College, Jerry Jones, Celinda Lake, Vito Marcantonio, matching funds, McDonalds' executives, Meridian MS, Howard Metzenbaum, George Mitchell, Walter Mondale, Dee Dee Myers, Barack Obama, pander bears, pariahs, Augusto Pinochet, pipe dreams, scrums, the Secret Service, Hank Sheinkopf, the Tampa Airport, Clarence Thomas, Tulsa, the UN, the US Communist Party, VW bugs, voice votes, Maxine Waters & more!

Lis Smith is an operative's operative...with nearly 20 years of races under her belt of wins and losses and lessons learned along the way. Her new book ANY GIVEN TUESDAY is now out about her career in politics, while also finding herself in the headlines from time to time...including a deep dive into the unlikely ascent of Pete Buttigieg's 2020 Presidential Campaign. This is a really fun conversation with one of the most dynamic thinkers in today's politics. IN THIS EPISODEThe moment Lis fell in love with politics…The common threads of the candidates Lis wants to work with…What makes Claire McCaskill a talented communicator…Lis’s take on how Democrats should navigate Fox News…Lis’s early campaign stint seeing old-school politics in Kentucky…Lis defines “strategic cuss words”…Lis squares off against Chris Christie in his first race…Lis breaks down her role running Rapid Response for the 2012 Obama Re-election…The political importance of “parasocial relationships”?Why an operative has to be willing to disagree with their client…Why some personally charismatic candidates have trouble communicating publicly…Lis’s very first impressions of Pete Buttigieg…Memorable responses when people heard Lis was working for the Buttigieg Presidential…The common thread between John McCain’s 2000 presidential and Buttigieg 2020…The origin of what came to be known as the Pete Buttigieg "uniform"…Lis’s favorite memory from the Pete 2020 experience…Lessons Lis learned in her stint working for Andrew Cuomo…Her approach to building and nurturing talented teams and operatives…Lis’s advice on underappreciated Guns N’ Roses songs…AND David Axelrod, bangers, the bee’s knees, Paul Begala, Richard Ben Cramer, Chuck Berry, Blueberry Hill, Jerry Brown, George Bush, can-do mayors, Tucker Carlson, Hillary Clinton, Coal Miner’s Daughter, Jon Corzine, Stephanie Cutter, Tom Daschle, defense contractors, Diet Dr. Pepper, John Edwards, Albert Einstein, evil twins, Greek tragedies, Sean Hannity, Kamala Harris, Eric Holder, ill-fitting suits, Laura Ingraham, it factors, Bob Kerrey, John Kerry, Ben LaBolt, Chris Maher, Terry McAuliffe, Mallory McMorrow, mill towns, Tim Miller, Martin O’Malley, John Mulaney, normal person language, Michelle Obama, Jen O’Malley Dillon, pantsuits, the Pete Diaspora, Prince Charming, the Prince of Darkness, Jen Psaki, rage juice, Red Bull, Kid Rock, Mitt Romney, Axl Rose, Bernie Sanders, Mike Schmuhl, sequin shirts, Nina Smith, Julianna Smoot, George Stephanopoulos, the Straight Talk Express, Ted Strickland, summer doldrums, Greg Stumbo, TJ Maxx, Donald Trump, Twitter, visual brands, the War Room, water coolers, Glen Youngkin…& more!

From serving in the Air Force, to his time in both the House and Senate, and rising to become Senate Majority Leader during the 9-11 attacks…few have led more impactful political lives than Tom Daschle. In this conversation, he talks the unusual confluence of events that led to his involvement in politics, his mentor George McGovern, being taken under the wing of Speaker Tip O’Neill, his meteoric rise to become Senate Democratic leader…with stories, lessons, and insight from a 50+ career of service that continues to this day.IN THIS EPISODEThe two candidates that inspired a young Tom Daschle’s interest in politics (one you might guess and the other you won’t)…The progressive political tradition of South Dakota…Senator Daschle talks about his “hero” and “mentor” George McGovern…Senator Daschle talks about his own service in the military and why it made him a better member of Congress…Memories of his time as a Senate staffer in the 70s during Watergate and the end of the Vietnam War…The factor that led Congressman Daschle to have a special relationship with Speaker Tip O’Neill…Winning three 50-50 races over the course of 8 years to win both a House and then a Senate seat…The story behind the unique name of the Daschle campaign committee…The story of how a first term Congressman Tom Daschle received a convention vote for Vice President in 1980…The decision to make the jump from the House to the Senate…The circuitous story behind Senator Daschle’s 1-vote margin to become Senate Democratic minority leader after the 1994 election…The “up and down” relationship with President George W. Bush…Inside the decision of Jim Jeffords to switch parties and give the Democrats a brief Senate Majority in the early 00s…The legislative accomplishments of which Senator Daschle is most proud…Memories of the votes when emotions ran high on the Senate floor…How close did he get to running for President in 2004? (Very close)What made his longtime Chief of Staff Pete Rouse such an effective staffer…Senator Daschle talks his relationship with Barack Obama…A window into his current work with The Daschle Group…The Daschle pitch for us all to visit South Dakota…AND 50-50 Senates, 66 counties, Jim Abdnor, Aberdeen, Jim Abourezk, agent orange, Madeline Albright, anthrax, the anti-war movement, the Badlands, Howard Baker, biofuels, the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Black Hills, Robert Byrd, CHIPs, Bill Clinton, the Cold War, Kent Conrad, Nathan Daschle, Chris Dodd, Bob Dole, Byron Dorgan, dugout press conferences, the Dust Bowl, early out programs, Food for Peace, the fragility of democracy, Bill Frist, Fritz Hollings, John Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, Bob Kerrey, Trent Lott, George May, John McCain, Jim Messina, Bob Michel, the Missouri River, George Mitchell, the National Democratic Institute, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Omaha, Claude Pepper, populist traditions, regional whips, Franklin Roosevelt, Jim Sasser, the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, the Sioux River, Mo Udall, the Vietnam War, war heroes, Watergate…& more!

Robby Mook has managed races at all levels of politics - from state legislative races to the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential. In this conversation, Robby talks cutting his teeth in Vermont politics, the importance of field work, his time running the DCCC, managing successful races for Jeanne Shaheen and Terry McAuliffe, a deep dive on the 2016 campaign, & much more with one of the smartest thinkers in politics. IN THIS EPISODERobby cuts his teeth in Vermont politics and in the shadow of the next door New Hampshire Primary…The big name politician Robby rung up as a cashier…Robby’s memories of Bernie Sanders from the 1990s…Robby’s time in the US Senate page program…Robby talks the importance of his background in political field work…The piece of advice from David Plouffe that has really stuck with Robby…The Robby Mook 101 for effective campaign managing…Robby manages the 2008 Senate race for Jeanne Shaheen…Lessons Robby learned atop the DCCC in 2010 and 2012…Robby manages Terry McAuliffe’s winning race in 2013…Robby’s path to managing the Hillary Clinton Presidential campaign in 2016…How the Clinton campaign almost ended up based out of Buffalo…The two big decisions in the campaign that took up more of his time than he anticipated…Robby weighs in on what the Clinton campaign got right in 2016…Robby talks the political strengths of Trump 2016…Robby rebuts some of the unfair criticisms lodged against the Clinton campaign…Robby clarifies how the campaign used analytics down the stretch…Robby’s advice to other campaign operatives facing adversity after an election…Robby’s current role at House Majority PAC…AND airport logistics, Kate Bedingfield, Paul Begala, Joe Biden, James Carville, change elections, DC desk jockeys, easy narratives, Facebook, fast cashiers, New Gingrich, the glue between the bricks, U.S. Grant, Jesse Helms, Pat Leahy, mush, Nancy Pelosi, the Roman Republic, Patti Solis Doyle, the Sununus, Syracuse, third terms, Strom Thurmond, Harry Truman, the US Naval Reserves, the Vermont Democratic Party, Paul Wellstone, White Plains, word clouds, & more!

Ellen Malcolm helped found EMILY's List in 1985 and then served as EL’s President for 25 years. It’s hard to think of an organization over the last 30+ years that has changed politics more than EMILY's List, dramatically increasing the number of Democratic women in the both the Senate and the House. In this conversation originally released in August 2021, Ellen talks about how her early stops at places like Common Cause and the National Women’s Political Caucus prepared her to help found, launch, and grow EMILY's List. And Ellen outlines the key moments, decisions, and campaigns that have forged the successful political institution EMILY's List has become. IN THIS EPISODEEllen grows up in a Republican household…The cause and candidate that pulled Ellen into progressive politics…Ellen cuts her teeth at Common Cause and the National Women’s Political Caucus…Ellen comes out of the philanthropic closet…The one Senate race in 1982 that was the catalyst for the creation for EMILYs List…Geraldine Ferraro’s role in energizing the women’s political movement…How “pro-choice” and “Democratic” became integral to EMILYs List mission…Ellen’s memorable first meeting with then newly-elected Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi…Barbara Mikulski and EMILYs List make history in 1986…The 1988 House race that became a prototype what would soon be EMILYs List political department…Ellen remembers her deep emotional investment in Ann Richards races in Texas…The 1992 “Year of the Woman” changes the trajectory of EMILYs List…The 2004 House race that became a model of how EMILYs List tries to operate…After 25 years as President of EL, how Ellen knew it was time to pass the torch…Ellen’s advice for new or smaller organizations that want to be the next EL…AND 12-2 meetings, 60 Minutes, Tammy Baldwin, Lindy Boggs, Mary Beth Cahill, chain letters, Common Cause, John Danforth, donor networks, Dwight Eisenhower, the ERA fight, Anna Eshoo, John Gardner, Jane Hickey, Anita Hill, Eugene McCarthy, Walter Mondale, Gwen Moore, NOW, Mary Rose Oakar, David Obey, Tip O’Neil, Jen Pihlaja, Sally Ride, Run to Win, Stephanie Schriock, Wendy Sherman, Simon & Garfunkel, Martha Smiley, Lael Stegall, Adlai Stevenson, Clarence Thomas, Jolene Unsoeld, Willi Unsoeld, Watergate, Henrietta Windom, Harriet Woods…& MORE!

There are few more historic political figures than former Senator & Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun - the first Black womzn elected to the US Senate and the first ever Black Democratic Senator. In this conversation, she talks growing up on Chicago's South Side, marching with Martin Luther King at age 16, memories of figures like Richard J. Daley and Harold Washington, the start of her own political career, her history-making underdog Senate win in 1992, memorable moments and lessons learned during her time in the Senate, her tenure as Ambassador to New Zealand, & much more from a truly iconic political life.IN THIS EPISODE…Memories of growing up on Chicago’s South Side…Early memories of Chicago politics and the local labor movement…Growing up in the Chicago of Richard J. Daley…A 16-year-old Carol Moseley Braun marches next to Martin Luther King Jr…Memories of her long relationship with the iconic Harold Washington…How Harold Washington “saved” her political career…The college classmate (and now DC uber lobbyist) who jumpstarted her first political race…Recollections of the Illinois legislature of the 1970s and 80s…How being the target of the Chicago Machine actually helped her career…The amazing story of her history-making underdog US Senate race in 1992…Surprises and difficulties in the early days after being elected to the US Senate…The Senators who served as her mentors…The story of facing down Jesse Helms over the Confederate Flag…Her relationship with then-Senator Joe Biden…Her proudest accomplishment in the Senate…Memories of her tenure as Ambassador to New Zealand…The definitive Carol Moseley Braun advice for visitors to Chicago…AND 98-2, the Action Party, Al the Pal, apolitical medical technicians, Bob Bennett, the Black Belt, Barbara Boxer, brickbats, Brown vs Board, George HW Bush, Robert Byrd, Jane Byrne, carveouts, the civil rights imperative, Bill Clinton, Michael Corleone, cumulative voting, the Cutback Amendment, the Daley Machine, demigods, dirty tricks, Alan Dixon, the Dream Team, the DuSable Museum of African American History, Diane Feinstein, Gage Park, Hansberry vs Lee, Howell Heflin, Anita Hill, Independent Democrats, Nancy Kassebaum, Ted Kennedy, Kiwis, Celinda Lake, Landslide Washington, Pat Leahy, Thurgood Marshall, John McCain, Pat Moynihan, Dick Neuhaus, nuclear submarines, Barack Obama, old bulls, Claiborne Pell, Tony Podesta, Michael Shakman, semi-humans, Paul Simon, Clarence Thomas, Transcendentalists, welfare reform, the WWI Memorial, the Willard Hotel, the Year of the Woman… & more!

Ari Rabin-Havt spent more time with Bernie Sanders over the past few years than virtually anyone. Ari served as the Sanders' 2020 Deputy Campaign Manager, traveling with Bernie almost 24/7. He recounts much of this time in his new book The Fighting Soul: On the Road with Bernie Sanders...and in this conversation talks about the personal side of Bernie, the major strategic decisions within the campaign, both what he thinks the campaign got right as well as mistakes they made, and much more from one of the operatives closest to the Sanders' campaign and and active participant in almost all of the critical moments of the 2020 Democratic primary.IN THIS EPISODEAri’s motivation to get involved in politics…The prominent Senator who connected Ari to Bernie Sanders…Why Bernie warmed up to Ari so quickly…Ari’s front row seat into the Sanders’ decision process on whether to run in 2020…The most important factor that determined whether Bernie ran in 2020…Ari talks “the biggest mistake” the Sanders’ campaign made…Ari on the Sanders’ alter ego of “Bernie” vs “Earl”…The most difficult job on the Sanders’ campaign…Ari demystifies his role as “deputy campaign manager”…“Beer track” candidates vs. “wine track” candidates…Ari’s most memorable celebrity encounters from the 2020 race…Why the campaign decided to handle its paid media internally instead of using an established media consultant…The Sanders’ campaign confusion over the lack of Iowa TV spending from the Elizabeth Warren campaign…The moment Ari was afraid an opposing campaign was going to “knock out” Sanders pre-Iowa…Ari gives a quick lesson in real-time, presidential campaign budgeting…The “moment of utter transcendent perfection” on the campaign…Ari breaks out his famed Bernie impression…Why Bernie didn’t go harder after Joe Biden in the debates...Ari’s take on whether there’s a scenario of another Sanders runs for President…Ari on how Democrats should engage with Fox News…Ari’s 101 on what makes a good advance staffer…AND 59th Street Bridge, ACDC, AOC, anti-hunger activism, Joe Biden, Mike Bloomberg, budget sinks, Pete Buttigieg, Daytona Superspeedway, DML Media, Warren Gunnels, insane endeavors, Jewish grandfathers, Arianna Jones, kismet, Amy Klobuchar, Mark Longabaugh, Ed Markey, Media Matters, Josh Miller-Lewis, Outback Steakhouse, Jean-Michel Picher, policy staff, Queensbridge Park, Harry Reid, relative viscosity, restrictor plate races, Chuck Rocha, Jane Sanders, Faiz Shakir, Sirius XM, Rene Spellman, starting the train, Ted Strickland, tactile politics, Tim Tagaris, Nina Turner, Eddie Vedder, Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Weaver, Cornel West, & more!

Veteran Democratic media consultant Neil Oxman is one of the most interesting people working in politics. In addition to his years helping elect Democrats at all levels, he caddies on the PGA tour for golfing legends including Tom Watson. In this discussion, Neil talks the history of political ad-making from the 1950s to today and goes deep inside several of his own high-profile races including PA Governor Ed Rendell, Philadelphia's first Black mayor Wilson Goode, Al Gore's 1988 presidential campaign, and more throughout his career that show the ways TV can help win (and lose) political campaigns. Neil's full presentation on the history of campaign ads was recorded by C-Span in 2016 and can be found here. IN THIS EPISODE…Neil’s Philly roots and unusual law school experience at Villanova…Neil gets his foot in the door in politics in the summer of 1976…What leads to Neil opening his own media firm in 1980…Neil talks the roots of television advertising in political campaigns…The 1969 television ad that Neil believes kicked off the rise of political ads in non-presidential campaigns…Neil compares ads from the 70s/80s to political ads of today…The races on which Neil starts to come into his own as a media consultant…Neil helps Wilson Goode beat Frank Rizzo to become Philadelphia’s first Black mayor…Neil’s role on the Kentucky Senate race in 1984 and the strategic mistake that led to Mitch McConnell’s first win…Neil’s role as ad-maker on the Al Gore 1988 presidential campaign…Neil’s connection to then-mayor of Cincinnati Jerry Springer…Neil helps Ed Rendell become Philly Mayor and Governor of Pennsylvania…The last ad that Neil thinks actually mattered in a presidential race…Neil talks his habit of watching 100s of movies a year…Neil talks moonlighting as a caddy on the PGA tour for greats like Tom Watson…Who’s the best golfer in politics?Neil’s advice for those who want to get into political media…Neil’s recommendation for the best political movies…AND 215 media markets, Roger Ailes, Altoona, Doug Bailey, Birch Bayh, Abe Beame, Homero Blancas, Ed Brooke, Pat Caddell, Frank Capra, Hugh Carey, Bob Casey Jr, Bob Casey Sr, Frank Church, Citizens United, cocktail parties, the Columbus Dispatch, Bob Colville, the Daisy ad, John Dierdorf, David Doak, Mike Dukakis, Dwight Eisenhower, Mike Ford, David Garth, gerontocracy, gigantic piles of polls, Wilson Goode, Bob Goodman, Bill Green, Michael Harrington, Anita Hill, Richard Holbrooke, Dee Huddleston, HUT levels, Andi Johnson, Lyndon Johnson, Julian Kanter, Robert Kennedy, Ed Koch, John Lindsay, the Louisville Courier Journal, Willie Maples, McDonalds, George McGovern, Jack McGregor, Mark Moskowitz, Ralph Nader, Jack Nicklaus, Dan Quayle, process questions, Mark Putnam, Robert Redford, regional agoraphobia, Rosser Reeves, Jim Rhodes, Frank Rizzo, Nelson Rockefeller, Buddy Roemer, Nolan Ryan, Rick Santorum, Mike Schmidt, Allyson Schwartz, Joe Sestak, Bob Shrum, Mark Singel, Arlen Specter, Bob Squier, Clarence Thomas, Danny Thomas, Lee Trevino, troglodytes, Harry Truman, Paul Tsongas, Paul Tully, WASPy establishments, Doug Wilder, Tiger Woods, Tom Wolf, Lynn Yeakel & more!

Liz Mair has one of the more unusual career arcs in politics. Raised in both Seattle and London, she got her start working in conservative politics for David Cameron in the UK before moving to the US to work for the RNC and GOP candidates including Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina, Rick Perry, Scott Walker, and more. In this conversation, she talks her unconventional path to working in politics, her ascent in the digital political space, her time working around some of the leading Republican figures of the era, her work to try to beat back Donald Trump in the '16 primaries, and lessons and insights from one of the most creative thinkers in politics.IN THIS EPISODE…Liz’s unusual childhood bouncing between Seattle and London…The school project that exposed Liz to campaign politics…Liz’s first professional role in politics working for David Cameron and the UK Tory Party…Liz talks similarities and differences between the UK Conservative Party and American Republicans…How Liz transitioned from UK to US politics, working for the RNC in the ’08 cycle…Liz’s experience with the McCain campaign, plus her memories of the Sarah Palin experience…Liz’s take on GOP pols she’s worked with including Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina, Rick Perry, and Scott Walker…The unsuccessful 2016 Republican presidential candidate Liz thinks will be president in her lifetime…Liz talks lessons learned from her anti-Trump efforts in the 2016 GOP primaries…The ad Liz thinks could’ve taken down Trump in ’16…Rumors about the failed Rubio / Cruz alliance to stop Trump in 2016…The mistakes that Liz sees campaign make…Liz’s career advice to campaign operatives…Liz’s strangest work habit…AND Marc Ambinder, annoying bloggers, Joe Biden, billboards in Iowa, billing 110 hours a week, BlogHer, Cameronites, Ken Clarke, Kellyanne Conway, cranberry juice, Ted Cruz, Howard Dean, debt finance, deepest darkest Surrey, Danny Diaz, Elizabeth Dole, Mike Duncan, Euro skeptics, David Gauke, Rudy Giuliani, Maggie Haberman, Hewlett-Packard, the Hunt for the Red October, Amy Klobuchar, Cyrus Krohn, Medieval History majors, modern guys, NDAs, naps, National Review, Mike Nelson, Barack Obama, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, Tim Pawlenty, Tina Podlodowski, Hercule Poirot, policy wonks at AEI, post-partum depression, RedState, the Republican Main Street Partnership, Tony Rezko, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, Greg Sargent, Steve Schmidt, Allyson Schwartz, Sam Stein, stockbrokers and housewives, the stupidest person in the room, the Tea Party, Margaret Thatcher, Fred Thompson, token volunteering, Trump copycats, Elizabeth Warren, webcasts, the welfare state, Meg Whitman, Rick Wilson & more!

Ken Spain, the founder of Narrative Strategies, had worked at high levels in Republican politics and corporate comms before starting his own strategic communications firm. He worked for the Bush/Cheney re-elect in 04, on the Hill for three different GOP members, at a senior position at the NRCC campaign committee, for the Private Equity Council during the tumultuous 2012 elections, & running corporate communications for Koch Industries. In this conversation, Ken talks his path through GOP politics, his perspective as a Hispanic operative,  starting a bipartisan communications firm, and much more.IN THIS EPISODE…Ken grows up in Richard Nixon country in Southern California as the son of Reagan Democrats…Ken breaks into politics working in California legislative politics…Ken talks helping the George W. Bush re-election campaign carry New Mexico in 2004…What Ken's learned from mentor Ken Mehlman, manager of the 2004 Bush campaign…Ken spearheads an effort to help the private equity industry defend itself as it’s attacked during the Mitt Romney presidential campaign…Ken talks lessons and tips learned from working for 3 members on Capitol Hill…Ken’s breaks down the differences in a well run Hill office versus a poorly-run office…Ken’s experience as a Hispanic operative working in GOP politics…Ken’s take on why Trump overperformed expectations among Latino voters in 2020…Ken’s level of optimism that California Republicans can start winning statewide soon…Ken contrasts working at the NRCC in the Dem wave year of 2008 versus the GOP wave in 2010…Ken talks his time running corporate communications for Koch Industries…Ken’s analysis of what’s often misunderstood about the Koch Brothers’ approach to politics…Ken talks the founding of Narrative Strategies and the firm’s growth over the past few years…Ken’s best practices for developing a professional network…AND 100 hours of focus groups, the 210 freeway, Americans for Prosperity, arcane business models, Bain Capital, Bernalillo County, Tony Blair, Blue Dogs, John Boehner, Rick Boucher, Brexit, Bobby Bright, British Victorian History, Scott Brown, Lois Capps, classical liberalism, Clovis, Tom Cole, community colleges, Mike Conaway, Charlie Cook, dark money, Gray Davis, Tom Davis, Danny Diaz, David Dreier, Larry Elder, flip-floppers, Fullerton, James Gandolfini, Newt Gingrich, Ari Gold, Barry Goldwater, Scott Jennings, jumpballs, Las Cruces, the Latino Summit, Bob Margett, Mary Queen of Scots, Mike McCaul, Kevin McCarthy, Ken Mehlman, moving down the dais, Gavin Newsom, Jim Oberstar, David Obey, Leon Panetta, pension funds, The Private Equity Council, pumpjacks, Harry Reid, Richard Riordan, Santa Barbara, Steve Schmidt, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Pete Sessions, John Shadegg, Bill Simon, Ike Skelton, John Spratt, surprise medical billing, Dave Wasserman, Wichita, Pete Wilson…& more!