Pro Politics with Zac McCrary

Send us a textI’m thrilled this week to be joined by the brilliant Rebecca Pearcey! Rebecca has worked in politics for 20+ years – from working in field to managing statewide races to running big independent expenditure programs. In the 2020 cycle, Rebecca was a senior advisor and political director to the Warren for President campaign – while also traveling with the candidate for months.Podcast WebsiteTwitter: @ProPoliticsPodTwitter: @ZacMcCraryFacebook: The Pro Politics Podcast IN THIS EPISODE…How a Christmas card and a goldfish taught Rebecca an important lesson about politics…How did Rebecca end up testifying before the Oregon State Senate…Rebecca’s theory on how Gephardt 2004 was a launching pad for so many talented staff…How a staffers’ ex boyfriend helped keep the lights on at the Gephardt HQ (whether the ex knew it or not)…What Rebecca learned working in red states…What Rebecca knows about Mike Pence after running the 2012 campaign against him…The legislative race that was Rebecca’s “heart-breaker” during her time at the DLCCThe story Rebeca hasn’t told before about her path to the Warren campaign…What does Rebecca know about Senator Warren after spending months in a minivan with her…Rebecca’s high point on the Warren campaign…One thing that Rebecca wishes the Warren campaign would’ve handled differently…What happened when Elizabeth Warren met John Legend….Rebecca’s four-word motto for hiring the right people…What 15 white guys in blazers showed Rebecca about problems facing Democratic campaigns…Rebecca’s 3 travel hacks… AND….Bill Burton, George W Bush, Margaret Carter, Wesley Clark, John Edwards, Preston Elliott, John Gregg, Lucinda Guinn, Kamala Harris, Abby Horrell, Karen Johanson, John Kerry, John Lapp, Andy LaVigne, Travis Lowe,  Mike Mikus, Emily Parcell, Jessica Post,  Nancy Reagan, Ronald Reagan, Ted Strickland, and MORE! Podcast WebsiteTwitter: @ProPoliticsPodTwitter: @ZacMcCraryFacebook: The Pro Politics Podcast

Send us a textI’m so fortunate to be joined by Paul Begala as my first guest – we had a great conversation. Paul is a great storyteller, with tremendous insights he’s learned over the years that remain incredibly relevant today.Podcast WebsiteTwitter: @ProPoliticsPodTwitter: @ZacMcCraryFacebook: The Pro Politics PodcastIN THIS EPISODE…Paul breaks out his spot-on impressions of Bill Clinton, James Carville, and a deep cut of Phil Graham…Why was Paul’s nickname “Huntley-Brinkley”?Which Senator did a 12-year old Paul see, from the Senate Gallery, skillfully working the room during the 1973 Alaska pipeline vote?How does high-school Paul cross paths with both Tom Delay and Ron Paul in the 1970s? Why the concept of “taxation and representation” was incredibly influential in Paul’s time at the University of Texas?The lasting impact Diane Begala, Paul’s wife, has had on the UT campus…The story of Paul’s (temporary) defeat for Student Body President by a fictional character…The two-word slogan that has defined Paul’s outlook on politics, government, and life…What wager do Paul and his wife make before they see their friend Mark McKinnon on TV?How Paul learned more from losing a race in Texas than he did on any of the races he won?How Paul helped revive the political career of the man known as “The Three Time Loss from Holy Cross”…How one candidate’s embrace of Transcendental Meditation changed a race…Which candidate Paul worked for had “the greatest collection of talent on one staff” that Paul’s ever seen (and it’s not the 1992 Clinton Team)…The story of how a pollster and an eye doctor found the right health care messaging to overcome a 47-point deficit in the 1991 upset win of PA Senator Harris Wofford…How the lesson of “be like Bobby Kennedy” made Paul a better campaign manager…Who is the potential Democratic candidate that Paul thought posed the greatest threat to Clinton’s prospects…The “one thing that hasn’t changed in the Democratic Party” since 1992…What was the “gold watch” strategy in the 1992 presidential race…Why Ross Perot actually hurt Bill Clinton in 1992 more than George HW Bush…What did Hillary Clinton say when Ross Perot (temporarily) pulled out of the ’92 race…Why Bill Clinton wanted Paul Begala to work in the White House even though Paul felt “unqualified”…Paul in the middle of the Clinton impeachment fight during a strained personal relationship with the President…Paul’s tips on how to be good on television…The advice Paul gives to anyone considering a career in politics…Which recent political movie does Paul “highly, highly recommend”?What spot on the map does Paul call “the greatest place in the world”?What Paul has learned from each of his four sons… Also mentioned...John Anzalone, Howard Baker, Billy Begala, Charlie Begala, Diane Begala, John Begala Patrick Begala, Anna Bennett, Lloyd Bentsen, Joe Biden, David Bowie, Bill Bradley, George W Bush, James Carville, Bob Casey, Bill Clements, Hillary Clinton, Mario Cuomo, Mike Donilon, Lloyd Doggett, Sarah Eckhardt, Bob Gammage, Bryan Garner, Dick Gephardt, Al Gore,  Florence Scroggins Graham, Larry Grisolano, Kent Hance, John Heinz, David Humphreville, Vernon Jordan, Ted Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Bob Kreuger, Frank Lautenberg, Lyle Lovett, Neil MacBride, Mary Matalin, Linda Moore, Karen Olick, Jay Rockefeller, Ronald Reagan, Ann Richards, John Schwartz, Bill Scranton, Bob Shrum, Russ Tidwell, Dick Thornburgh, Joh

Send us a textHello everyone, I’m Zac McCrary. I’m a Democratic pollster, but before I was a political operative, I was a political junkie. That’s why I’m starting the Pro Politics Podcast. I’ll be having conversations with interesting and accomplished people – across the partisan spectrum - who work in the political industry…campaign managers, messaging experts, ad-makers, journalists, policy experts and beyond. This is not a podcast that will provide punditry on the latest beltway flare up or go back and forth with partisan talking points, there are plenty of places for that.  Instead I want to talk to some of the most impactful people in the political process and hear their what got them into the business, some behind-the-scenes campaign war stories, and their thoughts, advice and insights on how to succeed in the political business and make an impact. So please subscribe to the Pro Politics Podcast, find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and keep an eye out for new episodes every Tuesday. https://twitter.com/ProPoliticsPodhttps://www.facebook.com/ProPoliticsPodhttps://twitter.com/ZacMcCrary