“One of the problems that Democrats have had is they understood late that they’ve been on the wrong issue. This has been about jobs and unemployment. When you have three months of unemployment 10 percent or higher, the public is unhappy.”

To read the complete article, turn to theKansas City Starwebsite.

But David Winston, a political consultant who advises Congressional Republican leaders, said the unemployment rate was the most important indicator for voters assessing Mr. Obama’s performance.

“If this number doesn’t significantly improve, that’s going to be a negative for him and for his party,” Mr. Winston said.

Access the full article here: nytimes.com

With Apple pushing the iPhone as a full-featured smartphone for the enterprise, you’d think it would work perfectly with its own enterprise-focused Snow Leopard Server. You’d be wrong. The iPhone even functions better in an Exchange environment.

Read at Ars Technica

The Right Idea, Episode 36: Government 2.0 from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

TRI returns with Mark Drapeau and Meagan Carberry, this time chatting with Kristen about the government’s use of new media and how new media will allow citizen journalism to influence transparency in government.

If Obama’s numbers continue to slide, his policy agenda is at serious risk. Don’t think for one moment that members of the House and Senate don’t pay attention to these national polls. They do, especially those who find themselves in competitive races. Equally important, their own internal state or district polls will likely also have a presidential job approval question. Whether Obama is under 50% or under water back home could and, in many cases, will impact their voting behavior in D.C.

To read all of David’s article, turn to pollster.com

“The majority of people view it as an economic issue,” said David Winston, who has polled for the House and Senate Republican leadership on the issue.

To access the entire article, turn to LATimes.com

“I think the conservative brand is generally fine,” said Republican pollster David Winston. “But the Republican brand has difficulty at this point. And there’s no question that, until the party stops being the opposition party and starts being the alternative party, it’s not going to help its brand.”

To read more, turn to DesMoinesRegister.com

The Right Idea, Episode 35: The Future of Communication from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

Kristen chats with Mark Drapeau and Maegan Carberry about where new media communication is headed and how to best utilize it.

Follow us on Twitter:
The Winston Group: @TheWinstonGroup
Kristen Soltis: @KLSoltis
Mark Drapeau: @cheeky_geeky
Maegan Carberry: @maegancarberry

David Winston, a pollster who advises the Republican leaders in Congress, said that when populism is married to a positive agenda that gives voters a concrete alternative to the status quo, it can alter the landscape, as it did when Republicans captured the House in 1994.

“The challenge is not tapping into a populist environment, it’s creating an alternative that brings about the next political shift,” he said.

To read more of Stevenson’s article, turn to nytimes.com

Last week, the National Republican Congressional Committee called a meeting with activists on the right, including religious conservatives, to discuss the lessons of New York 23. “Any time you have a loss like we did in 2008, there’s a debate about how the party should go forward,” says David Winston, the pollster for congressional Republicans. “But New York 23 showed that that debate could be poisonous.”

“Faith-Based Challenges Show a New Rift in the GOP”: US News and World Report

David explains the GOP’s slow implementation of social media and reaching out to young voters.

One attendee told POLITICO that the pundits’ attitude was very much “they’re willing to work together when that works and they’re willing to club each other when clubbing is appropriate.”

To read more of the Politico story, access it here.

“Any time you have unemployment this high, it is the number one story, whether it’s being written about or not,” says David Winston, a Republican pollster who for months has urged GOP officeholders to focus steadily on the issue.

To read more of the article, click on washingtonexaminer.com

“This is not a simplistic problem,” said Republican pollster David Winston. “You watched Democrats go through this after the 1994 election. It’s the constant tension within any political party.”

To read the full article, click to the Washington Post’s website.

For a recent report to House Republican leader Rep. John Boehner, Winston asked people to judge two different approaches to today’s woes. The choice was between “Republicans who say Congress should be focusing on long-term policies that create jobs, like small business and family tax relief, and controlling federal spending to get our economy moving again,” and “Democrats who say that health insurance reform is key to jump-starting the economy by expanding coverage to the uninsured, lowering costs, and restricting the worst insurance company practices, and we must get it done this year.”
Fifty-four percent of respondents agreed with the Republican approach, versus 40 percent who agreed with the Democratic approach. That’s not because they like Republicans better than Democrats — they don’t — but because they want their leaders to directly address the economy and jobs.

To read more, turn to washingtonexaminer.com for the full article.

The Right Idea, Episode 34: The “New” DC from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

Ever since Obama became president, DC has quickly become the place to see and be seen. How do three DC residents feel about all the changes? Kristen, Amanda and Allison continue this week’s round of discussions with their opinions on their city’s newfound popularity.

“Yet as jobs reports continue to be grim and as Americans question whether the stimulus has worked, the president and congressional Democrats remain focused on health insurance reform rather than the economy,” Winston wrote.

[The Hill]

The Right Idea, Episode 33: Health Care Reform from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

With Olympia Snowe giving the latest healthcare reform bill the thumbs up, can we really call it bi-partisan? Kristen chats with the Washington Times’ Andrea Carpenter and the Independent Women’s Forum’s Allison Kasic about the lastest in healthcare reform developments, as well as the bigger issue of the U.S. economy.

The Right Idea, Episode 32 – The Intellectual Direction of the Right from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

In this week’s 2nd episode, Kristen, Ross and Reihan discuss whether conservative political discourse has fallen by the wayside to allow for more entertainment value. Have we really become “more Glenn Beck and less William F. Buckley”?

The Right Idea, Episode 31 – Middle Class Voters from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

What new strategies will help Republicans connect with Middle America? Kristen chats with the writers of “Grand New Party” – Ross Douthat from The New York Times and Reihan Salam from the New America Foundation – about key issues leaders must address when reaching out to voters.

The Right Idea, Episode 30 – Talking Points from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

“Die quickly”? This week’s second TRI takes a look at Senator Alan Grayson’s controversial comment about the Republican health care plan. Kristen, Chris and Abby look at the repercussions of Grayon’s words and how using the right – or wrong – words can help a candidate raise money.

The Right Idea Episode 29 – The Olympics from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

Comments from left and right – mostly from the right – flew after Obama’s trip to Copenhagen failed to secure a win for Chicago to host the 2016 Olympics. Kristen chats with Abby Alger and The Winston Group’s Chris Anderson about what folks from the right said, what happened in Copenhagen, and possible reasons why Chicago lost the vote.

The Right Idea, Episode 28 – Hollywood Politics from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

Kristen, Rachel and Tommy chat about the rare breed of conservative celebrities – why are there so few of them? And what can the right do gain more support from them? Kristen and our guests also discuss why conservative new media material like blogs and magazines are important.

The Right Idea, Ep. 27 – Retaining the Youth Vote from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

Kristen revisits the topic of young voters this week, chatting with Rachel Hoff from the Young Republican National Federation and Tommy Jardon from College Republican National Committee. They discuss some new numbers about young voters’ support of Obama, and address how congressional campaigns can attract this key group.

The Right Idea, Episode 26 – Political Journalism from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

Can information be credible if it falls under the guise of entertainment? Is The Colbert Report a viable alternative to the nightly news? Kristen, J.P. and Chris switch gears in our second episode of this week to discuss political journalism, particularly on the blurred lines between fact and opinion, especially when humor is used.

The Right Idea Episode 25 – Campaigning vs. Governing from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

What’s happened since Obama stepped off the campaign trail and sat down in the Oval Office? Kristen talks to J.P. Freire from the Washington Examiner and Chris Beam of Slate magazine about what’s happened so far since the “honeymoon” ended and what to look forward to in 2012.

The Right Idea, Episode 24 – Design from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

Design is more important to campaigns and politics than you might think. In the second installment of this week’s TRI, Kristen, Craig and Alex talk about why simplicity is effective, the importance of language, and what side of the brain Republicans tend to use…

“Big themes will emerge for this off-year election just as they did for 1994-1998-2002-2006 races,” said Republican pollster David Winston, who advises the congressional Republican leadership. “That’s why to assume that the 2010 elections will automatically follow a historical pattern — when there have been so many major changes in political communication in recent years — is to miss the big picture.” Presidential politics permanently changed with the 1960 election and the over-arching importance of television. The same kind of transformation may have begun occurring in the mid-1990s with the proliferation of cable television channels and the emergence of the Internet.

The Economy and the 2010 Elections: Bleak Assumptions May Be Premature [Politics Daily]

Anti-Obama passions are undeniably present, although they may not be as meaningful as advertised. In part, they reflect the high-decibel partisanship of a political dialogue defined by cable television and angry Web sites. As Republican pollster David Winston puts it, “I think there are things going on that have nothing to do with Obama, like the change in the political discourse.”

Access the entire article on Politics Daily

The Right Idea, Episode 23 – Microtargeting from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

How should campaigns reach out to a particular audience? Kristen talks to Craig Kirchoff from National Media, Inc. and Alex Lundry from TargetPoint Consulting. This week’s first episode answers what exactly microtargeting is about and why campaigns ought to focus on it.

The Right Idea, Episode 22 – The Youth Vote from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

This week’s second episode tackles the issue of how to attract – and retain – young voters. The tactics don’t stop at simply having a Twitter a Facebook. Kristen, Tyler and Chris discuss why.

The Right Idea, Episode 20 – Voter Identifications from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

Is the country really turning all blue? Kristen chats with Tyler Harber from Wilson National Research and Chris Malagisi from the Young Conservatives Coalition this week, discussing a recent Gallup poll showing that a majority of the states are Democrat-leaning. Kristen, Tyler and Chris break it all down to figure out the truth behind the numbers.

The Right Idea, Episode 20: New Media in Campaigns from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

Kristen Soltis, Patrick Ruffini and Liz Mair continue their chat on new media, this time focusing on its use in campaigns and how technology is changing the way campaigns are run.

Hollywood, Calif. – Sept. 8, 2009 – Viacom (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, along with initiative partners AT&T, Capital One Financial Corporation and NYSE Euronext, today launched Get Schooled with a national broadcast and an education conference at the Paramount Pictures lot. The five-year initiative aims to generate greater awareness and engagement in addressing the nation’s education crisis and to offer practical resources and support to students.

“We couldn’t be having this conversation at a better time,” said Bill Gates, Co-chair of the Gates Foundation. “The education crisis is damaging our ability to compete in the global economy, and we need to do more to engage all Americans – from policymakers and corporate leaders to families and young people – in our efforts to support students in completing their education and achieving their dreams.”

The Get Schooled initiative also announced today the results of a poll conducted by The Winston Group showing that an overwhelming percentage of Americans believe that the United States is lagging behind other nations when it comes to the quality of education. Eighty-one percent of survey respondents said that they do not believe that the United States has the best public education system in the world. Eighty-nine percent believe that if American students are not receiving as good of an education as their overseas counterparts, it will have a negative effect on the American economy.

“We are committed to raising awareness and, even more importantly, to converting that awareness into action,” said Philippe Dauman, President and CEO of Viacom. “Improving the workforce readiness of America’s upcoming generations is a business imperative. By 2020, our nation may be short 14 million college-educated workers, and the trends are moving against us. The cost to the U.S. economy of students unprepared to enter college and the workforce is estimated at close to $4 billion dollars annually in lost wages and remedial education costs. But the long-term cost is exponentially greater.”

From 2006 to 2016 there will be more than two million new jobs created requiring at least an associate degree or postsecondary training, according to the New Democratic Leadership Council. However, the reality is that two-thirds of American ninth graders will not be prepared for college within four years, and half of those who actually go to college will never earn a degree.

“Investing in a well-educated workforce may be the single most important thing we can do to help the U.S. remain a leader in the global economy,” said Charlene Lake, Senior Vice President for Public Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer for AT&T. “If we come together as business leaders, policymakers, parents and as a community, we can ensure that today’s students have the skills and knowledge for meaningful careers, and that American businesses have a deep and diverse talent pool from which to hire. AT&T is proud to be a partner in Get Schooled.”

As part of Get Schooled’s mission to foster a national dialogue on education issues, AT&T is organizing “screening parties” and discussions around the premiere of the TV broadcast of Get Schooled: You Have the Right. Local events, organized with community partners, will take place in 14 cities across the nation.

“NYSE Euronext is proud to partner with all the sponsors of the Get Schooled initiative. Improving America’s education system is critically important to the future of our children and our prosperity,” said Duncan L. Niederauer, CEO of NYSE Euronext. “To continue developing future generations of innovators and investors, we must ensure that our young people are equipped with the necessary skills to compete in the global marketplace and succeed in life. At NYSE Euronext, we have a long-standing commitment to financial literacy, and we are pleased to offer our expertise and brand behind this great initiative.”

“At Capital One we recognize that one of the most important investments we can make in the future is an investment in education,” said Carolyn Berkowitz, President of Capital One Foundation and Vice President for Community Affairs at Capital One. “We are proud to support programs like Get Schooled to help reinforce the importance of financial literacy. Our goal is to help give students a solid foundation of money management knowledge and skills so that they can make wise financial choices in the future.”

The launch of Get Schooled, at the Paramount Pictures lot, includes a conference featuring a line-up of distinguished speakers: Bill Gates, Philippe Dauman, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Tony Miller, filmmaker Davis Guggenheim, author and political columnist Arianna Huffington, New York City Department of Education Chancellor Joel Klein and Los Angeles-area High School Athletic Director Stephen Minix. The education conference will be attended by an audience of almost one thousand – including corporate and nonprofit partners, students, thought leaders, celebrities and other education stakeholders. Its goal is to highlight fresh perspectives on ways to dramatically increase high school graduation rates and college completion rates. The speakers will draw from their personal and professional experiences, sharing insights on how to ensure that all students receive a top-notch education and are ready to compete in a global marketplace.

The launch events on the Paramount Pictures lot also include the premiere of the Get Schooled: You Have the Right documentary featuring President Barack Obama, Kelly Clarkson and LeBron James, and three professionals who work alongside them, which will air across all of Viacom’s U.S. networks, including BET, MTV, VH1, CMT, Comedy Central, Spike TV, TV Land and Nickelodeon, at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific and 7 p.m. Central.

ABOUT THE WINSTON GROUP POLL
The Winston Group survey of 1,000 voters nationwide probed Americans’ views about education. The telephone survey was conducted Aug. 23-27, 2009 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.

ABOUT GET SCHOOLED
Get Schooled is a national program that connects, inspires and mobilizes people – from policymakers and corporate leaders to communities and kids – to find effective solutions to the problems facing our education system. It provides resources and information, community outreach and creative programming that engage a range of audiences to address America’s education crisis. Get Schooled’s co-developers are the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom, including BET Networks, MTV Networks and Paramount Pictures. The initiative combines the Foundation’s deep knowledge of education reform with the power of Viacom’s diverse brands to raise awareness about the challenges facing America’s public education system and provide information and solutions for students and their families.

To find out more about Get Schooled and the initiative’s groundbreaking national television premiere airing today, visit www.getschooled.com.

David Winston, a Republican pollster, agrees. He says that Obama “has to do a kind of reset on health care and figure out if he can regain the initiative on the policy debate, since he clearly lost the month of August.” Winston cautions, however, that Obama has bigger problems than his message. “One of the difficult stress points of a majority coalition is how you keep your base and the people beyond the base together to sustain that coalition. Health care is the first clear example where the two have divergent views.”

If Republicans are heartened by Obama’s summer stumble, that doesn’t mean they should relax. Republicans, says Winston, should work to create a “positive policy choice”…

To read the full article, access nationalreview.com

“This is his big moment in managing a majority coalition,” said David Winston, a GOP strategist who compared Obama’s challenge to those faced — unsuccessfully — by three other former leaders: Clinton on healthcare, President George W. Bush on Social Security, and House Speaker Newt Gingrich in the budget battle that shut down part of the government during Clinton’s first term.

“Every one of them overreached,” said Winston. “But the question is, do they understand they have overreached? And what do they do in response?”

Access the LA Times article here

The Right Idea, Episode 19: Tech & the Obama Administration from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

This week, Kristen Soltis talks to Patrick Ruffi from Engage and Liz Mair from Hynes Communications to address the current administration’s use of technology in terms of messaging, transparency, and other recent efforts.

The Right Idea, Ep. 18 – Message Discipline from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

Kristen, Rob and Mark continue this week’s conversation about messaging and strategy by going into the debate over whether public forums like the tea parties are effective or not.

The Right Idea, Episode 17: New School Strategy from The Winston Group on Vimeo.

In the first installment of TRI’s second season, the Winston Group’s Kristen Soltis chats with Rob Kubasko and Mark SooHoo from Campaign Solutions about the differences between Old School and New School tactics and how leaders need to focus more on “the message” itself.

“It hurts everybody,” said David Winston, an advisor to the House and Senate Republican leadership. “It makes the political process less connected to people’s lives and therefore makes it harder to get at the problems they face. . . . This is a discussion of about where our country goes. Not who can call somebody the worst name.”

To read more, access LA Times online

“This debate has gotten out of hand, and he’s just trying to regain the initiative,” said David Winston, a Republican pollster. “He’s trying lots of different things and hoping one thing will stick.”

Access the full article at americanchronicle.com

There are actually Democratic insiders who believe that passing health care reform is more politically important going into the congressional elections than even the economy. In contrast, Republican pollster David Winston, who advises the congressional GOP leadership, persuasively argues, “This is ultimately going to be an election about jobs. And there’s going to be one number that people will follow – and that’s the unemployment rate.”

Access the full blogpost

Download “The Vanishing Young Republicans” (124 pages, pdf)

But the hypothetical is instructive in this respect: What truly matters here is how things look in 2010-2012, not right now. Still, Republicans see this as an important time, because a more doubtful public could turn to them and their ideas. “Here is the opportunity for Republicans: The public is listening for a debate,” says Republican pollster David Winston.

“First thoughts: Obama and the Pope” – First Read [msnbc.com]

Her task now is to establish her own credibility on a range of voter issues. Her expertise on the crucial issue of energy gives her a good opportunity to join the current political debate. Had she focused on her energy bona fides during last year’s presidential election, she might have had a better shot at quieting critics.

Read the full post here: “Room for Debate”: What’s Sarah Palin’s Political Future?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24471.html