Handling the Candidate

My good friend Dave Dziok has written a little essay on the topic of "Handling the Candidate." He offers some good advice. Check it out:

A candidate's two major responsibilities in a campaign are raising money and meeting voters. It's the staff's job to make sure that the candidate is getting this done in the most efficient way possible. The key player in all this is the candidate's travel aide.

Life for a candidate on the campaign trail is definitely grueling. Hours upon hours, even days at a time away from the family will take a toll on the candidate's psyche. That's why the relationship between a candidate and travel aide must stretch beyond merely work into one of friendship and trust, because at times, you're the only family that the candidate has.

Ample thought isn't always given to finding a good match for the candidate to travel with, and I can understand why. After all, how hard is it to get the candidate from Point A to Point B on time? But there's a lot more preparation for a travel aide than merely getting into a car and driving to an event, and without a reliable and trustworthy travel aide, your campaign can be in for a disaster.

I'll share with you some thoughts and tips I've picked up over the years from working along side candidates on the campaign trail. Many joke that a travel aide is the candidate's brain, dragging him from one event to the other, telling him how to
look, what to say, and who to talk to.

And for anyone who's served in this role, it'd be tough to disagree.

Create a travel sheet for all trips and events, and be sure to include the following information:

- Date, time, and location of the event?
- Type of event (rally, reception, dinner, etc.)?
- Number of people
expected to attend?
- What's expected of the candidate at the event?
- What's the appropriate attire?
- Who's the contact person for the event?
- Who are the other speakers?
- Will press be in attendance?

If you do your homework and answer all these questions, you'll be sure to have covered all your bases and chances of a successful trip will skyrocket.

And here are some more tips that every travel aide should know:

- Always have a change of clothes for the candidate and different types as well. It's common place to spill coffee or ketchup on clothes when hurrying to get from one place to another, and you want to be sure you're presentable. You may be at a barbeque in the afternoon and then have to attend a fundraiser at night without having the chance to go home and change clothes. If the schedule works this way, you have to be prepared:

- Always have directions!!!
- Never leave the campaign office without a digital camera and extra batteries. You never want to miss a perfect photo opportunity, and with technology today, you can write up a press release on the road and attach a picture from a campaign rally you just attended and get it to the press.
- Fix-a-flat can be a life saver on those long deserted stretches of road, especially late at night. Always be prepared.
- It's easy to forget your cell phone charger at home or at the office. When going on the road for extended periods of time, make sure you take your charger.
- Have a small make-up kit for public appearances. You never know when a camera could be on you and you end up on the evening news. You always want to look presentable.
- Be sure to have gum or some kind of breath freshener. There's no quicker way to lose voters than bad breath.

Just a few tips to keep in mind when you hit the campaign trail with your candidate. Good luck and safe travels!

I would have added that the travel aide must also keep the campaign manager up-to-date on what's happening on the road. And, perhaps most importantly, the travel aide must keep the candidate's spirits up, so he or she stays focused. A big part of the job is to keep the candidate's attitude positive. Because Dave has served in this capacity on campaigns I've managed, I can honestly tell you he is probably one of the best in the business at this.