Ezra Levant Needed

Not many know this, but I've modeled my communication strategy on Ezra Levant, who I believe has based some of his techniques on what Tony Blankley did as Press Secretary to Newt Gingrich. (I've never asked him, but I'm assuming since Blankley came first, Levant learned from Blankley.)

Anyway here is the essence of the Levant-Blankley communication strategy: DO NOT STAY QUIET.

There are some downsides to this strategy. For example, by always being loud and in front of reporters, you always get reported. Good or bad. If you are loud and in their face in the good times, you cannot avoid them in the bad times. You must always have an answer. This strategy forces you to get off your behind and do work. It is definitely not a lazy man's game.

However, there are many upsides. First, and most importantly, as an opposition party, you need to take advantage of natural media lulls. That means when there is no news, you need to become the news. If you are always loud and in the reporters' faces then they will naturally turn to you when they have nothing else to cover. So you will get some coverage. Second, you fight off the natural liberal bias in media. Reporters are Liberals, but they are not liars. They will report your side of the story if you give it to them. By being in their face all the time you avoid the recent confusion over who offered to delay the SSM bill for the budget. (Was it us who offered to sell out or was it the grits?)

This is not the strategy currently used by the CPC.

I remember when I was working on the Hill, there was a day that I wanted to send out 6 press releases. (My goal was generally to average one per day.) When the leader's office found out, they called and complained that I had too much of a "war room" mentality. They made me narrow it down into two. Now the pressers got coverage but that's not the point. The point is the more you send out, the more you will get covered. Journalists don't like to have to go fishing for a story. If you give them one, they'll print it. Second, I believe that everyone in the communication shop should always have a war room strategy. Conservatives get good coverage during elections - or at least better coverage. So why can't we be in that mentality 24-7.

I think CPC has a lot to learn from Gingrich's contract with America. The first step should be setting up a permanent war-room.