Rising Tide: ls there a typical day in the life of a presidential campaign manager?

fi"r, Vf"hm*: Every day is different' Obviously, this is a huge task and a very important mission' My day involves talk-

ing to our grassroots leaders around the country, working

Steady, resolute Republican leadershiP or the failed Democratic Policies of the past-

closely with Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Ed Gillespie und tt" outstanding team at the RNC, and with Republican leadership in the states-members of Congress' gor"-orc and senators. And, of course, I work very closely

*itt,

tt staffhere at the campaign' So no day is typical' " Rising Tide: Along with serving as a campaign manager this year, in 2000, you were the President's national field direcior. To give our readers a little insight into how a national campaign operates, will you explain what an organi-

THE
GHOIG

zational chart looks like for a 50-state campaign? Ken Mehlman: Well, this is an organization that very

much believes in being bottom up, not top down' In each

often state, we have state chairmen and state leaders, who are

the Republican governor, senator or congressman' Working together with them, we help develop an appropriate electoral strategy and we work very closely to figure out how to

ls

u""o*pUtf, our mutual goals. The campaign includes ical department, responsible for getting out the vote
u,

polit-

as well

GLEAR
An intewiew with (O4 Bush-Cheney Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman
PHOTOGHAPHS BY BILL DENISON

and a communications department responsible getting the President's positive message out to as many for p"opt" as possible. We also have a strategy department to ir"tp ,t focus on the best ways to achieve victory, a finance a shop that helps us raise the resources that we need' and to make sure we're complying with the legal department ,pi.it und the letter of the law. Our policy people help communicate the President's accomplishments and vision' treasury makes sure we are staying on budget and complying witlh the treasury laws, and, finally, our operations departway' ment makes sure all of these areas are working the right made out of Howard Dean's InterRising Tide:Mtchwas

u."rrug"

net political campaign, and he did raise a considerable u..rorrt of money. But in the end, online supporters didn't

role show up in the primaries. How important is the Internet's in political camPaigns? Ken Mehlman: The Internet is an incredibly important tool' It provides a way for the President's supporters around the y to make contributions, help identify and register voters' "ornt and send letters to the editor, and share the President's write for a message with friends. But a Web site is not a substitute

reason message. The reason our site has so much activify-the not because of our Web site' we have 6 million e-activists-is it's because we've got a great President' So the Web site a great tool for people to channel that support and

becomes

share the GOP message

with other people' on Rising Tide: With all of the media coverage focused primaries, they had plenty of time the Democrats during the to get out their anti-Bush message' What steps should

Republicans take to make sure voters hear the other side? lftn Mehlman: Well, logging on to our Web site is a great of what steps folks can take' They should talk to

example their neighbors about the President, call into talk radio and write letGrs to the editors of their local newspapers' They can

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also send out e-mails about the President's policy accomplishments and set up a blog (Web log). All of these are examples of things people can do to help support the President, and, if they can, provide financial assistance to Republican campaigns and to the RNC. That's also very important. Rising Ti.de: A year ago, members of the campaign, including senior strategist Matthew Dowd, predicted that the President's poll numbers, at this stage, would slip and that, overall, support for the President would fluctuate throughout this year. It's only May. How much stock can voters place in anY of the polls, and in the end, what do the polls tell us? Ken Mehlman: I think that what the polls tell us right now is that most folks aren't really focused on this campaign. They're not focused on the choice they're
going to face, and at the end ofthe

11...tWeb site is not a substitute for a message The rcason our site has so much actiuitY/... is not because of our Web site, it's because werue got a grcat President."

day, when they are focused on that choice, I am confident that George W. Bush is going to have the support he needs. When theY
focus on the choice between how do we keep lhe economic recov-

ery going forward, the President

has a six-point plan to do it; our opponent wants to raise taxes in the first 100 days. How do we keep America safe during a world

where you have the threat of

terrorism? The President believes we need a proactive, strong and resolute approach. Our opponent

recently said that the War on

Terror has created more terrorists. That's a very different view of the world, and we look forward to debating that view of the world.

We have always indicated

the is closely divided and that country discussing the choice the American people face. Rising Tide: The Democrats have said they want to take America back. You've said they don't want to take America bac( they want to take America backwards. What do you mean by that?

this will be a close election, and we look forward to

Ken Mehlman: I think the Democrats want to take America backward to failed ideas and false illusions. Raising taxes to create economic growth was tried, and it actually cost jobs, and it undermined economic growth. Why go back2} years to the economic plan of Walter Mondale, which is what our opponents propose? Before 9lll, a lot of people believed that the War on Terror could be won without f,ghting a war, with mostly law enforcement and intelligence. Sen. Kerry has said that's his position. That's a false illusion. The country ried it, and it
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trToo often our opponents

support policies that are weak and tentatiue in the face of tenon And if there is one thing we'ue learned in this century, it is that the grcatest ptouocation for war is weakness...!r

decide. But at the end of the day, anger and negativity don't create jobs and don't make Americans safer and don't improve schools. A positive plan does. The President has positive strategies to do all of these things. A1l our opponents want to do is run negative commercials and that's the wrong approach. Rising Tide: Maty economic indicators are pointing to sustained recovery and Federal Reserve Chairman Alan a Greenspan said that, if this economic growth rate contilues, new jobs are going to pick up reasonably quickly. How important were the President's tax cuts to the recovery and how important is it to make them permanent? Ken Mehlman: The tax cuts are very important. The tax cuts are why a recession is today a recovery, and they should be made permanent because the dollars that employers have to spend on taxes are dollars they can't spend hiring new workers orpaying those existing workers beffer salaries. The American people have a choice. Do we want to spend more money on hiring workers and making America more competitive in the world, or do we want to spend more money in Washington, D.C., on government? And we think when you look on the face of that choice as well as other parts of his economic plan, the people are going to choose the President's approach. Rising Tide: In 1996, the Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act that defined marriage as a legal union between a man and woman. The Senate and House overwhelmingly voted for it; President Clinton signed it; and 38 states have passed similar laws. Given that supporl, why did the President believe that this issue was important enough to call for a constitutional amendment? Ken Mehlman: The reason is activist judges. In Massachusetts and elsewhere, activist judges ovemrled the Defense of Marriage Act. Now, when a judge ovemrles a law, in some cases, the only avenue left to make sure that

law remains in effect is through a constitutional amendment. And the President believes that a constitutional didn't work. We, as Americans, have been through a lot in the last three years. We want to keep looking forward
and not go back after we've come this far. Rising Tide: Sen. John Kerry sent a letter to President Bush accusing the President and his supporters of ques-

amendment is necessary to protect marriage between a man and a woman. A constitutional amendment is also the only way that allows the people to decide that question as opposed to it being decided by judges. The President believes that marriage ought to be between a man and a woman, the overwhelming majority of the American people agree, and this is the only way to make sure that the President's approach, and the approach ofthe vast majority of Americans, remains the law.

tioning his patriotism. Gov. Marc Racicot responded to Kerry by saying his patriotism was not in question, but instead his voting record. He asked Kerry 'to elevate the
remarkably negative tone of your campaign and your party over the past year." Have the Democrats gone too far too early? Ken Mehlman: Well, that's for the voters to decide. But the extraordinarily negative tone of the Democrats' campaign is unprecedented---especially when you think

Rising Tide: As the commander in chief during an

unprecedented time in history President Bush has a record of accomplishment. What do you see as the President's

about the fact that three out of every four dollars Sen.
Kerry has spent has been spent on negative ads. Democrats ran $17 million in ads (by the beginning of March) attacking the President, who's not even in their primary. So, what they've done is very unusual and it's up to the voters to

key policy successes to date? Ken Mehlman: Number one is the President's success when it comes to the War on Terror-America is safer today than when George W. Bush took office. And, it's safer because we have an aggressive and effective strategy for takhg on the terrorists and for ffeating this war like what it is-a war. America is safer because Afghanistan has been liberated, and the Taliban and al Qaida leaders are

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today hiding in caves. America and the world are safer

because Saddam Hussein, a vicious dictator who had used,

possessed and sought weapons of mass destnrction, invaded his neighbor, and assisted and funded terrorists, is in prison instead of in power. We are safer because there is an intemational effort led by America to apprehend and deny funding to terrorists. We are safer because America has a PATRIOT Act at home, which says to law enforcement you have the same tools to fight international terrorism you have been using to fight the war on drugs. And, finally, America is safer because we are taking the battle to the terrorists abroad, not waiting for them to attack at home' Rising Tide:Why is Iraq such a critical component in

"We stand uP for our nation, we defend our nation, and we make surc we wod( hald for peace and for Ireedom around the world.t'

not only the fight against tenorism but in foreign policy,

despite the problems?

Ken Mehlman: The reason Iraq is so important is that Saddam Hussein was a unique tyrant. In addition, to the reasons I've already mentioned earlier-having used WMDs and having a WMD program, invading his

neighbor, and funding terrorists-over a period of 12 years, he had consistently ignored all of the warnings by the United Nations and the entire world to put an end to this behavior. Removing Saddam Hussein, a brutal dictator, from power makes America and the world safer. But, in addition, the United States is working very hard to provide a troubled region an example that democracy and stability can work and that the people of this troubled region don't need to accept dictatorship. They
should demand democracY. Rising Ti.de: How do

you describe the difference between the two parties, and where do you see Sen. Kerry and the Democrats wanting to lead America versus the future the President sees for this country? Ken Mehlman: The difference between the two parties is great. At home, the President and Republicans believe in allowing individuals and local communities to
set the course

for their lives and for themselves. Democrats

believe in taking your money and making your choices for you in Washington, and that difference applies across the board. That's why they want higher taxes, and we want lower taxes. That's why we support giving patients more control over Medicare, including prescription drugs; they oppose it. Democrats want Washington to decide what benefits you get. That's why we suppotl allowing younger workers to invest a portion of their Social Security payroll tax so that they will own their own retirement, and have more control and more decision-making power. That's why our opponents oppose it. That's why we support No Child Left Behind, to empower parents and local school districts. Our opponents now crrticize this law, even though they voted for it. On foreign

nents, unfortunately, too often don't realistically see those threats. The President and Republicans have a long, proud record of working for strength and resolution. Too often our opponents support policies that are weak and tentative in the face of terror. And if there is one thing we've learned in this century it is that the greatest provocation for war is weakness, and our President believes that by the peaceful being strong, the world

will

be more peaceful.

Rising Ti.de:Is there any message you'd like to leave

with the readers?

affairs, I think the difference is that under President Bush's leadership and consistent with our party's long held tradition, we realistically look at the threats America sees in the world. We stand up for our nation, we defend our nation, and we make sure we work hard for peace and for freedom around the world. And our oppo-

Ken Mehlman: The message is thank you for supporting the RNC. It's a wonderful organization- You have a wonderful chairman. It's got a fantastic staff.
Your money, your resources, your support is being husbanded very carefully. It is only being spent to help support our President and our Republican leaders. Thank you for all that you do to help make America a better
place and the world a more peaceful place.

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