Subject: Communication Recommendation for Clinton Campaign
From: Charlie Kaltman <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 19:00:56 -0400

Dear Mr. Podesta,
 
I hope you will recall our chance meeting the past Tuesday atSecretary Clinton’s Brooklyn headquarters. I said then that I thought I hadideas on ways to help Mrs. Clinton achieve the presidency – a goal with which Ihave involved myself since before the 2008 presidential primaries. 
 
I have included two New York Times articles that Iwould like to use as examples of some of my thinking. You may already haveread them. The first, dated 12/29/15, is entitled “Donald Trump’s UnstoppableVirality.” The second, appearing in today's Times, is NicholasKristof’s column, “'Big Government' Looks Great When There Is None." On the surface, thesearticles are connected only insofar as they both reference the current GOPprimary season. But in the larger sense, they offer an example of a keychallenge for the Democratic Party generally, and Secretary Clinton’s campaignspecifically. And it is all about communication.
 
Sad to say but as a realistic matter, Mr. Kristof’s articleabout the connection between government and civilization set, as it is, inSouth Sudan, cannot make much of an impression on the average Trump or Cruzsupporter. South Sudan is… someplace else. Americans have their own issues andare unlikely and unwilling to connect to South Sudan and its problems. ButKristof’s article presents the fundamental fact that there is no civilizedsociety without government; that government is essential to the provision oforder, progress, economic security, etc. 
 
The Democratic Party’s critical necessity is to help theelectorate understand that government is not the enemy here. I am constantlyamazed at the many people who claim that government is evil – but don’t touchmy Social Security or Medicare or Veterans benefits… The “Virality” discussionpoints to Trump communication successes by saying that “Tweets” and onesentence catch phrases are the only things people are listening to these days.
 
So the challenge is to take Mr. Kristof’s critical notion andturn it into a memorable slogan; a few words that help people understand thatwithout our government (and it’s spending money and providing jobs and settingstandards of conduct among people) we cannot be a successful country. Now, I amnot an ad man or a greeting card sloganeer. Taking Kristof’s comments andtranslating them into bite-sized concepts is not my forte, but I am willing tobet that there is somebody on your staff who could create the words that wouldwork. 
 
Messaging is everything these days. I sincerely hope thatyou will consider these articles and the opportunity they present tocommunicate a critical concept. I also hope that you will allow me to makeoccasional suggestions, recommendations and observations that might help ourpresidential candidate reach the ultimate goal.
 
Best regards,
 
Charlie Kaltman
50 Plaza St. E – Apt 5B
Brooklyn, NY 11238
718-622-5225
[email-masked]

'Big Government'

Virality