1. Unit IV So You Want To Run For President?

2. Step 1: Making the Decision Make sure you have a chance to win Losing can be harmful to future political endeavors No one likes a “loser”

3. Step 2: Making the Announcement Tell the world your intentions Make your announcement something that wins votes John Kerry on Daily Show Arnold on Tonight Show

4. Step 3: Fundraise…Like Seriously, Get Money Send out mailers soliciting donations Dinners A correlation between cash & political success? What?

5. Step 4: Get Ready for a Balancing Act Prepare a strategy for the primary election Must be further towards edges to beat others in the same party Prepare a strategy for the general election Must be further towards the center to beat other party’s candidate Have fun with that tightrope

6. Step 5: Iowa Caucus Iowa has the focus of the media First chance to get votes for the primary election Winning the Iowa Caucus provides momentum and early attention Not much of a predictor

7. Step 6: New Hampshire Primary New Hampshire Primary is a bit more of a predictor, but not perfect A pretty good indication of how the election is going to go Winner gets more attention, attention = money, money = success, ad infinitum

8. Step 7: Super Tuesday First Tuesday in February of election year Primaries in lots of states Can win the most votes on this day Choose your states wisely Can’t campaign in them all

9. Step 8: Pick a Vice-President Doesn’t really matter that much MUST have something you are missing If you are moderate, get someone more towards edges If you are young, get someone experienced Etc. Can’t win election, but can lose it if you pick a terrible one

10. Step 9: National Convention Huge party! Celebrate you Might not hurt to take a few potshots at your opponent …Or spend the whole time doing that Superdelegates: Party celebrities who get convention votes and are not bound to vote for anyone in particular (Mostly Dems)

11. Step 10: Debates Message, Message, Message It’s not about policy anymore Who looks better? Who sounds better? Who has better catchphrases and labels for opponent?

12. Step 11: Win! Good luck, don’t screw it up or your failure will be a synonym for when you get Hardinged, Hoovervilled, etc.