David Axelrod and Karl Rove Teach Campaign Strategy and Messaging

Karl Rove and David Axelrod

Teach Campaign Strategy and Messaging

Meet your new instructors David Axelrod and Karl Rove. In your first lesson, they share how they each found politics, how their unlikely friendship began, and why they are passionate about democracy.

Introduction

Karl and David lay out what a campaign team needs to consider at the start of a race. Learn why you need to take stock of the electorate--and your candidate--to develop a theory of why you can win.

Starting a Campaign

Knowing your candidate inside and out is essential to a winning campaign. Both instructors illustrate why you must uncover every strength and weakness: to identify lines of attack and develop your message.

Assessing Your Candidate

Karl delves into the whys and hows of conducting opposition research, and addresses the ethical concerns of this practice.

Researching Your Opponent

Both instructors teach you how to decide which candidate to work for, the different roles on a campaign team, and the role of key decision-maker.

Working on a Campaign

Karl explains why you need a campaign plan, what it should include, and how to follow-through and evolve as the race progresses.

The Campaign Plan

Karl teaches you how to determine which parts of the electorate your campaign should target and how to go about it, while David shares his advice on the importance of addressing what constituents care about most.

Understanding the Electorate and Targeting Voters

David and Karl trade off teaching the importance of polling and focus groups, while also highlighting the limitations of these types of research.

Polling and Focus Groups

Karl breaks down what you need to include in a comprehensive campaign budget, how to figure out how much money you can raise, and the different ways you can go about raising it effectively.

Budgeting and Fundraising

Using effective ads from past successful campaigns, David and Karl teach you the different types of messages you can create for your campaign, from biographical content to positive, comparative, and negative ads.

The Campaign Message

David walks you through the entire media campaign for an Iowa governor’s race to demonstrate how to develop and evolve your campaign message.

Campaign Messaging Case Study

David discusses the importance of the campaign launch, the fundamentals of the stump speech, and why candidates must be aware that all their actions are under scrutiny in a campaign.

Public Appearances

Karl and David analyze the ever-changing media landscape and teach their most effective ways to use television and the internet to disseminate your candidate’s message.

Getting Your Message Out

David and Karl explain how essential social media is to modern campaigning. Learn how to use social media to spread your message, target voters, solicit donations, and find volunteers.

Harnessing Social Media

Karl breaks down why direct mail continues to be a valuable tool to reach voters during your campaign.

Direct Mail

Using his experiences in the 2008 Obama presidential campaign, David offers his unique perspective on the power of slogans and logos.

Slogans and Logos

Karl and David teach you strategies to support your candidate during the grueling election cycle, from finding ways to preserve their energy, to delivering tough feedback.

Supporting Your Candidate

An expert in “the ground game,” Karl teaches how to use volunteers to reach potential voters during your campaign. David and Karl also discuss why volunteering can be an excellent entry point into working on campaigns.

Mobilizing Volunteers

Using examples from historic debates, David and Karl break down the tactics candidates can use to effectively win a debate.

Debates 

David illustrates how to successfully emerge from the inevitable mistakes and negative attacks that happen during the course of any campaign.

Keeping the Campaign on Track

Karl teaches you how to identify and leverage the organizations and individuals who can positively influence your campaign.

Identifying Influencers

The closing weeks of a campaign are the busiest part of the election cycle. David and Karl lay out what to prioritize as you race toward the finish line.

The End of the Race

Karl and David discuss their perspectives on the highly polarized current state of politics in America, and the future they see for the country.

The Current State of Politics

David and Karl offer a call to action, encouraging you to get involved in politics and start making a difference.

Parting Words

Community & Government

Study Domestic & International Affairs

Teaches Economics and Society

Paul Krugman

Paul Krugman Teaches Economics and Society

Teaches Mindfulness and Meditation

Jon Kabat-Zinn

Jon Kabat-Zinn Teaches Mindfulness and Meditation

Teaches U.S. Presidential History and Leadership

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Doris Kearns Goodwin Teaches U.S. Presidential History and Leadership

Lessons from Influential Black Voices

Black History, Black Freedom, and Black Love

Teaches Business Innovation

Rosalind Brewer

Rosalind Brewer Teaches Business Innovation

Rewriting the Rules of Business and Life

Whitney Wolfe Herd

Teaches Designing Your Career

Elaine Welteroth

Elaine Welteroth Teaches Designing Your Career

Gloria Steinem and Noted Co-Instructors

Redefining Feminism

Redefining Feminism with Gloria Steinem and Noted Co-Instructors

Teach Advertising and Creativity

Jeff Goodby & Rich Silverstein

Jeff Goodby & Rich Silverstein Teach Advertising and Creativity

A Documentary by Academy Award Nominee Andrea Nevins

The Cowboy and the Queen

A Documentary by Andrea Nevins

A Documentary Film From Artist JR

Tehachapi

A Documentary by Artist JR

Teaches the Power of Storytelling

LeVar Burton

Teaches the Power of Storytelling 

LeVar Burton Teaches the Power of Storytelling

Teaches Independent Filmmaking

Spike Lee

Spike Lee Teaches Independent Filmmaking

Ryan Holiday with Noted Experts

Using Ancient Wisdom to Solve Modern Problems

Teaches Conservation

Dr. Jane Goodall

Dr. Jane Goodall Teaches Conservation

Teaches Poetic Thinking

Joy Harjo

Joy Harjo Teaches Poetic Thinking

Teaches Tracing Your Roots Through Food

Michael W. Twitty

Michael W. Twitty Teaches Tracing Your Roots Through Food

Teaches Investigative Journalism

Bob Woodward

Bob Woodward Teaches Investigative Journalism

José Andrés with Special Guest Chefs

Food, Stories, and Connections

Teaches Writing and Performing Poetry

Amanda Gorman

Amanda Gorman Teaches Writing and Performing Poetry

Teaches Scientific Thinking and Communication

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson Teaches Scientific Thinking and Communication

Teaches Self-Expression and Authenticity

RuPaul

RuPaul Teaches Self-Expression and Authenticity

Teaches Art and Creativity

Jeff Koons

Jeff Koons Teaches Art and Creativity

Teaches Mental Strength

Robin Arzón

Robin Arzón Teaches Mental Strength

Pharrell Williams and Noted Co-Instructors

The Power of Empathy

The Power of Empathy With Pharrell Williams and Noted Co-Instructors

Teaches The Power of Resilience

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Teaches the Power of Resilience

Hillary Rodham Clinton Teaches The Power of Resilience

Teaches Writing

Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell Teaches Writing

Teaches Inclusive Leadership

Bill Clinton

President Bill Clinton Teaches Inclusive Leadership

Teaches Purposeful Communication

George Stephanopoulos

George Stephanopoulos Teaches Purposeful Communication

Teaches Disruptive Entrepreneurship 

Richard Branson

Richard Branson Teaches Disruptive Entrepreneurship 

Teaches Authentic Leadership

George W. Bush

President George W. Bush Teaches Authentic Leadership

Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice Teach Diplomacy

Madeleine Albright & Condoleezza Rice

Teach Diplomacy

Teaches Impactful Giving

Melinda French Gates

Melinda French Gates Teaches Impactful Giving

Teaches Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing

N. K. Jemisin

N. K. Jemisin Teaches Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing

Teaches Storytelling and Writing

Salman Rushdie

Salman Rushdie Teaches Storytelling and Writing

Chris Hadfield and Noted Co-Experts

Crisis Day

Chris Voss and Noted Co-Experts

Malala Teaches Creating Change

Malala Yousafzai

Teaches Creating Change

Teaches Writing for Social Change

Roxane Gay

Roxane Gay Teaches Writing for Social Change

Teaches Philosophy

Cornel West

Cornel West Teaches Philosophy

Teaches Science and Problem-Solving

Bill Nye

Bill Nye Teaches Science and Problem-Solving

With Former CIA Officers

The Art of Intelligence

Reframe Your Thinking

Ava DuVernay

With Noted Investors

Mastering the Markets

Teaches a Winning Mindset

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton Teaches a Winning Mindset

Teaches Independent Thinking and Media’s Invisible Powers

Noam Chomsky

Independent Thinking and Media’s Invisible Powers

Noam Chomsky Teaches Independent Thinking and Media’s Invisible Powers

Teaches Effective and Authentic Communication

Robin Roberts

Robin Roberts Teaches Effective and Authentic Communication

Icons and Their Influences

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