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Insider Interview: Scott Howell -- GOP Imagemaker
Scott Howell is the man Democrats love to hate.
A Republican media consultant, Howell has been involved in some of the most high-profile (and nasty) Senate races in recent memory, including Sen. Saxby Chambliss's (R) 2002 defeat of Max Cleland (D) in Georgia and Sen. John Thune's (R) 2004 victory over Minority Leader Tom Daschle in South Dakota.
Scott Howell is the man who helped elect Sens. Chambliss, Coleman and Thune. No wonder the Democrats can't stand him. (Courtesy Scott Howell & Company)
Liberal blogs refer to Howell as a "media hit man" (not to mention a number of other derogatory terms not repeatable in the family-friendly Fix).
Why?
Howell, himself, chalks it up to "woulda, coulda, shoulda" behavior on the part of his Democratic adversaries. "They don't like anyone who beats them," he said.
A look at Howell's record over the past two election cycles does show a remarkable record of success. In 2002, Howell was the media consultant for Chambliss as well as Sens. Norm Coleman (Minn.) and Jim Talent (Mo.). Two years later, Howell helped elect Thune as well as Sens. Jim DeMint (S.C) and Tom Coburn (Okla.) and appeared to have elected Dino Rossi as governor of Washington -- though a lengthy recount had Rossi coming up a few hundred votes short and Republicans vowing revenge in 2008.
Howell has a roster stacked with top-tier contests again in 2006. He will handle the television strategy for Talent's tough reelection bid against State Auditor Claire McCaskill (D), and he will serve as the media consultant for Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard's (R) challenge to Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D). In Minnesota, Howell will handle Rep. Mark Kennedy's (R) bid for the open Minnesota Senate seat, and down in Florida he is working for state CFO Tom Gallagher (R) gubernatorial campaign.
When asked to describe his recipe for success, Howell demurred, perhaps not wanting to give away too much information to rival consultants or the Democrats. But as the interview wore on, he let slip a few of his tactics.
"We are telling a story over a series of ads that allows the voters to draw the proper conclusions," said Howell. "We're successful in taking that whole compassion playbook and shoving it back in [Democrats'] faces. We are successful in getting people to like and believe our candidates."
A typical Howell media campaign begins with the candidate surrounded by his (or her) family -- the tone is light, and often the politician offers up a bit of self-deprecating humor.
Take Thune's first ad of the 2004 campaign. It featured his two daughters talking (and joking) about him and why he would be a good senator. Thune's only line in the ad was the disclaimer at the end ("I'm John Thune and I approved this message.") The next ad featured Thune speaking to the camera about his values and how they would guide his work for South Dakota in the Senate. His mother and father (as well as his two daughters and his wife) appear in the commercial.
Letting the candidate carry the message is a trademark of Howell campaigns. Looking back at his recent successes, each of the candidates -- Thune, Coleman, Chambliss and DeMint -- had a personable quality about them that Howell highlighted in the media effort.
In fact, in Howell's most high-profile loss -- the 2005 Virginia governor's race -- the lack of a charismatic candidate at the center of the campaign was widely cited as a prime reason for the defeat. State Attorney General Jerry Kilgore (R) had a thick southern accent and never appeared terribly comfortable in front of the camera. Kilgore rarely spoke in the ads -- a stark contrast to Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine's (D) engaging on-screen presence.
Howell refused to criticize Kilgore or the tactics of the campaign, however, saying only: "We didn't win. It is what it is." Howell added that he always learns more from losses than wins. "Losing makes you humbler and make you hungry," he said.
Early in his political life, Howell learned about losing -- not as a consultant but as a candidate. Fresh out of college, he ran for a state House seat in his native South Carolina in 1984. He went door to door in the Columbia-based district, wearing through three pairs of wingtips. "Nobody gave me a snowball's chance in hell of winning," recounts Howell. He nearly did; he was ahead on election night but lost by just over 100 votes after all the absentee ballots were counted. Howell signed up for a rematch in 1986 but didn't come as close - losing with just 46 percent of the vote.
Howell's career as a candidate ended there, but his political life was just beginning. After doing field work for Sen. Bob Dole's (R) 1988 presidential bid, Howell was recruited by Lee Atwater -- a fellow South Carolinian and the leading GOP strategist at the time -- to come to Washington and work at the Republican National Committee.
During his four years at the committee, Howell learned the game from the ground up as one of a handful of young people the RNC was training to be campaign operatives. He worked for the committee all over the country, including a special election in Texas where he met Karl Rove, who was then running a direct-mail firm out of Austin.
In 1992, Howell moved to Texas to work for Rove. "Karl forced you to think better on your feet," Howell said. "He showed me how a political consulting business would run."
By the fall of 1993, Howell had decided to strike out on his own. Scott Howell & Company was formed in Sept. 1993 and based in Alabama. Two years later Howell moved the company to Dallas where it remains. Although Howell said he once contemplated moving the business inside the Beltway, he decided to stay in Texas. "I don't get caught up in the bubble and it helps me," he said.
Howell's first big break came in the spring of 1994 when he was tasked with helping rancher Frank Lucas (R) win a special election for a western Oklahoma seat long held by a Democratic Rep. Glenn English. After trailing a sitting state senator in the primary, Lucas came back to win the runoff -- with Howell's help. "A lot of people were trying to throw me overboard," after the runoff win, Howell said, who credits Tom Cole and Clinton Key with standing by him. (Cole is now a congressman from Oklahoma's 4th district; Key is a GOP operative who has held a number of important staff posts in his home state and in Washington).
Lucas's general election opponent was Dan Webber, a former staffer to Sen. David Boren (D-Okla.). Howell proudly recounts ads that showed a limousine carrying "D.C. Dan Webber" traveling back and forth between Oklahoma and Washington, D.C. Lucas won 54 percent to 46 percent, and has been reelected easily since.
Many observers look back on the Lucas victory in the summer of 1994 as an early sign of the coming wave that would sweep Republicans to congressional majorities for the first time in 40 years. As is evident from that campaign, Howell is not afraid to throw a punch -- a willingness that has led to considerable criticism in Democratic circles.
During the 2002 Georgia Senate race, the Chambliss campaign ran an ad featuring photos of Cleland's face along with Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. Democrats to this day remain angry about the spot, which they say questioned the patriotism of Cleland, who lost three limbs in Vietnam. Howell insisted repeatedly at the time that he did not produce the ad in question.
In 2004, Howell handled the party's advertising in the Oklahoma race between Coburn and then Rep. Brad Carson (D). One ad that sought to question Carson's position on immigration showed a pair of dark-colored hands receiving food stamps. Democrats accused Howell of race baiting, comparing the ad to the infamous "white hands" spot run by Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) in his 1990 Senate race against Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt (D), who is African American. Howell said the image of the hands was stock footage; "They could have been the hands of any color," he told the Associated Press at the time. "It's a reach."
Asked last week about his reputation among Democrats, Howell said his accusers are the ones who "perpetuate" the mythology that he wins by fighting dirty.
"We've beaten them in some very close races and we've consistently done it," he said. "We connect better with average people."
By Chris Cillizza |
February 13, 2006; 11:48 AM ET
| Category:
Insider Interview
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Republican Party
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Comments
Posted by: IMPEACHBUSHNOW | August 17, 2006 3:19 PM | Report abuse
You are right.
Posted by: mike | April 18, 2006 9:14 AM | Report abuse
The site is very nice.
Posted by: Dublin Hotels | March 21, 2006 5:50 AM | Report abuse
Nobody is disputing Howell's success. The question is at what price? If he bit the head off a live kitten on national TV, and his candidate somehow won as a result, would the ends justify the means? I argue that it would not, and I suspect that most Americans agree with me.
There's a reason why Mr. Howell demurs on the topic of how he goes about winning. There can be no secret to success in advertising -- the evidence is entirely out in the public. He doesn't want to talk about it because he knows that his behavior is immoral. I can't blame him.
Posted by: Waldo Jaquith | February 15, 2006 12:40 PM | Report abuse
Imagine if Howell had the string of successes working for Dems instead of Reps. The same contributors spitting venom in this thread would be singing his praises.
The man has a ton of talent and is good at getting the message out. Maybe the Howell-haters just need to go home and kick the dog instead of busting a spleen in cypberspace on a guy that is a proven success.
Posted by: Punkin'sPal | February 14, 2006 10:10 PM | Report abuse
There are way too many haters on this thread.
The real story of Scott Howell is that a boy from Bennettsville (not exactly a Republican hotbed) has made it to the top of the mountain by faith in God and a helluva lotta work.
Scottie, you deserve to enjoy the benefits of your creations. You're always welcome back home.
Posted by: PalmettoPartisan98 | February 14, 2006 9:01 PM | Report abuse
Great article about a great American. I think you should have spent more time on my other successes.
Posted by: Apple | February 14, 2006 1:58 PM | Report abuse
I don't care what they say about you!!! We still like you.
Posted by: Wingman | February 14, 2006 12:33 PM | Report abuse
Look as a democrat I'm disgusted by this guy too, but facts are facts and he has been able to help get majorities of people to vote for his candidates. We need to figure out how to do this better if we want to change things!
Posted by: Brent Parrish | February 14, 2006 12:28 AM | Report abuse
Nyrunner, I actually agree with a lot of what you said. I think both parties are corrupt and run by consultants just looking to make a buck. It's sickening and pathetic. People have every right to be offended by the Wellstone memorial service - not just family or friends of Wellstone. That doesn't mean Tom Harkin or all the other lunatics speaking there don't have the right to scream at everyone and make fools of themselves. I'm just making the point that the Democratic Party threw away a Senate seat that they were poised to win in a landslide, because of the sheer stupidity of the behavior at the memorial service. You have every right to defend it or even engage in it - it's just politically stupid.
You are right, however, that the Willie Horton stuff was just a total outrage. Technically it is protected by the First Amendment as well, but it was hateful, reprehensible and disgusting. It just shows that Republicans as well as Democrats will do anything to stay in power. Isn't it interesting that the late Lee Atwater defended those ads but then after being stricken with terminal brain cancer changed his mind and apologized to Dukakis for them? He should be forgiven if he was sincere, but that should be a lesson for these consultants who are just obsessed with making a buck that honor and integrity are more important than just making a buck or political self-preservation.
As for "Swift Boat Veterans" I absolutely agree with you - that may shock you. It was effective, but that is not the point. It was a bunch of lies that were funded by Bush donors and staffed by his campaign operatives at "DCI Group." I never understood why Kerry didn't respond to these ads very effectively at all. But then again Kerry and his minions made up all sorts of lies about Bush.
I think you people are fooling yourselves if you think that one party is better than the other. The Republican Party is completely in hock to the pharmaceutical companies and major corporations and wealthy lobbyists and is run by political consultants who have zero integrity. They actually just use the pro-life people in order to get elected, but even the self-appointed "conservative leadership" are all on the take - Ralph Reed, Gary Bauer, all those people have huge lobbying contracts, speaking fees, and mailing lists that depend on getting people riled up over phony issues. DeLay and crew are completely corrupt.
But the Democratic Party is the same way - run by a bunch of crooked corporate interests and lunatic ex-campus radicals who are completely out of touch with Middle America. Maybe if the Democratic Party stopped mocking the values of voters in Middle America, they would convert more voters who are disgusted with Republican corruption but still vote GOP because they can't stomach being insulted by the Democratic Party, which shoves their pro-abortion agenda in everyone's face. I mean, give it a rest already. If you just stopped pushing abortion on everyone, you might win some elections. Elections are about building coalitions with people who may agree with you some of the time and not always. So stop screaming about the war in such harsh tones, stop calling the President names, tone down your rhetoric, and come up with some good ideas on education, health care, the environment, and controlling government spending. Come up with a foreign policy that isn't some kind of throwback to the 1960s. People like me are too young to even remember any of that garbage. If you do all of this, some of us may even vote for you and you might win an election.
Posted by: YoudontspeakformeCindy | February 13, 2006 6:54 PM | Report abuse
Another puff piece by Chris Cilliza, $PON$ORED BY THE RNC.
How about a 1500 word feature on a Dem operative now?
Oh wait, you're a GOP shill, I forgot.
Posted by: FairAndBalanced? | February 13, 2006 4:28 PM | Report abuse
Mr. Mason I suspect we disagree on most issues. But I respect your decency. It's people like you and me in both are respective parties who need to take this country back. That way the debate can be an honorable airing over different points of view about how to move this country forward. Sadly, we don't have that today. But with more Republicans like you - we can. Your post gives me hope and reminds me not to stereotype Republicans just because of the way the national party conducts itself.
Posted by: Intrepid Liberal | February 13, 2006 3:54 PM | Report abuse
Charles: again, the past predicted this future.
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Lord Acton, English historian/1904
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." - Abraham Lincoln
"Pride goeth before a fall" - Proverbs
Posted by: lpdrjk | February 13, 2006 3:19 PM | Report abuse
As a lifelong Republican it is disgusting to read what Mr. Howell says about reaching out to the "average" American. I wish he would reach out to us. Then he could explain to us how come the Congressmen & Senators that we elected unknowlingly that they would have hijacked our Constitution and decided that they are not subject to the "rules of law". I am convinced that people like Mr. Howell is the reason that there is now a 'culture of corruption' in my party.
These activities look too much like the dark days of the Nixon administration. When will my party learn?
Posted by: Charles Mason | February 13, 2006 2:51 PM | Report abuse
All you need to know is in the article, Karl Rove and Lee Atwater----the Bonnie and Clyde of politics--and Bonnie and Clyde were able to "connect" with the "Average" people too.
Posted by: rzrbks | February 13, 2006 2:30 PM | Report abuse
By connecting "better with average people" he means appealing to their bigotry, fear and ignorance. And he's proud of that. I have to agree with "loyal american." Couldn't you find someone more worthy of an interview than this bit of pond scum? A candidate for dog catcher, for example.
Posted by: lpdrjk | February 13, 2006 2:27 PM | Report abuse
Respectfully Jornarna the ads contained pictures of Osama Bin Laden. I think the intent was quite clear and it illustrates the basic indecency of the Republican Party. A party of hate and fear.
Posted by: Intrepid Liberal | February 13, 2006 2:24 PM | Report abuse
First, to YOUDONTSPEAKFORMECINDY's comments on the Wellstone Memorial service and the political remarks made during it I would like to know why people such as yourself never bring up the reprehensible and disgusting behaviour of Republican candidates. Don't you remember the Willie Horton ad during the 1988 presidential campaign in which Dukakis was linked to a rapist/murderer who was released from jail? Anyone with a brain would recognize that smear as far worse than anything said at that service. And then there is the Swift Boat smear against John Kerry. Complete lies that were never retracted by the Republicans. I can't wait for the book that explains how all those veterans voted for a draft-dodger over a genuine hero.
Now as to the subject at hand. Wasn't there a time when people did what was right for the COUNTRY? The fruits of this guy's labor are some of the worst senators in government. And this is something to be proud of? His tactics are reprehensible and the results are even worse. How this guy lives with himself is beyond me. No morals perhaps.
Posted by: nyrunner | February 13, 2006 2:23 PM | Report abuse
"Both the Chambliss (GA) and Coleman (MN) campaigns were disgusting and reprehensible. In the former, Chambliss not only questioned, but denied Max Cleland's patriotism and heroism in Vietnam."
The ads criticized Clelland's votes against the creation of the Dept of Homeland Security. The public employee unions wanted veto power over agency management decisions so they demanded Democratic senators vote against it. If Max Clelland had shown less loyalty to special interest groups, he might still be in the Senate today.
Posted by: jomama | February 13, 2006 2:19 PM | Report abuse
If you are a friend of family member of Wellstone, you can be offended at his funeral. If not, then you do not have that right. I find it offenseive that Republicans try to take ownership of funerals of people they opposed (and often derided) in life.
Posted by: cynical ex-hippie | February 13, 2006 2:11 PM | Report abuse
Hello "ChrisNYC." The refresh problem you reported above has been fixed. Thanks for flagging it for us. The Fix is always available in washingtonpost.com's Politics Section and at www.washingtonpost.com/thefix.
Posted by: washingtonpost.com | February 13, 2006 2:09 PM | Report abuse
People like Howell profit from the coarsening of our culture. What's especially galling is that he can do this while making his clients appear to be promoting a "culture of life" while they're actually empowering a reign of indecency.
Posted by: Intrepid Liberal | February 13, 2006 2:02 PM | Report abuse
Looks like Howell has that Lyle and Erik Menendez sweater look going for him.
Can't wait to see Jim Talent looking human in his TV spots this summer, probably will run in the Pat Robertson favored counties though. In KC, all we are going to get his his race biting, pathetic slime ads aimed at Claire McCaskell. If Howell is what Jim Talent thinks he needs to win, Missouri is in sorry shape.
Posted by: jenniferm | February 13, 2006 1:59 PM | Report abuse
Typical of republicons smear tactics. Little fat nerdy people who had their Superman lunch boxes stepped on as little punks. Rove, Cheney, and Howell to name a few.
Posted by: Anonymous | February 13, 2006 1:11 PM | Report abuse
The Wellstone Senate seat was stolen from the Democrats? I don't think so. The Democrats threw that one away with their behavior at their so-called memorial service for Wellstone. It was repulsive and highly inappropriate. The Republicans came to pay their respect to the man who had died, and they were jeered and insulted like it was some kind of freak show carnival. Why is it that the Democratic Party blames everyone except themselves for their losses? And their replacement candidate for the seat was Walter Mondale, who hasn't won anything since the Stone Age. I didn't agree with Wellstone on much of anything, but I think he was sincere and I'm not sure he would have appreciated all those people like Harkin screaming and the Republicans and condeming them at his own memorial service. It turned off the public and cost the Democratic Party a Senate seat.
Posted by: YoudontspeakformeCindy | February 13, 2006 1:07 PM | Report abuse
Mr. Howell is most certainly that of an image-maker: he has connected with us "average people" so well that we now have an image of the GOP as needing to win by using slime, profit, swiftboating, cronyism, mistruths, and deception.
It's not, as Mr. Howell claims (chuckle, chuckle) that the dems don't like those who beat them. The dems, good republicans and the rest of us average folks simply aren't equipped to deal with political campaigns that refuse to comply with ethical standards.
Mr. Howell is not worthy of a feature. His treatment of Max Cleland was one of the most repugnant campaigns I've ever witnessed.
Posted by: loyal american | February 13, 2006 12:38 PM | Report abuse
While I am disguested by Howells tactics he is right that he does connect better with the average american. Democrats do need to learn a few things from him.
Posted by: Brent Parrish | February 13, 2006 12:34 PM | Report abuse
Both the Chambliss (GA) and Coleman (MN) campaigns were disgusting and reprehensible. In the former, Chambliss not only questioned, but denied Max Cleland's patriotism and heroism in Vietnam. In the latter, Coleman accused Democrats of politicizing Senator Paul Wellstone's funeral (and thereby defeated former VP Walter Mondale) after the beloved senator died in a plane crash in the middle of his reelection campaign. Both of these men were good senators of the American people and honest men who had done wonderful things for their counry. It sickens me to think of Howell deftly engineering the defeat of men like Max Cleland and Walter Mondale and then putting their defeat down to the Republicans' connection with "ordinary people". One thing that pleases me is Al Franken's move back to Minnesota as he gears up to challenge Coleman for his senate seat in '08. Franken and Wellstone were good friends, and it would be sweet to run out the bum who stole the seat from the Democrats.
Posted by: Anonymous | February 13, 2006 12:28 PM | Report abuse
Chris- There has to be a better, more consistent way to find your blog. I know you just recently changed the url but even when you go to the Columns and Blogs section to look up your blog and then use the search feature it briefly redirects you to the "redirect" page and then it actually take you the the "Security Fix" page instead of your page. Someone needs to take care of this.
Posted by: ChrisNYC | February 13, 2006 12:00 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
I don't think someone should be congratulated for producing deceptive commercials that help elect corrupt politicians who help perpetuate the friggin mess that Bush and his group have bestowed upon the WORLD. After seeing the featured ad on his website, I don't see much creativity. I don't think he gets the jobs because he is good. I think he gets the jobs, because he is willing to produce lies and smears that he knows to be lies going in. It is a matter of conscience and ethics. It is the same reason that Tony Snow is now the White House spokesman. His drive to be famous outweighs his conscience, so he took the job that no one else wanted, because of what it will require. Tony Snow did not get the job because he is good. He got the job because he was willing to do it. IMPEACH BUSH AND CHENEY NOW!